Are you in a high-risk group for Mesothelioma?

It is frightening to think that there could be environmental danger lurking unseen in your workplace or home environment. Yet, unless your employer or a landlord or real estate agent informs you that a particular space is known to have asbestos in the atmosphere, you might never know that it’s there because it is microscopic in size. Ingesting or inhaling asbestos likely has severe adverse health effects, including the possibility of contracting mesothelioma, a terminal illness.

How do you know if you are at risk for mesothelioma? Data shows numerous risk factors. If you carefully review the information and consider how it does or does not apply to you, you might be able to determine if illness caused by exposure to asbestos should be a primary concern in your life.

The first risk factor is age

Your risk of developing symptoms of mesothelioma increases with age. This is especially true if you have reason to believe that you may have had exposure to asbestos at a younger age, for an extensive length of time. This is because mesothelioma typically exists in the body for decades before symptoms surface.

Most people who develop mesothelioma of the lungs (there are other types, as well) are age 65 or beyond. However, even children can contract this fatal disease, so you should never disregard this possibility simply because a patient is young.

Have you had radiation treatments in the past?

If you have received radiation as a medical treatment at any point in your life, you might be at a greater risk for developing mesothelioma if exposed to asbestos than someone who has never undergone such treatments. There are also genetic factors that may place you in a higher risk group.

For instance, there is a specific gene that scientists believe can have a mutation. If such a mutation is present, it may increase a person’s risk for contracting mesothelioma.

Your gender is another determining factor for mesothelioma

If you are a man, you are more likely to develop mesothelioma than women might be. Data suggests that the reason for the discrepancy between genders is that men tend to work in environments where there is asbestos present more often than women.

Getting the help you need if you have received a mesothelioma diagnosis

Regardless of whether you contracted mesothelioma at a young age or in your golden years, this diagnosis is terminal, meaning that there is no cure for the disease. As with many fatal illnesses, as mesothelioma progresses to its later stages, symptoms worsen. You may reach a point where there is a significant decline in quality of life and you need daily living assistance, either from professional health care providers or loved ones and friends.

Such care often sparks severe financial distress. In many cases in the past, victims of asbestos exposure who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma have banded together to file class action injury claims against those deemed responsible for their injuries.