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 Asbestos Cancer Attorney here. . .

To your right you will find links to various
Mesothelioma related pages. There you will find great information about Asbestos Cancer Attorney.

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 Cancer Attorney 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

Armstrong Asbestos Ceiling Tile
Article Journal Mesothelioma
Asbestos Bulk Sampling
Asbestos Carolina Law North Regarding Removal
Asbestos Desert Lawyer Palm
Asbestos Exposure Testing
Asbestos Exposure Workplace
Asbestos From Mesothelioma Roofers Shingles
Asbestos Law Ny Removal Shingle
Asbestos Photo
Asbestos Pipe
Asbestos Removal Service
Asbestos Roof Shingles
Asbestos Wall Insulation
Asbestosattorneymesothelioma
Asbestosis Diagnosis
Asbestosis Meaning
Cancer Caused By Asbestos
Chicago In Mesothelioma Settlement
Lawyer Ojai Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Doctor
Mesothelioma Lawyer Los Angeles
Mesothelioma Stage
Mesothelioma Support Group
Mesothelioma Treatment Support Law
Minnesota Mesothelioma Lawyer
Missouri Mesothelioma Attorney
Multicystic Papillary Deciduoid Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Ohio Asbestos Siding
Sarasota County Mesothelioma Lawyer

Mesothelioma - Ohio Attorney General Tries to Stop Anti-Asbestos Litigation Legislation - Part 2

The law would be the first in the country to require people to prove exposure to asbestos and provide medical evidence of an asbestos-related illness before continuing with their lawsuits. The referendum drive is backed by a group of lawyers specializing in asbestos litigation.

At issue are thousands of cases now pending in Ohio courts filed by people exposed to the white flaky substance that was widely used in building material during the 1950s and 1960s and can cause cancer.

The group would have to collect 193,740 signatures - 6 percent of the vote in the last election for governor - by Sept. 2 to place the referendum on the Nov. 2 ballot.

The last time a referendum was on an Ohio ballot was in 1997, when voters soundly rejected a law making changes to the workers' compensation system.

Diagnosis for Malignant Mesothelioma Cancer: Screening

Explore OncoLink

The University of Pennsylvania maintains OncoLink, an outstanding resource on the web for information about all types of cancer and related topics. The homepage is http://www.oncolink.com/  and has information about clinical trials, symptom management, cancer support services, financial issues, book reviews, and many other topics. OncoLink has mesothelioma patient information found under Patient Statement: Malignant Mesothelioma. For a more personal perspective, there is also an article entitled "Thoughts from a Mesothelioma Patient".

If you have questions, need more information, or experience difficulty accessing these sites, please feel free to contact us and we will do our best to help.

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).

Here are some Additional
Mesothelioma Resources

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The name Asbestos was given to this mineral by the Ancient Greeks. The word "Asbestos" ... Asbestos Lung Cancer Attorney. Call Toll Free: 800-291-0963 ...
Asbestos Cancer Attorneys - Hotline 800.291.0963 - Mesothelioma Help Center's ... Asbestos Lung Cancer Attorney Mesothelioma Lung Cancer Asbestos Legal Assistance ...
Malignant mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that is difficult to ... It can also spot the spread of cancer. ... OSHA - Safety and Health Topics: Asbestos ...
The Asbestos Cancer and Mesothelioma Website ... There are hundreds of attorneys throughout the United States who specialize in ...
Free case evaluation: Contact the trial lawyers at The Ferraro Law Firm at 1-800-275-3332. ... Mesothelioma & Asbestos. Environmental Toxic Torts. Defective ...
 

Today's News Related To Mesothelioma


  

   
 

Featured Mesothelioma Articles

Mesothelioma: Questions and Answers - Part 6b

If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.

If the diagnosis is Mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.

Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.

Mesothelioma

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 mesothelium 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.

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.