Mesothelioma is a type of cancer caused by prolonged and unprotected exposure to asbestos. This is the only known cause of the disease up to this point, and it is responsible for almost all mesothelioma recorded cases.
Smoking With Mesothelioma Risks
It is important to understand that smoking does not increase the risk to develop mesothelioma and will certainly not cause it to appear. It is also important to know that smoking is not recommended during treatment for mesothelioma, because of the following:
- it allows the development of other diseases, such as asbestosis, which are deadly in combiation with mesothelioma
- the body requires energy to be able to process the smoke you are inhaling, and when dealing with a disease such as mesothelioma, the body can't spare any amount of energy
- smoking increases the risk of lung cancer by 50 percent
- smokers do not respond to treatment as well as non-smokers
- asbestos fibers will implant themselves easier into tissue softened and damaged by smoking
- asbestos cancer patients that are kept under permanent observation are not allowed to use any kind of cigarette smoking because of the known hazards they expose themselves to
Asbestos Smoking Lung Cancer
It is a known fact that almost half of all smokers world wide develop lung cancer. That, combined with asbestos related diseases will not be very easy to deal with. Any asbestos related disease is difficult to treat, but most of them can be cured easily, which is not the case with lung cancer.
Clinical trials for smokers are performed similarly to those of non-smokers, but the process takes longer and the results are not the most accurate ones available.
Asbestos Smoking and Mesothelioma
Malignant, peritoneal or any other type of mesothelioma, apart from benign, is difficult to treat and diagnose. Smoking only makes it more difficult for doctors and patients alike because of the facts mentioned earlier.
Over the past few years a synergistic effect has been noticed between smoking habits and asbestos. If the person is already suffering from asbestosis the risk of developing mesothelioma is roughly 30 percent. If the same person is a heavy smoker, the risk of developing mesothelioma increases exponentially, so it is recommended to stop smoking. This synergistic effect has started to be analyzed recently and experts are sure that smoking does not cause mesothelioma alone, but it creates an environment, together with asbestosis, in which mesothelioma can freely develop.
Feel free to contact asbestosis and mesothelioma centers and ask anything you would like to know about smoking and mesothelioma, it is absolutely free.