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.
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Additional
Mesothelioma links
Advice Asbestosis
Albuquerque Asbestos Attorney
Armstrong Asbestos Ceiling Tile
Asbestos Attorney Bear Big
Asbestos Attorney Dallas Mesothelioma
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Asbestos Brakes
Asbestos Cancer Child Exposure Home
Asbestos Cancer Mesothelioma
Asbestos Exposure Diagnosis
Asbestos Fund Medical National Worker
Asbestos Lawyer Houston
Asbestos Lawyer Maryland
Asbestos Litigation
Asbestos Mesothelioma Legal Information
Asbestos Mesothelioma Papillary - Internet Error
Asbestos Poisoning
Asbestos Removal Abatement
Asbestos Removal Iowa
Asbestos Roofing Shingles
Asbestos Survey Uk
Attorney Mesothelioma Minneapolis
Boston Mesothelioma Lawyer
Charlotte County Mesothelioma Attorney
Collier County Mesothelioma Lawyer
Lawyer Malignant Mesothelioma
Lawyer Moorpark Asbestos
Mesothelioma Resource
Michigan Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Small Cell Cancer Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma:
Questions and Answers
Mesothelioma - What is It and
How Common is It? - Part 2
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma (cancer of the Mesothelioma) is a disease in which cells of the
Mesothelioma become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can
invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize
(spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of
Mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.
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.
Diagnosis for
Malignant Mesothelioma Cancer: Screening
Screening Methods to Identify
Asbestos-Related Disease:
After a preliminary physical
examination, the doctor may need to look inside your chest cavity with a
thorascope for accurate diagnosis. During this thoracoscopy procedure, a cut
will be made in your chest and a small piece of tissue (biopsy) may removed for
examination. While you may feel some pressure, there is usually no pain.
Another special tool that may be used is the peritoneoscope, which allows for
examination inside your abdomen. This instrument is inserted into an opening
made in the abdomen, and a biopsy specimen may also be taken.
If the presence of fluid is indicated by either of these procedures, the doctor
may drain it by inserting a needle into the affected areaa. Removal of chest
fluid is called thoracentesis; removal of abdominal fluid is call paracentesis.
Other screening methods for diagnosis of asbestos-related disease include
various imaging tests. In addition to X-rays, methods include magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET). A more recent and promising
screening method is the computed tomography (CT) scan.
Computed Tomagraphy / CT Scan:
Computed tomagraphy, or spiral CT
scan, is a special radiographic technique that produces a clear cross-sectional
image that allows a radiologist to see distinct aspects of the lung or pleura
that are not readily apparent from the standard X-ray image. Recent studies
(CHEST 2002;122:15-20 and MAYO CLIN PROC 2002;77:329-333) support the use of
annual chest computed tomography (CT scans) exams as a valuable screening tool
for people with a high risk of developing lung cancer, including mesothelioma
cancer. There does appear to be conflicting assessment as to the
cost-effectiveness of CT screening. A 2003 study by Johns Hopkins raises this
concern about the cost-effectiveness of CT scans and states, "There is a
downside to this, including high costs and possible harm to individuals who may
unnecessarily get invasive procedures if the scan detects a benign lung nodule."
A more recent study in Chest, 2003:124:614-621 comes to a different conclusion:
"A baseline low-dose CT scan for lung cancer screening is potentially highly
cost-effective and compares favorably to the cost-effectiveness ratios of other
screening programs."
Peritoneal mesothelioma
X-rays and CT scans are,
typically, the first step towards detecting peritoneal mesothelioma. The actual
diagnosis is typically achieved by obtaining a piece of tissue. The medical
procedure of looking at the peritoneum is known as a peritoneoscopy. It is a
hospital procedure and requires anesthesia. If an abnormality is seen, the
doctor will attempt to obtain a tissue sample - this is known as a biopsy. The
tissue sample will be examined by a pathologist who makes a diagnosis using
microscopic analysis of specialized stains.
There are at least two explanations for how asbestos fibers can get into the
peritoneum. The first is that fibers caught by the mucus of the trachea and
bronchi end up being swallowed. Some of them lodge in the intestinal tract and
from there they can move through the intestinal wall into the peritoneum. The
second explanation is that fibers that lodge in the lungs can move into the
lymphatic system and be transported to the peritoneum.
Medical science does not know exactly how or why, at a cellular level, a
carcinogen like asbestos causes a cell to become malignant (cancerous.) Thus it
is not known whether only one fiber can cause a tumor to develop or whether it
takes many fibers, or what the exact conditions and predispositions are for this
change to happen.
Here are some
Additional
Mesothelioma Resources
-
Asbestos Attorneys. with offices in Maryland - Pennsylvania - Delaware - Tennessee ... home / asbestos diseases / mesothelioma / types / symptoms / diagnosis ... |
Baltimore, Maryland Asbestos Lawyers offer information on asbestos related cases ... Home / Peter G. Angelos / Meet Our Attorneys / Asbestos Litigation ... |
Mesothelioma attorneys are ready and available to assist you with your ... To search for attorneys outside of Maryland, click here. Preferred Listings ... |
Newark, MD Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyers and Attorneys - This free lawyer search can help you find Asbestos Mesothelioma lawyers/attorneys in Newark, MD (Maryland) |
... PC, have over 20 years experience in representing asbestos injury victims and mesothelioma ... Maryland State Bar Association. View Asbestos Attorney Profiles ... |
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