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What is Mesothelioma?: Mesothelioma can take 25 to 40 years to develop after the initial exposure
One of the more unique aspects of mesothelioma that differentiates it from other types of cancer is that it has an extremely long lapse in the time between a patient’s initial exposure to asbestos and the first mesothelioma symptoms of the disease displaying themselves. Mesothelioma cancer cases are very commonly diagnosed between 25-50 years after the initial exposure when the disease is already in its later stages.
The latency period before a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis can vary slightly, depending on where it is located. While peritoneal mesothelioma has an average latency period of approximately 28 years, pleural mesothelioma has an average lapse of 35 years before a diagnosis occurs.
Additionally, the levels of asbestos that a patient was exposed to can also adjust the length of a latency period, with workers who regularly inhaled fibers usually having a shorter latency period than that of those who were only exposed to them intermittently.
Another contributor to the long latency period is mesothelioma’s unique characteristic in that it is able to remain dormant and not show symptoms that can be picked up in some screening tests that would detect early forms of other cancers. While those who regularly handle asbestos can have imaging tests and x-rays conducted to try and detect any signs of the disease as early as possible, they have not proven to be effective.
In recent years, doctors have found that mesothelioma patients often have higher levels of osteopontin and soluble mesothin-related peptides in their blood, and that testing for the presence of such substances may eventually lead to some type of early detection for the illness.
However, in the time being, a majority of mesothelioma cases are not detected until a patient comes in for an appointment complaining of symptoms. Because the patient is older in age, and battling the disease in its latter stages, they are usually not given a long life expectancy.
Because many malignant mesothelioma patients can attribute the asbestos exposure that led to their diagnosis to a former employer that did not protect them adequately from the fibers, there may be legal action that can be taken that could net them a monetary settlement. In order to learn more about the intricacies of asbestos law, contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney who can advise on what legal action, if any, can be taken.
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