Today, we now know that asbestos has claimed tens of thousands of lives because its microscopic fibers can be ingested or inhaled, which causes:
The science on this is settled, even as there is still much we do not know about asbestos, mesothelioma latency periods and similarly important issues. Despite our increased understanding, we certainly do not know everything about asbestos and the harms it can cause. In fact, recent research highlights that we may have misunderstood the role asbestos plays in mesothelioma growth.
Typically, older members of the population are diagnosed with mesothelioma since it is typical for the disease to take 20 to 50 years for asbestos fibers to turn healthy cells into cancerous mesothelioma. Once asbestos is inhaled and the fibers line the tissues, the DNA of the body’s mesothelial cells will eventually be transformed.
Still, this was often the extent to which we thought asbestos caused mesothelioma, but new research suggests this understanding could be wrong. A joint study between American and Italian researchers discovered that, in addition to causing mesothelioma, asbestos may actually be capable of making mesothelioma grow and spread more quickly.
Specifically, the latency period for asbestos may be significantly shortened for individuals who were heavily exposed to asbestos. Traditionally, this means individuals who worked in environments where asbestos exposure was ongoing and pervasive, such as industrial workers and many military veterans.
According to the researchers’ report, nearly 600 malignant pleural mesothelioma cases were evaluated. These patients were selected precisely because the team could determine the amount of asbestos in their bodies and respective lung tissues.
The researchers’ efforts ultimately discovered that younger mesothelioma patients had higher internal measurements for asbestos exposure. In other words, early diagnoses for mesothelioma seem to indicate that heavier asbestos exposure can expedite the timeline for receiving a diagnosis.
The researchers hypothesize that asbestos is, therefore, not merely the cause of mesothelioma. Instead, it may well also be a driver of mesothelioma growth within the body. While the scientific community already understood that a diagnosis early in life made a mesothelioma diagnosis more likely because of the decades-long latency period, this research now suggests that large asbestos volume expedites and facilitates mesothelioma growth as well.
This study is yet another scientific effort that underscores the reason why asbestos is so dangerous and toxic to human health. The fibers have claimed tens of thousands of lives, and given the long latency period, many more lives will be lost to this horrific disease.
If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with mesothelioma, protect your legal rights by speaking with a mesothelioma at The Ledger Law Firm. We will provide you with the legal representation needed to pursue your deserved right to compensation when a responsible party exposed you to the harms of asbestos.
Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your mesothelioma claim today.
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