Asbestos in Your Home: The Hidden Killer

By Cresta B.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a set of six minerals that is commonly used in various building purposes. Fibrous and naturally occurring, this material has been used for around 4,000 years now, with people using them then for different infrastructures, unknowing about the dangers that the material exposes them to. Since the boom in mining of asbestos during the 19th century, asbestos has been sought after for production because:

1. It is quite affordable. Compared to other mineral sets that are used in electrical wiring production, asbestos is relatively cheaper to use- all the more appealing to construction.
2. It has good sound absorption.
3. It is with tensile strength that is up to par. Builders require materials to have a good maximum capacity to handle tensile pressure, and asbestos presents a fair amount of tensile strength.
4. It can withstand various damages such as heat (even fire, to a degree), electrical and chemical damages

But sadly, the cons outweigh the pros of using asbestos. Disregarding the advantages stated above, and considering that even in varying durations of exposure, be it a short or a long-term kind of exposure, asbestos is extremely hazardous to your health:

• Asbestos inhalation may cause:

- Asbestosis - which is a lung condition wherein the linings of the lungs become scarred, thicken, and will eventually result in various degrees of difficulty in breathing because of fibrous tissue.
- Certain lung cancers, particularly Mesothelioma - which is a very aggressive kind of malignant cancer. It spreads not only in the linings of the lungs but also to the entire abdominal cavity. There are even subtypes of this, such as:

• Pleural - with regards to the lung space
• Peritoneal, - with regards to the abdominal cavity and
• Pericardial Mesothelioma - which affects even the heart area!

Now, bear in mind that asbestos is not only used in building different commercial infrastructures, but also in different components in your home! That's right, you can find asbestos in materials used to make:

• Cement shingles
• Wall components
• Textured paint
• Spray-on decor
• Fire-proof materials such as stove pads and gloves
• Furnace ducts
• Metal piping's and tubings
• Gaskets
• And much, much more!

The chances of having asbestos in your home increases the older your house is. Especially if your house was built during the 1930's or 50's, asbestos was most probably used even in your home's central insulation.

While new houses are least susceptible to having asbestos, still, these may be found in your very home! Have the walls, floorings, and your floor mats of your house checked. It is definitely better to be safe than sorry. Never touch suspected asbestos-containing materials in your home with your bare hands, and take care not to disturb woven in materials that may have been damaged. Trauma in different ways such as tearing, pinching or slight prodding inflicted to such might trigger the release of asbestos fibers that is very deadly to your health.

Get a professional to handle the removal of asbestos in your home. Be it major or even minor repairs or total asbestos removal, you should leave it to a trained individual to ensure that your house is asbestos-free.

Cresta is a twenty-something home improvement writer from the South East. She just had her flat checked for asbestos and bugs.

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BOOKS

• Be A Survivor: Lung Cancer Treatment Guide
• Lung Cancer: Myths, Facts, Choices--and Hope
• Lung Cancer: A Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment
• Principles and Practice of Lung Cancer: The Official Reference Text of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) (Pass, Lung Cancer)
• 100 Questions & Answers About Lung Cancer, Second Edition
• Lung Cancer: A Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment

Mesothelioma Is A Rare and Growing Form of Cancer in the Lungs

By Rod Bird

About Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs. It also can affect the heart and abdomen. Usually after diagnosis, a patient will only live up to one year or less. According to several studies, there are about 2,000-3,000 cases of Mesothelioma each year. The International Labor Organization has estimated about 100,000 to 140,000 workers from around the world die of Mesothelioma each year. There has been a future prediction that this type of cancer will cause 5-10 million deaths from now into the future.

This type of rare cancer is from being exposed to asbestos-usually found in older buildings or structures. An individual unknowingly inhales the fibers that then become lodged into human tissue which cause an infection. Asbestos was widely used during the 20th century, but then the hazards of this material began to become public within the 1970's.

