Mesothelioma Compensation Claims
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a particular form of tumour almost always associated with exposure to asbestos. It has been recognised by the medical profession since the 1960s.
Even relatively low exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma. You do not have to first suffer from asbestosis in order to get mesothelioma. It also has no connection with cigarette smoking.
Causes
It is caused when fine asbestos fibres become lodged in the tissues of the body after they have been inhaled (or ingested). They then cause inflammation as the body tries to break down the almost indestructible fibres. The body’s defence mechanisms try to break down the fibres but sometimes the “mesothelial cells” in the body become abnormal and develop into tumours.
Tumours can occur on the lining of the lung which is known as the “pleura” (a thin, transparent membrane that covers the lungs and lines the inside of the chest walls).
Alternatively tumours sometimes appear on a similar lining between your bowel and the abdominal and pelvic cavities that is known as the “peritoneum”.