Mesothelioma Cancer Due to Exposure to Asbestos

Mesothelioma cancer or commonly known as malignant mesothelioma, mesothelioma or asbestos mesothelioma is cancer of mesothelium that is due to exposure to ANY kind of asbestos. Lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural plaques, thickening and effusions and other asbestos-related cancers are just some of other illnesses that are due to asbestos exposure too.

Mesothelium is a membrane lining the lungs (pleura), stomach (peritoneum), heart (pericardium) and other organs of the body. If the mesothelium of the lungs are affected it is called pleural mesothelioma; if the mesothelium of the stomach is affected it is called peritoneal mesothelioma; and if the mesothelium of the heart is affected it is called pericardial mesothelioma. The most common mesothelioma cancer or asbestos mesothelioma is the pleural mesothelioma because the mode of entry of asbestos fibers is inhalation or airborne exposure.

Though asbestos is considered a health hazard, it is widely used in building materials, in heating and ventilating system. We can find asbestos in the following: roofing products, cement pipes, duct and home insulation, pipe or boiler insulation, pipe covering, boilers and heating vessels, furnace insulating pads, sheet vinyl or floor tiles, underlay for sheet flooring, conduits for electrical wire, fire protection panels or even in clutch, brake, and transmission components.

Damage of the products enumerated earlier may cause the release of asbestos fibers. The major risk factor for mesothelioma cancer or asbestos mesothelioma to ordinary people is inhalation of asbestos fibers from contaminated air (airborne). So it is very risky to your health if there is damaged asbestos containing materials in your place. Exposure to asbestos usually occurs during installation, while using the products and in maintenance of vehicle.

Mesothelioma cancer or asbestos mesothelioma is included among the most common types of occupational cancers. Actually almost half of the death from occupational cancer is due to asbestos exposure. Aside from the mine and factory workers that manufacture asbestos-containing products (asbestos workers), people who are living near the factories and mines and people who are living with the asbestos  workers are high-risk too. They are high risk not just to mesothelioma cancer or asbestos mesothelioma but to other illnesses too that is due to asbestos exposure.

Properties of Tobacco

Properties of Tobacco

What are the properties of tobacco that made it the number one killer nowadays? Tobacco is a slow poison that has harmful effect on the physical, mental, and moral powers. In general, cancer deaths are declining but, lung cancer deaths are rising because of tobacco smoking. Nicotine keeps people to smoke despite its harmful effects. Research showed that nicotine, like many other drugs, causes physical and psychological dependence.

Nicotine is the drug in tobacco leaves. It belongs to the category of stimulant drugs. How someone can deliver nicotine to the brain? Simply by smoking, chewing, or sniffing the powder form of tobacco leaves, you can deliver nicotine to your brain. Each cigarette contains approximately 10 milligrams of nicotine. Nicotine is a powerful drug that if pure nicotine content of two cigars were injected into bloodstream, death would result. Smokers can absorb 1 to 2 milligrams of nicotine to its lungs from each cigarette they smoke.

Did you know that lots of young people nowadays have an alternative to cigarettes? They call it “bidis.” It is popular to young people because they think it is less harmful compared to cigarettes. And, it comes in attractive packages, lots of color and flavor to choose from, which attracts the consumers to smoke more. Behind its attractive color and flavor is a much more harmful effect to the lungs, because bidis has more nicotine content compared to cigarettes.

In tobacco smoking, nicotine stimulates the flow of saliva, raises blood pressure, increases heart rate, causes narrowing of blood vessels, lowers the skin temperature and dulls the appetite. Like other stimulants, the aftereffect is depression of body functions. Like caffeine ingestion, smokers also develop a tolerance to nicotine.

Like nicotine, tar is a harmful by-product of tobacco. It is a yellowish brown sticky residue formed when gases and tobacco smoke particles condense. It bears carcinogenic hydrocarbons that have tumor promoting activity. It can cause cancerous and, or non-cancerous tumors in the lungs. Therefore, tar may be the primary cause of smoking-related cancers.

Are you familiar with carbon monoxide (CO)? Tobacco smoke contains high level of carbon monoxide (CO) that can affect the smoker and those who can inhale the secondhand smoke. High carbon monoxide level in the blood is one of the main factors why smokers suffer from heart diseases. Nicotine and platelet aggregation due to cigarette smoke are some of the factors too.

Did you know that tobacco smoke contains approximately four thousand chemicals? Two hundred of those chemicals are known poison and about 60 are suspected to cause cancer.