It is hard to detect Mesothelioma in its early stage because there are hardly any noticeable symptoms-which is why most of the time it isn't detected until it is too late. If a person believes that he or she has been exposed to asbestos, then it is important that he undergo a chest X-ray or pulmonary function tests to check for signs of asbestos inhalation.

Noticeable symptoms of Mesothelioma include

• A persistent or raspy cough,

• Coughing up blood

• Difficulty when swallowing

• Night sweats,

• Unexplained weight loss

• Fatigue

• A frequent pain in the chest or rib area

• Shortness of breath

• Lumps under the skin on the chest

There are a few ways to treat Mesothelioma once it has been diagnosed. Doctors must first find out which stage before considering which treatment to use. Some of the forms of treatments include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Each case is unique and will depend on the situation and stage of the cancer. As Mesothelioma is being researched, and more cases are coming to surface, there are some patients who are surpassing their one year life expectancy. With more research, new cases and treatments, perhaps more of those diagnosed can hope for the better and have a chance to survive this rare, yet rising Cancer.

For more information on How Mesothelioma can affect you or a loved one please visit.
http://www.Siteso.com

Rod Bird Author and Master Craftsman has been building professionally since 1999 For Mesothelioma information, Articles and links Please visit
http://www.Siteso.com

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Books

• Advances in Surgical Pathology: Lung Cancer
• Letters from the Land of Cancer
• Lung Cancer: Making Sense of Diagnosis, Treatment, and Options
• Lung Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Diagnosis, Treatments, Stages. What You Need to Know About Lung Cancer
• Beating Cancer with Nutrition, book with CD
• Lung Cancer: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Handbook (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Handbooks)
• What to Eat if You Have Cancer (revised): Healing Foods that Boost Your Immune System
• The Doctor Who Cures Cancer
• Dx/rx: Lung Cancer (Dx/Rx Oncology)

Radiation Treatment for Mesothelioma

By James Witherspoon

Mesothelioma is a devastating, aggressive type of cancer that can develop in your lungs, abdominal cavity, heart cavity, or even testes. It is primarily the result of asbestos exposure. Because mesothelioma can form ten, fifteen, and even twenty years after asbestos exposure, it has often progressed into later-stage cancer by the time doctors recognize and diagnose your problem. However, in some cases it can still be treated or managed with treatment options like radiation.

Radiation is a powerful form of energy that travels in the form of waves or particles. It is naturally present in a number of different places, such as sunlight and even sound waves. Tiny amounts of radioactive particles in the earth can also give off what is called background radiation. Thus, many people are exposed to minimal amounts of radiation throughout their lives.

Mankind has harnessed the power of radioactive material to use it as things like a clean energy source and medical diagnostic equipment such as x-rays. In a more intense form, it can be used as radiation therapy for cancer. Radiation is one of the three conventional cancer treatments. Although radiation is dangerous in high doses, it can be targeted and controlled to help kill cancerous cells in a person with mesothelioma.

Once you are diagnosed with mesothelioma and have devised a treatment plan including radiation, doctors will decide on the form of radiation treatment that is best for you. You can undergo external radioactive therapy, where beams of this energy form are shot at your tumors from outside of your body. Internal radiation therapy involves placing radioactive materials inside tumors to kill them from within. Lastly, you can also receive injections of radioactive material to help fight cancer.

Because mesothelioma typically forms many small tumors, internal radiation is a popular form of treatment for this cancer. Recent studies have shown that radioactive gold and chromic phosphate can help with mesothelioma, although your body may respond differently to the treatment.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is important that you have all of the information you need regarding this disease before you make a decision about treatment.

To learn more about mesothelioma, please visit the Mesothelioma Help Center today.

