Symptoms of Mesothelioma

A risk factor is something that increases the chances of an individual developing a certain illness. Just as cardiovascular diseases have certain risk factors, so there are others for tumors, and each type of cancer presents different risk factors. For example, unprotected and repetitive exposure to strong direct sun-light is a risk factor for skin cancer; smoke is the main risk factor for lung cancer, but it also plays a very important role in the etiology of other types of tumor. As for MMe, scientific research has been able to identify some factors which may increase the risk of the onset of this neoplasm.

Asbestos

Simian Virus 40 (SV40)
Though the ability of this virus to cause mesothelioma among animals is already well known, researchers have been able to demonstrate the presence of this virus in cells of human mesotheliomas. Anti-polio vaccines administered between 1956 and 1963 as the primary preventive measure (“Salk” vaccination) were contaminated by the SV40 virus. To this day, the reasons for such contamination are still not clear and further studies are needed to confirm a possible viral etiology.

Radiation
Literature shows few cases where mesothelioma was correlated to the exposure to Thorostrat, a material used in the past with some types of X-ray examinations. Because of its correlations with the onset of tumors, Thorotrast hasn’t been used in quite some time and it doesn’t seem to represent a risk factor.

Zeolite
It’s a silicate mineral, chemically related to asbestos, found in high concentrations in the soil of the Turkish region of Anatolia . A certain number of cases diagnosed in this geographical region could be associated to the presence of zeolite.

Tobacco
Although smoke is not considered a risk factor for MMe, a smoke and asbestos combination significantly increases the risk of lung cancer. Asbestos workers, who also smoke tobacco, have 50 to 90% more chances than the general population of developing lung cancer.