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
Asbestos Bill here. . .
To your right you will find links to various
Mesothelioma related pages. There you will find great information about
Asbestos Bill.
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 Asbestos Bill 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
Abdominal Mesothelioma
Acoustic Ceiling And Asbestos
Arkansas Mesothelioma Lawyer
Asbestos Asbestos Product
Asbestos Attorney Indiana
Asbestos Attorney Maryland Mesothelioma
Asbestos Attorney Yucca Valley
Asbestos By Cancer Caused Colon Exposure
Asbestos California Removal
Asbestos Cancer Lung Related
Asbestos Claim Mesothelioma
Asbestos Consultant Lake Mill
Asbestos Due Exposure Lawsuit
Asbestos Flooring Removal
Asbestos Home
Asbestos Lawyer Washington
Asbestos New Removal York
Asbestos Pipe
Asbestos Prognosis
Asbestos Shingle Removal
Asbestosis Definition
Law Firm Asbestos Woodland Hills 91302
Law Mesothelioma Support
Mesothelioma Picture
Mesothelioma Treatment Support
Mesothelioma Update
Michigan Mesothelioma Lawyer
Naples Mesothelioma Lawyer
Ohio Mesothelioma Lawyer
Symptom Mesothelioma Stomach
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 -
Lung Cancer Link - Part 1
Yet the production process was
supposed to ensure that if any SV40 was present, it would be neutralized. When
Carbone tested the Soviet neutralization method, which relied on magnesium
chloride, he found it was only 95 per cent effective. Because of this, he
believes the Soviet vaccine could have remained contaminated until the early
1980s. In 1981, the Soviet Union switched to a polio vaccine seed provided by
the World Health Organization that was free from any SV40 contamination.
Carbone, the first to publish evidence of a link between SV40 and the deadly
lung cancer Mesothelioma (New Scientist print edition, 21 May 1994), will not
discuss his results further until they have been published. Officials from the
US Food and Drug Administration who attended the conference also declined to
comment, as the FDA is a defendant in lawsuits alleging that the
SV40-contaminated polio vaccine used in the US has caused cancer cases.
Mesothelioma:
Questions and Answers - Part 5
What are the symptoms of
Mesothelioma? Symptoms of Mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after
exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an
accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural Mesothelioma.
Symptoms of peritoneal Mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and
swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen.
Other symptoms of peritoneal Mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood
clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the
Mesothelioma to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble
swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
These symptoms may be caused by Mesothelioma or by other, less serious
conditions. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a
doctor can make a diagnosis.
Here are some
Additional
Mesothelioma Resources
-
Asbestos bill, S. 852, would harm those who suffer from asbestosis, asbestos lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other asbestos diseases. |
Asbestos legislation discussed at Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. ... are concerned that the current bill damages asbestos victims and their families. ... |
Any federal asbestos compensation bill must provide victims fair and timely compensation. ... No asbestos bill should be allowed to proceed unless there is ... |
The Asbestos Alliance is seeking congressional legislation to solve ... Article Raises "Conflict-of-Interest" Questions About Opponent of Asbestos Bill ... |
Information and news articles about the asbestos legislation recently proposed in the Senate. ... Asbestos Bill Would Save Firms Billions ... |
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