James Witherspoon

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Books

• Lung Cancer: Myths, Facts, Choices--and Hope
• The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Lung Cancer (Cleveland Clinic Guides)
• 100 Questions & Answers About Lung Cancer, Second Edition
• Principles and Practice of Lung Cancer: The Official Reference Text of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) (Pass, Lung Cancer)
• Johns Hopkins Patients' Guide to Lung Cancer
• How to Survive Lung Cancer - A Practical 12-Step Plan
• Be A Survivor: Lung Cancer Treatment Guide
• Lung Cancer
• QuickFACTS Lung Cancer
• Help Me Live: 20 Things People with Cancer Want You to Know

Mesothelioma - The Confusing Relationship With Asbestos

By Thomas Ajava

We often see articles and news reports where Mesothelioma and asbestos are discussed as though they are the same thing. In truth, there is a big difference between Mesothelioma and asbestos.

As a society, we tend to generalize terms that we use frequently. I am as guilty of this as anyone. I order a coke every time at a drive through or restaurant. Why is this weird? Well, I use the term to cover the general area of a soda. I do this even though I prefer Pepsi to Coke. In fact, I prefer Dr. Pepper to both of them, but I will still just order a "coke".

The Mesothelioma-asbestos scourge is so devastating that it is easy to fall into the same pattern. Most people can't pronounce Mesothelioma. I certainly could not when I started out. Given this, it is probably not much of a surprise that the cause and health results all now seem to be categorized as the "asbestos problem". This is a massive simplification of a complex issue and sure not accurate. Let's take a look.

So, what is the difference between Mesothelioma and asbestos? The answer is simple. Asbestos is a toxic material. When a person is exposed to it in its fibrous form, the person may breathe it into their lungs and suffer subsequent health problems. These problems vary, but can include a nasty form of cancer known as Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma gets its name from the part of the body the cancer tends to start out in - the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a lining that runs around the trunk cavity and all major organs. It acts as a buffer between the organs. It is comprised of two layers of "skin" that have lubrication between them. This allows organs like the lungs to expand and retract without harming the organs around them or building up heat from friction. Regardless, Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that grows in this area. It grows very slowly, but is extremely difficult to detect.

What is the difference between Mesothelioma and asbestos? One is a cancer and one is the material that causes it.

Thomas Ajava writes about Mesothelioma asbestos difference and other Mesothelioma issues for MesotheliomaAttorneyAssistance.com.

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Books

• How to Survive Lung Cancer - A Practical 12-Step Plan
• Be A Survivor: Lung Cancer Treatment Guide
• Lung Cancer
• QuickFACTS Lung Cancer
• Help Me Live: 20 Things People with Cancer Want You to Know
• Advances in Surgical Pathology: Lung Cancer
• Letters from the Land of Cancer
• Lung Cancer: Making Sense of Diagnosis, Treatment, and Options
• Lung Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Diagnosis, Treatments, Stages. What You Need to Know About Lung Cancer
• Beating Cancer with Nutrition, book with CD

Why Is It Difficult to Defeat Mesothelioma?

By Nayab Sh

Billions of dollars are being spent to defeat the deadly disease of mesothelioma but still no satisfactory success has been achieved in this case. Despite tremendous efforts going on vast scale mesothelioma seems to be an undefeatable health concern confronting a large section of society today. But why these efforts are going in vain and why it seems so difficult to overcome this growing menace? The answer is that there are present some important factors due to which mesothelioma has become a challenge for world best doctors and physicians. Those factors due to which it is hard to control and treat mesothelioma are discussed here briefly.

1- Mesothelioma Symptoms Appear Very Lately

The very first reason which creates obstacle in diagnosing mesothelioma timely is late appearance of its symptoms. In majority of mesothelioma cases patient is diagnosed at such stage where fewer options left in hand for his physician to increase the number of days of his life. A patient suffering from mesothelioma shows symptoms after 15 to 25 years or even late when it becomes almost impossible to get him back to healthy life track. Therefore it is also categorized among those diseases that act like a 'silent killer' for human life.

