Information for
victims of the lung cancer mesothelioma

 

We provide general mesothelioma data, stages of the cancer, treatment options, treatment by stage, more asbestos related problems, as well as links and information about legal help if needed from an asbestos attorney/mesothelioma lawyer.

What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the cells that make up the lining around the outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs (pleura), or around the abdominal organs (peritoneum).

Mesothelioma

The law limits the amount of time after a patient incurs an injury to file suit.

The amount of time varies based on the theory of liability and the state in which the patient files the suit.

If you or someone you love is suffering from mesothelioma – or has died as a result of it –  contact us.

We can help you understand your rights and options, and ensure that you have the opportunity to seek compensation for your injuries.

   

 

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 information and pages dedicated to 4 Abb Asbestos Feb Lawsuit here. . .

To your right you will find links to various
Mesothelioma related pages. There you will find great information about 4 Abb Asbestos Feb Lawsuit.

We've taken the time to check out each and every featured Mesothelioma website to make sure they are quality sites, with quality information.

Here you will find some of the best resources on 4 Abb Asbestos Feb Lawsuit ever compiled and some incredible resources for Mesothelioma.

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

Alaska Mesothelioma Lawyer
Albuquerque Mesothelioma Attorney
Asbestos Attorney Apple Valley
Asbestos Awareness Training
Asbestos Claim Mesothelioma
Asbestos Disposal Removal
Asbestos Encapsulation Sydney
Asbestos In Lawyer Pa
Asbestos Journal Law Queens
Asbestos Law Arizona
Asbestos Law Related Suit
Asbestos Photo
Asbestos Regulation Uk
Asbestos Survey Uk
Boston Mesothelioma Lawyer
Cancer From Asbestos
Control Of Asbestos At Work Regulation
Fort Myers Mesothelioma Lawyer
Maine Mesothelioma Attorney
Mesothelioma Cancer Brochure Information
Mesothelioma Doctor
Mesothelioma Lawyer California
Mesothelioma Lawyer Los Angeles
Mesothelioma Resource Support
Mesothelioma Statistics
Mississippi Mesothelioma Attorney
New York Mesothelioma Lawyer
Removing Asbestos Siding
South Dakota Mesothelioma Attorney
Virginia Mesothelioma Lawyer

Mesothelioma - Asbestos Court Bid By Dying Woman - Part 1

A DYING woman is set to take her case to court for exposure to asbestos during her school days.

Law firm Slater and Gordon is handling the case for the woman, who now lives in Melbourne. Solicitor Andrew Higgins, who specializes in asbestos cases, says the woman is an example of how innocently people can be exposed to the deadly substance. Last month Slater and Gordon advertised in Tasmanian newspapers for anyone who had been at Devonport High between 1964 and 1968. "We are looking for people who can assist with our inquiries about that time," Mr. Higgins said.

He said the claim was the woman was exposed to asbestos as a student, which had led to her contracting Mesothelioma as an adult. "The insidious thing about asbestos is you can be working in mines or mills or just be a school student, and you can get an asbestos-related disease," he said. "This is an example of how innocently people can be exposed because there is no safe level of exposure." The law firm's investigations centre on the time an assembly hall at Devonport High was destroyed by fire and subsequent rebuilding.

The case is expected to be before the courts in Tasmania soon because of the woman's limited life expectancy. Mr. Higgins said there was always a precedent value in such cases but individuals had to be able to prove their claims. "Just because there is one case doesn't mean others will follow," he said.

The law firm has been involved in a number of cases in Tasmania, both in Hobart and the North-West, including people exposed in heavy industry in the area.

Mesothelioma

Who Is At Risk?

Overview The only known cause of mesothelioma is previous exposure to asbestos fibers. Often times workers are not told they are working around asbestos, and even single exposures to very low doses of fibers can produce serious long-term consequences.

Asbestos diseases are said to follow the trail of exposure. That means that wherever people have received asbestos exposure, regardless of their trade, age, sex or race, they are at risk of cancer and other diseases.

Almost anyone who has inhaled asbestos dust is at risk. Even a worker's families and friends can be at risk, because asbestos can often be carried on clothing.

Exposure to asbestos dust can occur at major construction job sites, in shipyards, in industry, and during construction or renovation of commercial buildings. See the list at right for certain occupations that are known to be those where risk of exposure to asbestos is great, and the numbers of people in such occupations contracting asbestos disease are high.

Please contact a mesothelioma attorney if you have any questions about occupational risk, or if you'd like to explore your legal rights.

Mesothelioma: Questions and Answers - Part 6a

How is Mesothelioma diagnosed?

Diagnosing Mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful.

A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body.

A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of Mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located.

Here are some Additional
Mesothelioma Resources

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... increased provisions for asbestos lawsuits in the United ... forthcoming on Feb. 13, and that it did not expect any further asbestos-related provisions. ...
ABB Must Settle Asbestos Lawsuits, Sell Units to Win Investors ... proposal to rid ABB of asbestos lawsuits, is set for Feb. 4 after two delays. ...
The company said Feb. 4 it will reclassify its ABB Lummus Global oil-services ... after a planned disposal was delayed by a U.S. court ruling on asbestos lawsuits. ...
... as asbestos-related lawsuits threatened ABB with ... margin in the Power Technologies unit will be ``challenging,'' ABB said Feb. 4. Asbestos Claims ...
Troubled Swiss industrial engineer ABB posted on Thursday a record loss in 2002 as it paid for jobs cuts and asbestos lawsuits.
 

Today's News Related To Mesothelioma


      

       
     

    Featured Mesothelioma Articles

    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.

    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).

    Mesothelioma - Emerging Mesothelioma Treatments

    Mesothelioma - Photodynamic Therapy - Part 1

    New approach to treating Mesothelioma cancer based on using light to kill cancer cells; more Mesothelioma treatment options to follow.

    Because Mesothelioma is a newly publicized disease, many doctors may have a hard time diagnosing and treating it. Depending on the stage of the disease, the most common treatments are surgical removal of the affected tissues, chemotherapy, or radiation.

    There is some concern that research into Mesothelioma will be minimal, because it is projected to be a short-lived disease in terms of new cases after the next 30 years. However, new research is consistently providing physicians with alternate forms of therapy, and there are many intense studies into control and cure of the disease, so those diagnosed with Mesothelioma do have many options and a lot of hope.