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Mesothelioma | American Lung Association


Pleural contamination with asbestos or other mineral fibers has been shown to cause cancer. Long thin asbestos fibers (blue asbestos, amphibole fibers) are more potent carcinogens than "feathery fibers" (chrysotile or white asbestos fibers).[28]  However, there is now evidence that smaller particles may be more dangerous than the larger fibers. They remain suspended in the air where they can be inhaled, and may penetrate more easily and deeper into the lungs. "We probably will find out a lot more about the health aspects of asbestos from [the World Trade Center attack], unfortunately," said Dr. Alan Fein, chief of pulmonary and critical-care medicine at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System.[53]As pleural mesothelioma spreads in the chest, it puts pressure on the structures in that area. This can cause complications, such as:

We Have Decades of Experience at Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma (me-zoe-thee-lee-O-muh) is a type of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers the majority of your internal organs (mesothelium).Workers in asbestos industries generally experienced higher rates of exposure. These workers may have experienced asbestos exposure at their jobsite. Veterans also faced high exposure risks. Asbestos can also be a danger to individuals who did not work with it.

Diagnosis and Tests

Recommended treatment methods vary based on mesothelioma cell type and location. Doctors can create customized treatment plans based on each individual case.In the town of Wittenoom, asbestos-containing mine waste was used to cover schoolyards and playgrounds. In 1965, an article in the British Journal of Industrial Medicine established that people who lived in the neighbourhoods of asbestos factories and mines, but did not work in them, had contracted mesothelioma. [citation needed]

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