A brief history of health and the industrialized USA

Throughout World War II and the Industrialization era of the United States, asbestos was widely used in the construction and maintenance of battleships and naval transportation vessels, as well as in the factories that produced the materials utilized by the American military and an even greater number of global industries. Over the past several decades, it has become increasingly evident that asbestos is the cause of mesothelioma symptoms, a very deadly cancer.

Pleural mesothelioma is a type of lung and chest cancer that is typically caused by exposure to asbestos. It can also be caused by radiation exposure or non-asbestos mineral fibers, albeit in very rare occurrences. Asbestos is inhaled through polluted air or ingested through contaminated water, and excessive exposure can lead to inflammation and irritation in the heart, lungs, stomach and throat. Mesothelioma can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and persistent coughing in patients who have mesothelioma symptoms in their lungs – the most common kind. More rarely, cases of mesothelioma are found in the pericardium (the sac around the heart), the abdominal wall and the testicles.

Mesothelioma is diagnosed by a medical doctor who first reviews medical history and does a thorough physical examination. The doctor may also order blood work or imaging studies such as MRI scans and CAT scans. Biopsies may be done to study the cells.

Treatment for mesothelioma is designed specifically for the patient, taking into account all the factors of their disease. Some treatment options for mesothelioma include surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Some experimental treatments are also available.

Mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure is common in both the United States and in Canada. In Canada, there were approximately 12,900 new cases of lung cancer (including mesothelioma) in males and approximately 11,200 new cases in females. In 2010, there were approximately 11,200 deaths from lung cancer in males and approximately 9,400 in females. In 2010, lung cancer was the second leading cause of death in both males and females in Canada. There were approximately 66 lung cancer diagnoses per 100,000 males in the year and 48 lung cancer diagnoses per 100,000 women in the year. The death rate from lung cancer from was around 57 deaths per 100,000 males in 2010 and around 39 per 100,000 females in 2010. One in eleven Canadian men and one in 16 Canadian women are expected to develop lung cancer.

In 2007, there were approximately 203,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer (including mesothelioma), and approximately 159,000 people died of lung cancer. Approximately 110,000 of the diagnoses were in men and 94,000 were in women. Of the number of deaths from lung cancer in Americans in 2007, about 88,000 were men and 70,000 women.

There is obviously a significant difference between the number of cases in Canada and the United States. The population of the United States is clearly larger than the population of Canada, but the total incidence (percentage) of lung cancer in the population is relatively similar.

There are also obvious differences between the number of lung cancer diagnoses and lung cancer deaths in men and women. In men in the United States, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in white, black, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Pacific Islanders and Asian men, and the third most common cancer in Hispanic Men. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among men of all races and ethnicities.

In American women, lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in white, black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native women. Lung cancer is the third most common type of cancer in Pacific Islander, Asian and Hispanic women. In terms of cancer deaths, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in all races and ethnicities of women, except Hispanic women. Lung cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in Hispanic women.

Mesothelioma is predominantly diagnosed in men and has a latency period between 20 and 50 years. This is the reason that so many WWII veterans have been diagnosed in recent years, as opposed to the years and decades after the war’s close. Mesothelioma had previously been an unknown disease, often confused with common cold symptoms. While asbestos use is banned in the U.S., it is still prevalent in many countries, and the material still exists in a wide variety of commercial and residential buildings.

Lung cancer, especially mesothelioma, is a dangerous disease. Avoiding asbestos exposure will greatly decrease the risk of developing mesothelioma, and avoiding smoking will help to reduce the risk of developing other kinds of lung cancer. Smoking does not cause mesothelioma but can severely aggravate the lungs, especially in those who already have severe asbestosis.