Smoking and Its Effects on Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer caused by exposure to deadly asbestos fibers. Although it is a type of cancer that affects the multiple lung membrane, it is not actually lung cancer.
The prognosis for people with mesothelioma is poor. Because of the difficulty in detecting symptoms and the very long dormancy period, mesothelioma is often not diagnosed until it is too late. When an individual is exposed to asbestos fibers, they lodge in the pleura of the lungs where they create scar tissue. This scar tissue will eventually become carcinogenic and mesothelioma will occur. Many people, even if they are exposed to asbestos for only a short time, can contract this disease.
Although smoking is a very quick way to damage the lungs, it is important to understand that it does not cause mesothelioma. However, smoking complicates the chances of contracting the disease. Smoking may not cause mesothelioma directly, but it can cause other life-threatening diseases such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and asbestosis. Asbestosis is not a form of mesothelioma, but it contributes to the development of cancer.
If mesothelioma is diagnosed in a patient, it is vital that they stop smoking immediately. The statistics on smoking are devastating. Although smoking does not cause mesothelioma, it increases the risk of getting lung cancer by 50% or more! A smoker is more likely to have a lung disease than someone who has been exposed to mesothelioma for several years. This earlier fact shows how harmful and severe the effects of smoking on the lungs are.
Mesothelioma and lung cancer caused by smoking are very serious because of their difficulty of detection. The severity and type of symptoms depend on many factors. For patients with mesothelioma, the amount of inhaled asbestos and the extent of exposure will determine the side effects and severity of the cancer. For lung cancer caused by smoking, the amount of smoking tobacco per day and the number of days a person has smoked will determine side effects and severity.
A smoker who has been exposed to asbestos at any time in his life should be immediately screened for mesothelioma and other types of lung disease, even in the absence of symptoms. Again, it is important to understand that mesothelioma and lung cancer are two distinct types of cancer, both of which affect the lungs or surrounding organs.