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Important Facts You Should Know: Job Groups that are at the Risk of Cancer

Cancer is never something a gentleman wants to contemplate. But your choices will often define how healthy you are as you get older. Mesothelioma is one of the cancer types that almost exclusively impacts men. 75% of sufferers are men as this is a cancer acquired through blue collar jobs, you can click through here for detailed stats on mesothelioma.

The latency period, which lasts decades, means that only now are we starting to realize how serious mesothelioma is.

So, what do you need to know about mesothelioma and is your job putting you at risk?

What Do You Need to Know about Mesothelioma?

Understand that mesothelioma is not something that you can prepare for. It almost exclusively comes from asbestos and you may not know you’ve been exposed to asbestos. This is not one of the health habits you can simply decide to adopt one day.

There are a lot of facts about mesothelioma you need to know about. These are the main ones:

The​ ​Cause​ ​– Asbestos is responsible for practically all mesothelioma cases. There are other causes, but they’re responsible for a small number of diagnoses.

The​ ​Diagnosis​ ​– The issue with mesothelioma is that the latency period is incredibly long. It can take anywhere from 20-50 years for it to surface.

The​ ​Prognosis​ ​– If you’re diagnosed with mesothelioma, the chances are you won’t live longer than five years. There’s no real cure for this illness. It’s just a matter of giving yourself as much time as possible.

And that’s why mesothelioma is such a difficult type of cancer to deal with. Many blue-collar workers exposed decades before are only now realizing the danger they’re in.

Are You at Risk of Mesothelioma?

One of the most important points you need to know about is that asbestos hasn’t been outlawed entirely. Yes, it’s heavily controlled, but it’s still found in a range of professions. The same professions that saw thousands of workers unknowingly exposed long ago still encounter asbestos today.

So which job groups are at the biggest risk of cancer?

  • Miners.
  • Shipbuilder.
  • Insulation specialists.
  • Roles in construction.
  • Mechanics.

These are the job roles at risk today. But take note that if you’re an older gentleman you may have also been exposed to asbestos if you were a factory worker or a school teacher.

Your Employer is Responsible

If you’re exposed to asbestos today, you need to be aware that they have a legal responsibility to inform you of the risks. They also must supply you with the necessary equipment and to do everything they can to limit direct exposure. You have the legal right to sue if your employer has knowingly not done these things.

What if I was Exposed?

Any gentleman reading this is likely to be worried about whether they were exposed to asbestos. But understand that mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. It’s not common. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to diagnose early into the latency period. Your best option is prevention. Make sure you check if your house has asbestos in it and if you’re exposed to asbestos ensure you’re wearing the correct safety equipment. These days it’s easier than ever to avoid asbestos because society is so conscious of the risks.

Last Word – Cures are Getting Better

The life expectancy for mesothelioma sufferers is improving all the time. Cures are getting better as awareness of the disease improves. It can be scary to have to deal with the prospect of contracting mesothelioma, but the odds are in a gentlemen’s favor.

Do your best to avoid the problem and you’re going to increase your chances.

Do you have any personal experience with mesothelioma?