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).
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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. |
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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 Disease Mesothelioma here. . .
To your right you will find links to various
Mesothelioma related pages. There you will find great information about
Asbestos Disease Mesothelioma.
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 Disease Mesothelioma 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
2003 Asbestos Broadcast Canadian Mesothelioma Study
Article Journal Mesothelioma
Asbestos Attorney Maryland Mesothelioma
Asbestos Attorney Tx
Asbestos Attorney Victorville
Asbestos Attorney Washington
Asbestos Bulk Sampling
Asbestos Cancer Attorney
Asbestos Class Action
Asbestos Information
Asbestos Lawyer
Asbestos Lawyer Maryland
Asbestos Photo
Asbestos Test Lab
Asbestosis Attorney New York
Asbestosis Mesothelioma
Asbestosis Money
Austin Symptom Asbestos Mesothelioma
Cause Of Mesothelioma
Connecticut Mesothelioma Lawyer
Information Law Mesothelioma Support
Lawsuit Maryland Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Mesothelioma Law
Mesothelioma News.us
New York Asbestos Attorney
Pericardial Mesothelioma
Rhode Island Mesothelioma Lawyer
Tennessee Mesothelioma Lawyer
Wisconsin Mesothelioma Attorney
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.
What is
asbestos?
Why is asbestos still a problem?
Asbestos is still a problem
because a great deal of it has been used in the United States and elsewhere,
because many asbestos-containing products remain in buildings, ships, industrial
facilities and other environments where the fibers can become airborne, and
because of the serious human health hazards of inhaling asbestos fibers. Many
Americans believe that use of asbestos in products was banned years ago. The
fact is that asbestos-containing products are still being imported and sold in
this country, continuing to endanger people who may come in contact with such
products. A majority of these products are imported from Canada and Mexico, two
countries where asbestos is still used; further, not all imported
asbestos-containing products are clearly labeled with proper content
information. (Sources: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2003,
and "Asbestos Strategies")
In an August 2003 report, the EPA's Office of Inspector General reiterates that
asbestos is still a product very much around us: a survey in the mid-1980s found
that, on average, 20% of all buildings in the United States contain asbestos.
Further, this latest report confirms that asbestos containing material is still
allowed in pipeline wrap, asbestos-cement corrugated sheet, asbestos-cement flat
sheet, roofing felt, millboard, vinyl-asbestos floor tile, asbestos-cement
shingle, and roof coatings. (Rept. #2003-P-00012).
A 2004 report by the Environmental Working Group provides a timely evalution of
the asbestos-related disease epidemic in America - a "public health tragedy
caused by asbestos." This report documents the history of asbestos use and
provides analysis and statistics to inform the political debate currently being
waged to resolve the problem.
Mesothelioma -
Cancer of the Lung Lining Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma
Asbestos is the major cause of
Mesothelioma in the United States. Asbestos is a mineral that occurs as a long
thin fiber in the environment. Until the 1980's, when it was banned due to its
health dangers, it had been used in many industrial and insulation materials as
a fire retardant. Some of the jobs in which people have been exposed to asbestos
directly or indirectly are those that involve factory work, demolition,
insulation, shipbuilding, carpentry, installation of brake linings in vehicles,
and many others.
Review our At Risk Job section for a more detailed list of jobs. Despite efforts
to eliminate asbestos from our environment, many public and private buildings
still contain asbestos today. Personnel who remove asbestos from such structures
or work around asbestos are required to wear personal equipment to lower their
risk of exposure.
Here are some
Additional
Mesothelioma Resources
-
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous ... risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos related diseases. ... |
Asbestos is a deadly killer known to cause mesothelioma, asbestosis, and cause lung cancer complications. ... Asbestos Industry Asbestos Diseases Mesothelioma ... |
Mesothelioma is one of a number of diseases connected to exposure to asbestos. ... difference between mesothelioma and the other asbestos-related diseases that ... |
... Peter G. Angelos, PC, have over 20 years experience in representing asbestos injury victims and mesothelioma cancer ... asbestos diseases / mesothelioma ... |
Center for Mesothelioma and Asbestos-Related Diseases. Learn More About... to the treatment of malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. ... |
Today's News Related To
Mesothelioma
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Featured
Mesothelioma Articles |
Mesothelioma
What
are the health hazards of exposure to asbestos?
Exposure to asbestos may increase
the risk of several serious diseases:
Asbestosis-a chronic lung ailment that can produce shortness of breath and
permanent lung damage and increase the risk of dangerous lung infections; Lung
cancer; Mesothelioma - a relatively rare cancer of the thin membranes that line
the chest and abdomen; and Other cancers, such as those of the larynx and of the
gastrointestinal tract. How does smoking affect risk?
Many studies have shown that the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure is
particularly hazardous. Cigarette smokers, on the average, are 10 times as
likely to develop lung cancer as are nonsmokers. For nonsmokers who work with
asbestos, the risk is about five times greater than for those in the general
population. By contrast, smokers who also are heavily exposed to asbestos are as
much as 90 times more likely to develop lung cancer than are nonexposed
individuals who do not smoke. Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of
mesothelioma, however.
There is evidence that quitting smoking will reduce the risk of lung cancer
among asbestos-exposed workers, perhaps by as much as half or more after at
least 5 years without smoking. People who were exposed to asbestos on the job at
any time during their life or who suspect they may have been exposed should not
smoke. If they smoke, they should stop.
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.
What is
asbestos?
Why is asbestos still a problem?
Asbestos is still a problem
because a great deal of it has been used in the United States and elsewhere,
because many asbestos-containing products remain in buildings, ships, industrial
facilities and other environments where the fibers can become airborne, and
because of the serious human health hazards of inhaling asbestos fibers. Many
Americans believe that use of asbestos in products was banned years ago. The
fact is that asbestos-containing products are still being imported and sold in
this country, continuing to endanger people who may come in contact with such
products. A majority of these products are imported from Canada and Mexico, two
countries where asbestos is still used; further, not all imported
asbestos-containing products are clearly labeled with proper content
information. (Sources: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2003,
and "Asbestos Strategies")
In an August 2003 report, the EPA's Office of Inspector General reiterates that
asbestos is still a product very much around us: a survey in the mid-1980s found
that, on average, 20% of all buildings in the United States contain asbestos.
Further, this latest report confirms that asbestos containing material is still
allowed in pipeline wrap, asbestos-cement corrugated sheet, asbestos-cement flat
sheet, roofing felt, millboard, vinyl-asbestos floor tile, asbestos-cement
shingle, and roof coatings. (Rept. #2003-P-00012).
A 2004 report by the Environmental Working Group provides a timely evalution of
the asbestos-related disease epidemic in America - a "public health tragedy
caused by asbestos." This report documents the history of asbestos use and
provides analysis and statistics to inform the political debate currently being
waged to resolve the problem.
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