1 in 4 people diagnosed with mesothelioma are women. Occupational asbestos exposure remains the leading cause of mesothelioma, but many women develop the disease without a history of working directly with asbestos. Understanding the unique risks women face, along with the symptoms, diagnosis, and available legal options, will help them make informed decisions.
Occupational Exposure
Although men account for the majority of mesothelioma diagnoses, women working in industrial jobs, the military, and construction have also been at risk. Simply put, asbestos does not care if the worker inhaling it is male or female – when asbestos is inhaled, the risk of disease is present.
Historically, women have worked in many jobs and industries where the risk of asbestos exposure was high. Women were often employed in textile mills, plastic manufacturing plants, friction product factories, and asbestos processing plants throughout the 1990s, experiencing high levels of direct exposure. At facilities like Johns-Manville, they handled raw asbestos, significantly increasing their risk of developing mesothelioma.
Even occupations that did not involve working directly with asbestos carried exposure risks from aging or damaged asbestos products, such as building materials. Working long-term in older buildings, like schools and hospitals, has contributed to mesothelioma in women.
Household Exposures
Many women suffered dangerous levels of asbestos exposure simply by living with family members who worked in industries where asbestos was commonplace. Insulators, pipe fitters, textile workers, and many others have unknowingly brought asbestos home with them via work clothes impregnated with these deadly fibers. Housewives would often be responsible for laundering these clothes, and shaking them out prior to washing them caused material amounts of asbestos to become airborne and respirable. Many housewives of laborers have developed mesothelioma and even calcified pleural plaques (a non-malignant condition indicative of heavy asbestos inhalation) over the years as homemakers.
Exposure to Asbestos in Talc
Some women were exposed to asbestos through talcum powder, which has been linked to ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. Since talc and asbestos naturally form together, contamination occurs during the mining process. As a result, talc used in cosmetics and personal hygiene products, like Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder, may contain asbestos.
The Symptoms of Mesothelioma in Women
Symptoms depend on the type of mesothelioma they develop.
Mesothelioma most commonly affects the lining of the lungs (pleural lining) or stomach (peritoneal lining). When asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested, they migrate from the lung and stomach tissues to the surrounding linings of these vital organs, where they remain and cause cancer.
Symptoms of women diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma include:
- Coughing
- Chest pain
- Blood clotting disorders
- Body aches
- Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
- Night sweats
- Shortness of breath
- Unexplained weight loss
And women with peritoneal mesothelioma may experience:
- Abdominal swelling
- Bowel obstruction
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Neck pain
- Unexplained weight loss
Diagnosing Mesothelioma in Women
The same tools are used to diagnose mesothelioma in men and women, which are imaging tests such as CT scans, MRIs, and PET scans, followed by a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.
Many women are diagnosed incidentally during gynecologic surgeries or exploratory procedures performed for unrelated conditions. Women are also commonly diagnosed with symptoms mistaken for more common conditions. Multiple misdiagnoses delay treatment and worsen the prognosis. To improve early detection and survival outcomes, raising awareness among healthcare providers is critical.
Legal Options for Women with Mesothelioma
Women diagnosed with mesothelioma have several legal avenues for pursuing compensation, which include conventional civil lawsuits, asbestos trust fund claims, and workers’ compensation claims. Compensation can help cover medical treatment, travel for specialized care, and lost income, easing the financial burden.
Receive the Compensation You Deserve
Choosing the right asbestos attorney makes an overwhelming situation easier to manage. Since 2000, the O’Brien Law Firm has provided trusted legal representation to asbestos victims and their families. Our team investigates how and where exposure occurred, identifies the responsible parties, and guides clients through the legal process while ensuring important filing deadlines are met.
Let the O’Brien Law Firm advocate for your rights. Call (314) 588-0558 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.