2- Short Period Asbestos Exposure Is Enough to Cause Mesothelioma

The next reason is the high possibility of cancerous cells proliferation only after 2 to 3 months exposure to asbestos. It does not require several years' asbestos exposure to spread its roots into protective lining of human body organs. Short term asbestos exposure is enough to cause mesothelioma easily.

3- Rapid Spread through Direct or Indirect Asbestos Exposure

Lastly it spreads rapidly either by direct or indirect exposure to asbestos. Indirect exposure involves inhaling in the atmosphere containing dust particles coming from a mesothelioma victim. In this way indirect asbestos exposure can cause spreading it among all family members if one of them unfortunately becomes its victim through direct exposure.

So these are the reasons due to which day and night efforts to control and overcome this type of cancer are being wasted. The only thing which can be done is to halt the process of proliferation of cancerous cells by applying various treatment options including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery but nothing can be done to reverse the damage done to protective lining of internal body parts.

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Books

• Lung Cancer: Myths, Facts, Choices--and Hope
• The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Lung Cancer (Cleveland Clinic Guides)
• 100 Questions & Answers About Lung Cancer, Second Edition
• Principles and Practice of Lung Cancer: The Official Reference Text of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) (Pass, Lung Cancer)
• Johns Hopkins Patients' Guide to Lung Cancer
• How to Survive Lung Cancer - A Practical 12-Step Plan
• Be A Survivor: Lung Cancer Treatment Guide
• Lung Cancer
• QuickFACTS Lung Cancer
• Help Me Live: 20 Things People with Cancer Want You to Know

Asbestos - When Did We See The Light And Put A Stop To It?

By Thomas Ajava

Many people find solace in the fact asbestos is now banned. There was a great cheer the year it happened, but the ban has so many holes in it that it isn't much of a ban to speak of.

The manufacturers of asbestos products didn't make a lot of money on the products. No, they made absolutely huge amounts of money. As you can imagine, they were not particularly interested in giving up their cash cow. No, they fought like mad to keep the products going out and the revenues coming in. While they were unable to stop the assault on their products, they were able to delay banning of asbestos for nearly two decades.

Asbestos was eventually banned on July 12, 1989. At least that is the accepted date. Unfortunately, it is a red herring of sorts. The problem is the manufacturers didn't stop fighting. They challenged the ban in court. In 1991, they eventually convinced an appellate court to partially overturn the ban and things have remained the same to this day.

So, what is banned and what is not? Well, let's start with the easy part of the issue. Any "new uses" of asbestos are banned. This means that the material cannot be used in products or manners that it historically has not been used. For instance, it could not be used in an iPad.

What about past uses? Ah, that is a disturbing subject. Essentially, asbestos manufacturers can continue to use it in all products in the market prior to 1989 with certain exceptions. They are flooring felt, rollboard, and corrugated, commercial, or specialty paper. That is it. Asbestos can still be used in other construction material, clothing and whatever. In short, we are talking about a very weak ban indeed.

So, is asbestos included in a lot of products today? Some, but not very many. The problem is not the ban. Instead, it is simply very difficult to sell products that have asbestos in them. Would you buy one? I wouldn't! Where the asbestos ban of 1989 has proved fairly impotent, the reaction of consumers has made more of an impact. At least in the United States.

Thomas Ajava writes about the year asbestos banned and other Mesothelioma and asbestos issues for MesotheliomaAttorneyAssistance.com.

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Books

• How to Survive Lung Cancer - A Practical 12-Step Plan
• Be A Survivor: Lung Cancer Treatment Guide
• Lung Cancer
• QuickFACTS Lung Cancer
• Help Me Live: 20 Things People with Cancer Want You to Know
• Advances in Surgical Pathology: Lung Cancer
• Letters from the Land of Cancer
• Lung Cancer: Making Sense of Diagnosis, Treatment, and Options
• Lung Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Diagnosis, Treatments, Stages. What You Need to Know About Lung Cancer
• Beating Cancer with Nutrition, book with CD