Apr 05, 2019 10:39 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

A new study has shed insight on the risks associated with mesothelioma, indicating that various factors could impact whether one contracts the disease in the decades following their exposure to harmful asbestos. The public health researchers from Italy published their findings in an effort to avert the risk of laborers dying from mesothelioma after being housed or employed in asbestos-filled facilities.

According to the findings of the recent study, the risk of contracting and dying from mesothelioma following asbestos-contact rises and falls in the subsequent decades of life. The risk from dying from peritoneal Mesothelioma remains high across the subsequent decades, for instance, whereas the risk of death from pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer begins to drop off sharply after a certain point in time.

Nearly all mesothelioma cases are derived from contact with asbestos, but the disease can still technically develop without such contact. Ailments such as peritoneal mesothelioma can cause serious injury or even death, leading to tumor growth on the lining of the abdomen which can prove fatal.

Analyzing the different cases in the patient data set they utilized, researchers noted that the risk of dying from peritoneal mesothelioma plateaued after 20 years and remained the same, meaning the risk of death didn't decrease over time. Similarly, the risk of contracting lung cancer remained high over that time period as well.

The risk of dying from pleural mesothelioma peaked between 20 and 29 years after contact with asbestos, though, before declining in a hopeful sign for the long-term health of patients. The Italian researchers stressed that more data should be studied in the future to strengthen their findings.

According to data published by the CDC, malignant mesothelioma was responsible for the death of 27,284 Americans between 2005-2014, the most recent year for which data was available.

Asbestos, a group of minerals that occurs naturally as bundles of tiny fibers, is usually found in soil deposits throughout the known world. The inclusion of asbestos in building materials has plagued public health for decades, with tremendous legal campaigns having occurred in an effort to sue those responsible for including it in public housing and commercial building sites.

As reporting from the Wall Street Journal indicates, millions of dollars have been paid out in asbestos-related lawsuits over the past few decades. When inhaled, coughed up, or swallowed, asbestos can cause harmful effects, leading to liability amongst construction companies and real estate firms that sell or rent asbestos-laden properties.

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