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Asbestos is a major known cause
Studies show that asbestos is a major cause of mesothelioma. It accounts for about 75% to 80% of all mesothelioma cases in the United States. Asbestos is a mineral that occurs as a long, thin fiber in the environment. Until the 1980’s, when it was banned due to its health dangers, it had been used in many industrial and insulation materials as a fire retardant.
Some of the jobs in which people have been exposed to asbestos directly or indirectly are those that involve factory work, demolition, insulation, shipbuilding, carpentry, installation of brake linings in vehicles, and many others. Despite rigorous efforts to eliminate asbestos from our environment, some public and private buildings still contain asbestos today. Personnel who remove asbestos from such structures or work around asbestos are required to wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
After a person is exposed to asbestos fibers in the air, it may be inhaled and become lodged in the lungs, which can cause damage. If swallowed, asbestos may lead to peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma. Scientists are still studying to find out exactly how asbestos fibers cause mesothelioma. It may be by a direct action on the cells of the body or by forming substances that affect genes in the body.
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There may be other causes
Although asbestos is the major cause of mesothelioma, about 30-50% of cases of mesothelioma are documented as not involving prior asbestos exposure. Some other possible causes include prior exposure to radiation or to certain minerals closely related to asbestos that are found in the soil. Smoking has not been shown to be a cause of mesothelioma. However, if a smoker has also been exposed to asbestos, this greatly increases that person's risk of developing other types of lung cancer.
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