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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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
Annapolis Lawsuit Mesothelioma
Asbestos Abatement Supply
Asbestos Article
Asbestos Asbestos Product
Asbestos Association Contractor Removal
Asbestos Attorney Maryland
Asbestos Canadian Due Exposure Lawsuit
Asbestos Certification Removal
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Asbestos Mesothelioma Papillary - Internet Error
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Asbestos Photo
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Asbestos Related Disease
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Asbestosis Information
Cancer Caused From Asbestos
Cancer Mesothelioma Peritoneal
Control Of Asbestos At Work Regulation
Cover Asbestos Tile
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Mesothelioma Injury
Mesothelioma Law Litigation
Rhode Island Mesothelioma Attorney - Internet Error
Mesothelioma:
Questions and Answers - Part 7b
Chemotherapy is the use of
anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to
treat Mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV).
Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly
into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy). To relieve symptoms and
control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has
built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the
chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called
paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more
fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in
relieving symptoms.
##
Mesothelioma:
Questions and Answers
Mesothelioma - Are New
Treatments for Mesothelioma Being Studied? - Part 8a
Yes.
Because Mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute
(NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are
designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments.
Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct
clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and
effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important
treatment option for many patients with Mesothelioma.
People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their
doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer
Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1 800 4 CANCER. Information specialists
at the CIS use PDQ ®, NCI's cancer information database, to identify and provide
detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have
the option of searching for clinical trials on their own.
Mesothelioma -
Big Payout Too Late
WORKING in clouds of asbestos
dust came back to haunt former builder Stewart Beckworth decades later.
Mr. Beckworth, 63, who has asbestos-related lung cancer, has just won a large
compensation payout from the James Hardie company but it provides little comfort
for the father of nine. Mr. Beckworth, of Mt Martha, knows Mesothelioma will
kill him but he is more worried about other problems confronting his devastated
family.
His wife Ginny, 61, has much more than her husband's illness to cope with. She
has a heartbreaking wait hoping for the green light to donate one of her kidneys
to accountant son Nathan. Nathan Beckworth, 34, was born with cystic fibrosis
and had a heart-lung transplant 14 years ago. He is one of the longest survivors
of the operation but he suffered another blow when stricken with kidney failure.
Only a transplant can now save his life but he must build up lung capacity for
the operation.
The couple also care for Mrs. Beckworth's mother, 96, who has recently been
seriously ill. "I'm angry this happened to me," Mr. Beckworth said. "But I'm
also angry what it has done to my family. "I've got a lovely family and we love
one another to death. I see those kids hysterical that dad's not going to be
around to walk them down the aisle or to see the grandkids born. It's a terrible
thing."
Mr. Beckworth sued James Hardie, claiming that although it knew its asbestos
products were dangerous it did not to warn builders. Hardie's settled the case
before it got to court but continued to deny liability. Mrs. Beckworth said
waiting for the kidney transplant operation, coping with her sick mother and
dealing with her husband's cancer was taking its toll. "It's awful. I thought to
myself, 'please, I don't want three funerals'," she said. Mr. Beckworth had
nothing but contempt for Hardie's.
"I'm a normal working man. I don't deserve to be poisoned by people like that,"
he said. Mr. Beckworth was a builder on the Mornington Peninsula for more than
40 years. All of his constructions until the late '70s contained asbestos cement
sheeting. "I had no idea this dust was deadly," he said.
He was diagnosed with Mesothelioma in January and told he had six to 12 months
to live. "I thought what am I going to do? I've got kids crying, I've got my
wife crying, I'm a bit upset myself," he said. Mr. Beckworth's solicitor, Peter
Gordon, a partner at Slater and Gordon, said his case was sadly not unusual.
He said more builders would develop Mesothelioma but another danger was to home
renovators. "Stewart is one of a generation of Australians who have been exposed
this way by Hardies but it could be any one of us in the future," he said.
Mesothelioma
Treatment
The treatment options for people
with mesothelioma have improved significantly, especially for those whose cancer
is diagnosed early and treated vigorously. Many people are treated with a
combination of therapies, sometimes known as multimodal therapy.
Specific types of treatment include:
Chemotherapy and other drug-based therapies Radiation therapy Surgery and
Intra-operative photodynamic therapy. There are also experimental treatments
like gene therapy and immunotherapy, angiogenesis inhibitors, and clinical
trials for various new treatments and combinations of treatments.
Treatments that reduce pain and improve lung function, are becoming more
successful (although they cannot cure mesothelioma.) Pain control medications
have become easier to administer. Debulking is a surgical process of removing a
substantial part of the tumor and reducing the pleural thickening; this can
provide significant relief. X-ray therapy has also been successfully used to
control the tumor and the pain associated with it for a while.
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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