Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is caused by excessive exposure to asbestos. It is caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers in excessive amount that affect your lungs and abdominal cavities. The average lifetime of an inflicted person is less than 24 months.

It is unfortunate that this cancer is increasing at a rapid rate that it has already infected millions of people all over the world. These people are generally those who are working in companies that deal with asbestos refinery or manufacturing of asbestos products in one form or the other. People who are working in these companies day in and day out for their families, to give them better future do not know that while they are working so hard they are putting their own lives at stakes. They are exposed to harmful particles of asbestos all the day. They constantly inhale the white powder and even carry them to their home. And the worst thing to imagine is that they aren’t aware of what harm they are doing to themselves. Mesothelioma has a relatively long latency period of nearly 30 years or more so it becomes too late for a person to realize that he have this cancer because this is how long it can take to manifest.

Its is quite unfortunately that even after knowing that asbestos is so much detrimental to human body, the companies are still employing people in vast number and are making millions, if not billions, of dollars. People have no choice but to work there, risking their own life for making money for their living. These companies are so selfish that instead of taking some steps to assuage the problem they choose to make profit with a deadly product.

It is not that mesothelioma is any new disease but it is now when it is showing its existence and devastating effects. In the recent past we have heard so many cases of mesothelioma that we are bound to do something to counteract it otherwise it will continue spreading its terrible disease over mankind.

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is believed to affect around 2000 people in the UK each year. It develops when the cells of the mesothelium (a thin membrane that covers the chest and abdomen) start to multiply in a rapid and uncontrollable way and can take up to 60 years to fully develop. In this article I will be discussing this type of cancer in greater detail.As I already said mesothelioma develops in the mesothelium. The mesothelium is actually divided into two parts. The first is the pleura which lines the lungs. The pleura is comprised of an inner layer and an outer layer which slide over each other as you breath. If mesothelioma develops in this area it is known as pleural mesothelioma and it causes the two layers to become thicker. The second is the peritoneum which lines the abdomen and it also has an inner layer and an outer layer. If the mesothelioma affects this area it is known as peritoneal mesothelioma and it also causes these layers to become thicker.

Both types of mesothelioma can be very painful and lead to a number of undesirable symptoms. Pleural mesothelioma can cause breathlessness, coughing and chest pain. It can also lead to pleural effusion where lubricating fluid in the lungs becomes trapped between the inner and outer layers of the pleura. Peritoneal mesothelioma can lead to abdominal pain, bowel problems and it swelling in the abdomen.

Almost every case of mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. In the past asbestos was a very popular construction material in the UK. However, as people became more knowledgeable they learnt about the dangers associated with this material. In particular they discovered that the very fine fibres that make up asbestos are easily released when the material is handled. This led to a complete ban on the importing and use of asbestos being imposed in the UK in 1999.

Mesothelioma is a very rare type of cancer and is believed to affect one person in every million. However, it can be deadly. If you have previously been exposed to asbestos you should go see your doctor right away and explain your concerns. Even if it turns out that you do not have this type of cancer it is better to be safe than sorry.

Whilst every intention has been made to make this article accurate and informative, it is intended for general information only. Mesothelioma is a very serious, life threatening condition and you should discuss any concerns, treatments or lifestyle changes fully with your doctor.

Mesothelioma in IndonesiaMesothelioma is one form of lung malignant cancer related with exposure of asbestos. Mesothelium become the place of this malignant cell. The commonest site is pleura, but there are some incidence that mesothelioma occurs in peritoneum, and pericardium. The victims of this disease are mostly workers with exposure of asbestos particles. The family, can be the victim of this disease too. There are reports about the risk of the family member to develop this disease by washing the clothes of the ‘asbestos or fiber’ worker, or by inhaling some dust brought by the worker in their home. There isn’t any association of the disease with smoking. But in some textbook, it’s told that for worker or person who can’t stop their smoking habit, it’s better not to apply or get close with ‘asbestos or fiber’ related work. It may because smoker’s lung which get asbestos exposure has worse prognosis than nonsmoker lung. The incidence of mesothelioma in Indonesia hasn’t been known for sure. But in some community in Indonesia, this mesothelioma issue has become great discussion. The latest news about this issue came from NAD (Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam). It’s told in several Indonesian newspaper that in December 2008, People in NAD burned some houses provided by Yayasan Bakrie Grup through Badan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstruksi (BRR) for Deah Raya citizen, and there’re some Indonesian NGO reported this case to International Human Right Organization. The mesothelioma or asbestosis issue become more than health issue for people in the world. It become more political, economic, and law issue. Many organization, worker party, lawyers fight against the asbestos manufacturers. The liability resulting from the sheer number of lawsuits and people affected has reached billions of dollars. The amounts and method of allocating compensation have been the source of many court cases. But until today the US Congress has failed to enact significant asbestos reforms. In Indonesia, many people don’t know about this disease. We still use asbestos materials to build houses. Even in some hospitals. Many doctors diagnose ‘malignant lung cancer’ but only few that diagnose the possible cause of the cancer. And in this country, autopsy is not a common thing to state the diagnosis or someone’s causes of death. So the number of the mesothelioma victims in Indonesia, is still not well known