What does asbestos have to do with mesothelioma?
The only known cause of mesothelioma in the United States is previous
exposure to asbestos fibers. Asbestos manufacturers knew about the hazards of
asbestos seventy years ago - but they kept this knowledge to themselves. The
first warnings given to workers exposed to asbestos were in the mid-1960s, and
they were terribly inadequate. Even today, workers are not always told they are
working around asbestos and are at risk for asbestos disease.
What can someone with mesothelioma do?
- Seek out the best and most up-to-date information.
- Seek out the best medical care.
- Early screening for mesothelioma diagnosis.
- Stay in close contact with your doctor.
- Consider whether or not you want to bring a lawsuit because of this
asbestos-related injury.
- Remember that resources are available to you through community and
medical support groups, asbestos victims' organizations, your place of
worship, as well as your family and friends.
How common is mesothelioma?
Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years,
mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of
mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs
more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease
can appear in either men or women at any age.
What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of
asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all
cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any
known exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of
strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven.
Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement,
brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If
tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing
process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health
problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk
of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other
cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.
Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the
combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's
risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.
Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?
Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use
greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of
American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks
associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of
developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work
in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the
heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable
levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear
personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to
asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief
exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who
are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.
There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos
workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other
asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos
dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the
chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are
usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the
workplace.
People considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI booklet
Taking Part in Clinical Trials: What Cancer Patients Need To Know. This booklet
describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible
benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the CIS, or from the NCI
Publications Locator Web site at
http://cancer.gov/publications on the Internet.
Mesothelioma Lawsuit is the best way to find information about
Mesothelioma resources.
This web page takes the legwork out of finding great
Mesothelioma resources. We have compiled great links to
Mesothelioma
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To your right you will find links to various
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information about
Mesothelioma.
We've taken the time to check out each and every featured
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In our "Featured Mesothelioma Article" section, you'll find an article related to
Mesothelioma.
We will be providing you with updated and new featured articles on a regular
basis.
Additional
Mesothelioma links
Alabama Asbestos Lawyer Mesothelioma
Asbestos Asbestos Attorney Mesothelioma
Asbestos Attorney Diagnose Failure
Asbestos Bag Disposal
Asbestos Bulk Sampling
Asbestos Cancer
Asbestos Cement Shingles
Asbestos Disease Fact
Asbestos Floor Tile
Asbestos Houston Training
Asbestos In Floor Tile
Asbestos Lawyer Los Angeles
Asbestos Lawyer New York - Internet Error
Asbestos New Removal York
Asbestos Photo
Asbestos Replacement Shingles
Asbestos Symptom
Asbestos Test Lab
Asbestos Testing Lab
Asbestos Waste Disposal
Asbestosis Claim
Asbestosis Testing
Attorney Agoura Hills Asbestos
Diego Lawyer Mesothelioma San
Failure To Diagnose Mesothelioma Lawyer
Michigan Mesothelioma Lawsuit
Montana Mesothelioma Lawyer
New Jersey Asbestos Lawyer
Philadelphia Mesothelioma Lawyer
Remove Asbestos
Asbestos
Exposure and Your Job:
At-Risk Occupations, Industries
and Locations Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause asbestos-related diseases
including mesothelioma cancer and others. A potentially dangerous exposure can
result from very small fibers at low exposure levels. Most such exposure would
likely have occurred prior to the 1980s, but the latency period can be up to 40
years for most asbestos-related cancers to develop. (See more information on
screening.)
Many people have come into contact with asbestos fibers via their jobs, or
occupational exposure. There is also a risk to the family members of those
working in at-risk occupations; this exposure is called paraoccupational
exposure. Likewise, people who live near sites likely to have asbestos around
the facility are also at risk: refineries, power plants, factories, shipyards,
steel mills and building demolition are types of work sites that can release
asbestos fibers into the environment and contaminate nearby residential
neighborhoods.
Mesothelioma -
Cancer of the Lung Lining Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma
Asbestos is the major cause of
Mesothelioma in the United States. Asbestos is a mineral that occurs as a long
thin fiber in the environment. Until the 1980's, when it was banned due to its
health dangers, it had been used in many industrial and insulation materials as
a fire retardant. Some of the jobs in which people have been exposed to asbestos
directly or indirectly are those that involve factory work, demolition,
insulation, shipbuilding, carpentry, installation of brake linings in vehicles,
and many others.
Review our At Risk Job section for a more detailed list of jobs. Despite efforts
to eliminate asbestos from our environment, many public and private buildings
still contain asbestos today. Personnel who remove asbestos from such structures
or work around asbestos are required to wear personal equipment to lower their
risk of exposure.
Mesothelioma:
Questions and Answers - Part 7a
How is Mesothelioma treated?
Treatment for Mesothelioma
depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the
patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery,
radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
Surgery is a common treatment for Mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of
the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer
of the pleura (pleural Mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation
called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the
lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy
rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the
cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine
(external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through
thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal
radiation therapy).
Here are some
Additional
Mesothelioma Resources
-
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused ... from mesothelioma. 9 Notable people who have lived for some time with mesothelioma. 10 Legal ... |
Fact sheet on mesothelioma from the National Cancer Institute. |
Mesothelioma Comprehensive overview covers malignant mesothelioma, including peritoneal and pleural ... Peritoneal mesothelioma, which occurs in the ... |
Receive a FREE comprehensive information packet at your door in 24 hours. ... Blood Test May Allow for Early Detection of Mesothelioma ... |
Comprehensive information site on mesothelioma diagnosis, treatment, coping, asbestos disease and financial assistance. ... Mesothelioma Alerts Conventional ... |
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