About Asbestos Cancers
Asbestos cancer is a general
term for a variety of cancers caused by exposure to asbestos.
Malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the membranes that line
the chest (pleural mesothelioma) and abdomen (peritoneal
mesothelioma), is nearly always attributable asbestos exposure.
Lung cancer may also be asbestos related.
Mesothelioma is sometimes
mistakenly referred to as a lung cancer because almost
two-thirds of the diagnosed cases affect the pleural lining,
which predomenantly surrounds the lungs. In actuality, this
cancer resides outside the lungs, but may affect their
functioning, as it is the job of the pleural lining to permit
movement between the lungs, diaphragm and other organs as they
function (think of the expansion and contraction of the lungs as
the breath in and expel air).
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral
that has been used widely in everyday products because it won't
conduct electricity and is heat- and chemical- resistant. These
asbestos fibers, when loose, can easily be inhaled or swallowed,
and remain in the body for years, eventually resulting in an
asbestos-related cancer.
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