What Causes Mesothelioma?

Video Transcript

"The risk factors for mesothelioma include primarily exposure to asbestos, too much lesser extent exposure to certain viruses, such as Simian Virus 40, and radiation therapy to the chest. In the case of asbestos it is thought that certain types of asbestos called amphibole, long needle like fibers penetrate the lungs, and penetrate ever more deeply into the lungs until they get to the border of the lungs, what's called the pleura the covering of the lungs and the inside of the chest wall. When there they can stimulate various hormonal secretion, including tumor necrosis factor by mesothelial cells, and that can alter other gene expression, and lead potentially to immortilization of the mesothelial cells, which is an initial step in cancer causation. Somehow over thirty to forty years this will eventually develop into a cancer. Asbestos also stimulates various growth factors receptors on the surface of mesothelial cells such as the epidermal growth factor receptor, and that leads to what's called signal transduction. Signally cascades in the cells that can lead to increase cell division."