What used to be referred to as a rare form of lung cancer is currently responsible for nearly 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. Studies show mesothelioma cancer is being linked almost exclusively to prolonged exposure to asbestos, a cheap product commonly used in construction materials and automobile parts.

Asbestos mesothelioma may take decades to develop, but it only takes a few short months to spread from the lungs and chest cavity to other organs including the heart.

Asbestos Mesothelioma Risks

Life-threatening asbestos exposure occurs primarily through working with the material on a continuous basis. This includes but is not limited to the following professions: auto mechanics, shipyards workers, paper mill workers, construction workers, textile workers, insulation installers, sheet metal workers, roofers and tilers.

Professionals inhale the invisible asbestos fibers while working directly with the material. Once airborne, asbestos fibers can be impossible to avoid since they are about 700 times smaller than a human fiber. The tiny, jagged asbestos fibers then build up inside the lungs or abdomen and over time can cause cancerous development in cells.

Reports show there’s another group of people placed at high risk for developing asbestos mesothelioma due to “secondary exposure” to the dangerous material — family members. Professionals coming home with asbestos fibers clinging to their clothes, hair and other items after a long day at work inadvertently place their loved ones at risk for developing asbestos lung cancer. Many asbestos workers filing asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits claim they and their families were unnecessarily exposed to asbestos mesothelioma and were not warned by employers of the risks associated with prolonged exposure to the material.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

There are many theories as to how asbestos fibers lodged inside lungs eventually develop into the fast spreading mesothelioma cancer. The most common belief is that asbestos damages the cell’s natural shield against cancer.

With asbestos fibers blocking this ability, cancerous cells begin to divide and spread, leaving tumors in their destructive path. Asbestos mesothelioma takes anywhere between 15-35 years to develop after the first exposure and is almost always at a later stage of development when diagnosed.

Some asbestos mesothelioma symptoms include:

• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Retaining fluids
• Abdominal swelling

Regardless of the life-threatening health concerns related to asbestos, the popular construction material has yet to be fully banned in the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates 3,000 commercial and building products still contain asbestos in the United States.

Asbestos Cancer Lawsuits

As one of the largest litigation movements in U.S. history, the number of asbestos cancer lawsuits continues to grow with more than 600,000 plaintiffs so far.

Individuals and families are seeking compensation from manufacturers of building materials and supplies containing asbestos as well as from employers whom they allege failed to warn of the dangers. Some plaintiffs may choose to join a asbestos mesothelioma class action lawsuit to seek damages from companies who may have intentionally exposed their workers to asbestos yet did not fully explain the risks involved.