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Causes of Malignant Mesothelioma
The malignant mesothelioma is the cancer of the mesothelium which is a protective membrane around majority of the internal organs of the human body. This membrane has different names depending upon the organ that it is covering. The major cause of this cancer is the exposure to the mineral known as asbestos. Asbestos is quite commonly found in places like oil refineries, buildings, iron mines, and ship yards etc. Hence people who work in these asbestos rich areas are very much in danger of getting afflicted with this disease.
The main reason of worry regarding malignant mesothelioma is that the asbestos fibers are very small in size and thus once they succeed in getting inside the body of the individual they are quite difficult to dislodge through normal body mechanisms. These asbestos fibers remain dormant for a very long period of time. This period of latency could be as long as 30-40 years. After such a long period they start interfering with the normal functioning of the mesothelial cells. The procedure through which they interfere with the mesothelial cells is quite unknown at present. A lot of research is still being conducted in this domain. The fact that has been established is that this interference leads to the unregulated growth of the mesothelial cells. As a result the cancerous formation of tissues takes place.
Although the use of asbestos has been banned in many countries, it is still being mined and used extensively in other countries. As a result a large population of the world is at a risk of contacting this deadly cancer.
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