Causes of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a tumor derived from mesothelial cells of the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium and tunica albuginea of the testis . The mesothelium is a membrane that covers all our cavities inside.

The pleura is the most frequent (80%), affecting the pleura diffusely. The pleura is the membrane that covers the rib cage and the surface of the lungs.

It is a rare tumor. It occurs between the 5th and 7th decade of life because of previous occupational exposure toasbestos or asbestos (a mineral) in youth. The incidence is highest in Australia, Belgium and Britain (with 20 cases per million inhabitants); in Spain, the incidence is less than 22 cases per million, and mesothelioma accounts for 0.3% of all cancer deaths. The incidence is higher in men than in women.

The median survival of those affected by malignant mesothelioma is between six and 18 months.

Causes of Mesothelioma

The trade-name of a mineral asbestos formed by silica, magnesium oxide ferroso- lime and is the leading cause of mesothelioma, having proven carcinogenic potential in animals. In humans it has been shown that the risk is proportional to the exposure to it, with miners and workers in the naval industry, construction, textile and plumbers , the groups most at risk. In fact it is estimated that up to 10% of workers at risk develop mesothelioma, and 80% of mesothelioma cases have a history of asbestos exposure, whose use in construction began limiting decades and has been banned in many developed countries (in Spain in 2001), but is still present in many of the buildings around us. Currently, there are several lawsuits and associations of victims claiming compensation for those affected by their use.

The latency period (time between exposure and onset of disease) can be between 14 and 75 years, and other factors that may influence are the exposure time, intensity and environmental exposure, and there are even cases of familial mesothelioma .

Other causes of mesothelioma are ionizing radiation (increased incidence in patients previously treated with radiation therapy) or SV40 virus present between 60 and 86% of samples of mesothelioma (although no conclusive results can be drawn in the studies).