Like many people, you may see commercials and other advertisements about mesothelioma and think you know everything about this disease. However, it is important to understand that some of the information you think you know may not be correct.
You may think that you will only get mesothelioma if you worked near asbestos. According to MesotheliomaGuide.com, you might get this disease even if you did not work in a career that brought you into contact with asbestos. This is because you can come into contact with this mineral in a variety of ways. If your kitchen appliances are old, they might contain asbestos. Additionally, secondhand exposure to this substance can sometimes cause you to develop this disease. This is because asbestos fibers often stick to other materials. If one of your family members was near asbestos at work, you might come into contact with this substance if it got onto his or her clothes.
You might think that mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer. However, physicians do not consider this condition to be a kind of lung cancer. This is because the disease usually sets in in the membrane around your lungs. Additionally, it can affect other parts of your body if it forms in your abdominal cavity. Sometimes you may think that smoking causes mesothelioma. However, when smoking results in cancer, this cancer usually forms in the lungs. Because mesothelioma is not found in your lungs, smoking typically is not a key factor.
Sometimes you may think that your age or your gender will keep you from getting mesothelioma. However, this disease can affect both men and women of all ages. You might think that this condition only affects older men and women but it is important to remember that mesothelioma usually takes at least 20 years to develop. This means that the disease is sometimes more noticeable in older people. However, if you come into frequent contact with asbestos, you might develop mesothelioma when you are younger.
