Life During Mesothelioma Latency Period
Life during Mesothelioma latency period is extremely long when compared to other cancers. Latency period is the medical term used to note the period between exposure to the trigging agent of a disease until its symptoms become apparent. Mesothelioma cancer’s latency period is from 10 years to 40 years. The higher range is more common making this latency period the longest of any of the illnesses caused by asbestos exposure.
Types of Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma cancer comes in different varieties that are grouped by the location of the cancer.
- Peritoneal Mesothelioma affects the thin membrane that lines the stomach
- Pleural Mesothelioma is found in the membrane surrounding the lungs
- Pericardial Mesothelioma develops in the membrane of cells that surrounds the heart
- Testicular Mesothelioma develops in the membrane that surrounds the testicles
Of these types, Pleural Mesothelioma has the longest latency period.
In most cases, people over 50 are the ones that are diagnosed with Mesothelioma cancer. When someone is discovered with the cancer at ages below 50, doctors assume that the patient’s exposure occurred when they were children. Children, teenagers, and those in their twenties are hardly ever diagnosed with Mesothelioma cancer.
Occupational Exposure to Asbestos: The Most Common Cause
Most mesothelioma patients are exposed to asbestos fibers at work in industrial settings. Many countries around the world have placed controls on the use of asbestos. However, because of the length of Mesothelioma’s latency period, the number of victims around the world many continues to rise.
Asbestos Exposures and Latency Period
People that are exposed to asbestos for lengthy periods typically have a shorter latency period than those that receive the average exposure. The large amounts of asbestos fibers that these people inhale or ingest seem to reduce the latency period. Shipyard workers and ship builders are examples of workers that receive high amounts of asbestos exposures for lengthy periods.
Mesothelioma’s Extended Latency Period Effect the Survival Rate
Because of Mesothelioma cancer’s extended latency period when the disease is finally discovered, patients rarely survive very long afterward. The patient would stand a better chance of recovery if the cancer was discovered earlier. Therefore, Mesothelioma’s latency period works as a big disadvantage to its victims, because when the cancer is diagnosed not much can be done to improve the patient’s survival rate.
Because of Mesothelioma Cancer’s extended latency period, the disease may wait for years undetected. This means that some may not know they have the cancer because they were accidentally exposed to asbestos.
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