Asbestos is a naturally-occurring substance that has many potentially beneficial qualities. It is an excellent insulator that also has fire-resistant qualities. Because of its many potential benefits, companies have used asbestos in products ranging from automotive parts to building insulation. Unfortunately, for all the uses and benefits that asbestos offers, it also creates substantial health risks for those who inhale it.
Genetic issues linked to mesothelioma risk
Louisville construction workers who have handled or otherwise been exposed to asbestos have often developed severe health problems in the years that followed. Small fibers of asbestos can become embedded in the lungs, leading to a number of serious diseases, including a deadly form of cancer called mesothelioma. While this form of cancer is rare, its development is predominantly linked to asbestos exposure on the job. Of course, not every worker who handles asbestos develops mesothelioma, although their health may be endangered in other ways.
New drug combination may be effective against mesothelioma
Those who suffer from mesothelioma in Louisville may be interested in recent research that may help treat the disease. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that primarily affects the thin layer that lines the outside of many of the organs in the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the lining, or pleura, of the lungs. Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of the development of this type of cancer.
Asbestos exposure can cause illness decades later
Many construction workers in Louisville have been exposed to asbestos over the course of their careers. Even after the dangers of asbestos became widely known, construction workers were still regularly exposed to the substance during demolition and remodeling projects. Because there is a latency period for mesothelioma, workers are often diagnosed with the asbestos-related disease long after exposure.
Elderly mesothelioma patients unable to receive treatment
A recent study has looked at 4,526 patients age 80 years and older who died from nonmetastatic pleural mesothelioma. What researchers found was that 63% of patients were only observed by their physician and prevented from receiving any treatment that would have extended their life. Louisville residents should know more about this study, the results of which were published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology.
