People have known for a long time that working with asbestos, or being exposed to it in some other way, can lead to mesothelioma.
So why are so many people still, today, finding out they have this incurable disease?
Firstly, even though many manufacturers knew about the dangers of asbestos since the 1960s at least, they sought to hide and discredit that information in order to pursue profits. So many people happily carried on working with it, unaware of the risks.
Secondly, it’s because mesothelioma has a very long latency period and many people are only now finding out the effect of their asbestos exposure decades before.
What is the latency period for mesothelioma?
A recent paper puts the mean latency period (after adjustment for various research factors) at 33.7 years. The period was slightly longer for women (34.1 years) compared to men (33.6 years).
The research noted minor differences depending on what job people did when their exposure occurred:
- 32.7 years: Constructing or demolishing buildings containing asbestos insulation
- 31.3 years: Manufacturing products containing asbestos
- 33.3 years: Maintaining or repairing buildings or equipment containing it
- 34.9 years Extracting, conveying or grinding it in mines
Researchers noted the amount of exposure as well as personal differences in the individuals studied could also contribute to the variations.
What’s clear is that if you were exposed to asbestos around 1990 now is the time you are most likely to notice the first signs of mesothelioma. Remember however there are records of latency periods being under 10 years in some cases and over 40 years in many more cases. In other words, there is no easy answer as to the latency period. If you were exposed to asbestos at any point in your life, it’s wise to learn more about your legal options.
