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
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To your right you will find links to various
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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
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We will be providing you with updated and new featured articles on a regular
basis.
Additional
Mesothelioma links
Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma
Albuquerque Asbestos Attorney
Asbestos Cancer Lawyer
Asbestos Cancer Not
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Asbestos Vs Cancer
Asbestos Wall Insulation
Asbestosis Picture
Attorney Austin Desmoplastic Mesothelioma
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Baltimore Asbestosis Attorney
Fort Myers Mesothelioma Lawyer
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Mesothelioma Asbestos Attorney Lawyer
Mesothelioma Attorney New York
Mesothelioma Cancer Brochure Information
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Mesothelioma Update
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Utah Mesothelioma Lawyer
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Diagnosis for
Malignant Mesothelioma Cancer: Screening
Explore MEDLINE
Published by the National Library of Medicine, MEDLINE is a comprehensive index
of medical citations and abstracts dating back to 1966. In the past, this
database was available only to students, doctors or by subscription. However,
there are now several Internet resources which offer free MEDLINE access,
including PubMed and MedlinePlus. Use of both services is free, although you
must initially fill out a member registration form.
An additional benefit of these services is access to full-text versions of many
of the articles. PubMed publishes a list of MEDLINE journals with links to
publisher web sites at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/fulltext.html. Access to these articles
may require user registration or a small fee, but recent issues are often
available free of charge.
These publications and abstracts are not written for the layperson, so make sure
you discuss any literature you read with your doctor before making any decisions
about them.
Although MEDLINE is the most comprehensive database of medical literatere, the
National Cancer Institute also has a free database of cancer-specific abstracts
and literature.
Mesothelioma -
Lung Cancer Link - Part 3
Konstantin Chumakov of the FDA
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, says that Carbone's findings leave
many unanswered questions. For example, he said it is not clear from the
labeling of the samples found at the NIBSC exactly when they were used in the
Soviet Union or for how long. Chumakov, whose father was director of the Soviet
Institute of Poliomyelitis Research during the time of the contamination, says
he was told that at one point the Soviet Union was supplying more than 100
countries with its vaccine.
He traveled to Moscow in April 2004 to try to learn more about the production
and testing of the Soviet vaccine. But he found no more vaccine samples from
that era, and very little surviving documentation about specific batches and why
they might have been contaminated. "It's hard to explain how it happened," he
says, "but it obviously did."
Mesothelioma
What
should people who have been exposed to asbestos do?
It is important for exposed
individuals to:
- Stop smoking;
- Get regular health checkups;
- Get prompt medical attention
for any respiratory illness; and
- Use all protective
equipment, work practices, and safety procedures designed for working around
asbestos.
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. |
Includes information on treatment centers, clinical trials, litigation history, and legal assistance. |
Comprehensive information site on mesothelioma diagnosis, treatment, coping, asbestos disease and financial assistance. ... Mesothelioma Alerts Conventional ... |
mesothelioma n. , pl. -mata or -mas . A usually malignant tumor of mesothelial tissue, especially that of the pleura or ... Diagnosing mesothelioma requires an ... |
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