Who is at risk for mesothelioma?
People who have been exposed to asbestos are at high risk for mesothelioma. Although the duration of exposure is directly related to the incidence of development of the disease, people with only casual exposure have developed mesothelioma. There are also people who have been exposed who do not develop the disease.
Asbestos is a fibrous substance used in the construction of buildings prior to 1989, when the EPA banned it for all new uses. Asbestos was used for insulation, for strengthening substances used in construction, such as cements and adhesives, and in the manufacture of fire-retardant materials. The dust and fibers from these products, when inhaled or digested, can cause the disease.
Construction workers have traditionally been the most at risk group, as have their families when the fiber or dust was brought home on clothing. Symptoms often do not appear for over twenty years after exposure.