I’ve heard that infrequent exposure to even small amounts of asbestos can lead to some disease, but I never realized how dangerous that was until one of my colleagues shared that his father, who was an electrician, was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He furthered that it was a scary time for his entire family since asbestos fibers are so toxic that the doctor said they (family) are also at risk for developing mesothelioma through particles that cling to his father’s clothing, shoes, skin and hair. (By the way, I did some research and this type of “second-hand” exposure to asbestos is known as para-occupational exposure.)

At the moment, there is no known cure for malignant mesothelioma. But the most common treatments available are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. My colleague’s father was lucky because his mesothelioma was detected at an early stage. Consequently, they were able to treat it with just a few chemotherapy sessions.

This is why it is always a good idea to consult your doctor at once if you experience any unusual symptom – so you can be immediately diagnosed. Then again, as always, prevention is better than cure. If you can avoid high risk jobs, then do so.