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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1 Attorney Information.com Mesothelioma Mesothelioma
Alabama Asbestos Attorney Mesothelioma
Annapolis Lawsuit Mesothelioma
Arkansas Mesothelioma Lawyer
Asbestos Attorney Maryland
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Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnosed
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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:
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.
Mesothelioma:
Questions and Answers - Part 1
Mesothelioma is a rare form of
cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the Mesothelioma, a
protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most people who
develop Mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.
What is the Mesothelioma? The Mesothelioma is a membrane that covers and
protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers
of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac
around it. The Mesothelioma produces a lubricating fluid that is released
between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the
expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.
The Mesothelioma has different names, depending on its location in the body. The
peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the
abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines
the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The
mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called
the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal
reproductive organs in women.
Here are some
Additional
Mesothelioma Resources
-
It is against the law to dump asbestos-containing materials in general dumps or land-fills. ... a roof composed of asbestos shingles, it may be reasonable to ... |
Law. Lawsuit. Lawyer. Legal. Malignant. Peritoneal. Pleural. Removal. Settlement. Symptoms ... testing firm is now under investigation by the State of New York. ... |
ASBESTOS (Statutory authority: Labor Law, § 906) ... shingle siding, transite pipe, vinyl asbestos tile, ceiling tiles/panels, fire ... |
... to Section 30 of the Labor Law, the Commissioner of Labor has reviewed the ... Code Rule 56 as they relate to the removal of shingle siding; and ... |
... during the removal of asbestos-containing materials during renovation or demolition. ... At the Locks Law Firm, a Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey ... |
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