Causes of mesothelioma:
The main cause of mesothelioma is asbestos.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a mineral rock that is made up of tiny fibers. For many decades, asbestos was mined and widely used in building materials and for insulation, fireproofing and sound absorption.
Why is asbestos dangerous?
When asbestos is disturbed, it forms a dust made up of tiny fibers. This can easily be
Breathed in and cause serious health problems, notably pleural plaque, asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Inhaled asbestos fibers initially cause local irritation and inflammation to the surrounding lung tissue where they get lodged. Local irritation and inflammation leads to the production of various body chemical substances called cytokines. Cytokines are the mediators of various body reactions and processes. These newly produced cytokines induces various cellular and intercellular changes to the lung and mesothelial cells. Interaction of asbestos fiber directly or in combination with other factors including these cytokines causes the cell to proceed to the path of malignant transformation.
There are different sets of genes for growth promotion and growth suppression. In normal healthy state the genes that promote growth and genes that suppresses the growth are in good harmony, so that the cell growth and cell division occur only when it is needed. These growths related genes can get damaged by internal or external factors. If a growth suppressing gene is damaged the control mechanism suppressing unwanted growth may be lost. If damage occurs in the growth promoting genes, they may lose their ability to promote cell growth, but some types of damage can actually increase the growth promoting ability of these types of genes. This may happen because the part of the gene that senses signals from the growth suppressing genes may be damaged releasing it from the control mechanisms of the growth suppressing genes. As the result of this type of damage, the genes the cell no longer pays attention to the commands of the tumor suppressor genes and continues to multiply. Every cell is programmed to die after certain number of cell divisions. Sometimes damage can occur to this programmed cell death gene that controls the death of the cell, thereby giving the cell the ability of immortality. If the ability to divide without control mechanisms and immortality are achieved that will give the cell very high chance for developing in to cancer. Most of the time only one cell accumulates all the genetic changes that are required to develop a cancer, but it soon will divide to multiple cells. Every time these abnormal cancer cells divide, the traits of lack of control by body growth mechanisms and immortality are passed to each of the daughter cells thereby, perpetuating the process of uncontrolled cell growth
Who is at risk?
Almost everyone has been exposed to some asbestos fibers, but for most people the exposure and the risk are very small. People who have been exposed to asbestos fibers in their jobs are at greater risk. Such jobs include: mining or milling asbestos
Other causes:
Though asbestos is the most common cause of mesothelioma, there are also other possible factors that can induce the said form of cancer or further aggravate the negative effect of asbestos. Chain smoking is one of them wherein nicotine and tar from the cigarette can strip the natural protective lining in the lungs inducing more pleural effusion immunosuppressive effects. There are also particular viruses that have been determined to be potential cause of mesothelioma. Some studies have linked the Simian virus to some mesothelioma cases yet there is still not definitive conclusion for this possibility.Knowing that asbestos is the leading cause of mesothelioma could potentially save your life in the future. By this warning, staying off products with asbestos content would not be one of your priorities thus, protecting yourself from the threat of mesothelioma cancer.
