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 Law Suit here. . .

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

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 Law Suit 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

Advisory Asbestos Australia Disease Service
Albuquerque Asbestos Attorney
Asbestos Abatement Training
Asbestos Association Contractor Removal
Asbestos Attorney California
Asbestos Attorney Lawyer
Asbestos Attorney Palm Twentynine
Asbestos Bag Disposal
Asbestos Canada Removal
Asbestos Consultant Milwaukee
Asbestos Flooring Removal
Asbestos Law Ohio
Asbestos Lawyer New York - Internet Error
Asbestos Lawyer Texas
Asbestos Nj Removal
Asbestos School Lawsuit
Asbestos Siding House
Asbestos Training
Asbestosis Picture
Cancer Esophageal Mesothelioma
Conducting An Asbestos Survey
Control Of Asbestos At Work Regulation
Mesothelioma Fact
Mesothelioma Info
Mesothelioma Litigation
New Jersey Mesothelioma Lawyer
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Small Cell Cancer Mesothelioma
South Dakota Mesothelioma Attorney
St Louis Mesothelioma Lawyer

Diagnosis for Malignant Mesothelioma Cancer: Screening

Explore the National Cancer Institute's PDQ

The National Cancer Institute provides a computer service called PDQ to give up-to-date information on cancer issues for patients, their families, doctors, and other healthcare professionals. Detailed information on detection, diagnosis, treatment, support groups, clinical trials and treatments is reviewed and updated each month by oncology experts. Each topic is discussed in two tracks, one for patients and one for healthcare professionals.

You might want to visit the information written for patients first, in order to get a clear understanding of the issues discussed in layman's terms. For more detailed information, you can then explore the physician's track.

By going to NCI's CancerNet, you can research the PDQ informational summaries for malignant mesothelioma; these summaries are written for both patient or professional readers. You will also find a useful overview on researching, treating, and coping with malignant mesothelioma.

You will find links to other treatment specific PDQ pages throughout this website.

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.

Asbestos Exposure and Your Job:

At-Risk Occupations, Industries and Locations Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma cancer and others. A potentially dangerous exposure can result from very small fibers at low exposure levels. Most such exposure would likely have occurred prior to the 1980s, but the latency period can be up to 40 years for most asbestos-related cancers to develop. (See more information on screening.)

Many people have come into contact with asbestos fibers via their jobs, or occupational exposure. There is also a risk to the family members of those working in at-risk occupations; this exposure is called paraoccupational exposure. Likewise, people who live near sites likely to have asbestos around the facility are also at risk: refineries, power plants, factories, shipyards, steel mills and building demolition are types of work sites that can release asbestos fibers into the environment and contaminate nearby residential neighborhoods.

Here are some Additional
Mesothelioma Resources

-
... about asbestos lawsuits and the cost of filing a mesothelioma lawsuit. ... Why should I hire you instead of a law firm closer to my home? Will I have to travel? ...
How soon after I am exposed to asbestos should I file a law suit? ... An asbestos law suit should definitely have a strong base if it is to go far. ...
We usually file suit against more than a dozen defendants, and sometimes as many ... relationships with many other plaintiffs' law offices around the country and in ...
Studies have shown that asbestos particles in the air can cause mesothelioma, ... Asbestos and Mesothelioma Lawsuit ... 07: An asbestos lawsuit was filed ...
ASBESTOS LAWSUITS Asbestos Lawsuit & News Blog ... Do I have a Mesothelioma Lawsuit? Asbestos Lawsuits and Class Actions : Blog Home : ...
 

Today's News Related To Mesothelioma

  • Bus workers file suit against diesel companies (AM New York)
    posted on August 19, 2008 08:02:27 am
    For 32 years, Connor Hartnett worked in bus depots throughout the city with little or no ventilation. Diesel fumes from hundreds of idling buses were so thick he often couldn't read the identification numbers on the vehicles.
  • SUSTAINABLE MINING (Mineweb)
    posted on August 21, 2008 10:27:39 am
    Thursday , 28 Aug 2008 In one of the most expensive ballot fights in Alaska history, Alaskan voters agreed with miners and state regulators that Alaska mines would suffer serious harm if a clean water initiative--aimed at stopping the controversial Pebble copper-gold project--was enacted.
  • Propane suit forges ahead (Toronto Star)
    posted on August 18, 2008 03:52:55 am
    The Toronto propane blast's impact on property values and long-term mental and physical health topped the list of concerns brought by anxious residents to an information session yesterday held by lawyers leading a class action suit.
  • Litigation and Arbitration (Mondaq)
    posted on August 27, 2008 03:23:41 am
    At common law, the Crown could not be sued because of the feudal principle that the Crown could not be sued in its own court. 1 Complaints could, however, be brought against the Crown using a petition of right but this procedure was cumbersome and time-consuming. 2 The use of a petition of right in this context was not abolished by the federal and provincial governments in Canada until the ...
  • Plaintiffs Join Together In Massive Class Action Lawsuit Against Sunrise Propane (CityNews)
    posted on August 25, 2008 08:49:44 am
    Previously, there were several legal claims in action targeting the owners of the facility where the explosion occurred.


  

   
 

Featured Mesothelioma Articles

Mesothelioma

Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied?

Yes. Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma. People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER. Information specialists at the CIS use PDQ®, NCI's cancer information database, to identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have the option of searching for clinical trials on their own. The clinical trials page on the NCI's Cancer.gov Web site, located at http://cancer.gov/clinical_trials  on the Internet, provides general information about clinical trials and links to PDQ.

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 - 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

"There's no such thing as a free asbestos screening," Worksafe! Newsletter (October 1998, p.6) Mesothelioma Treatment Options - Patient Medical Research & Pain Management

Keep up an open dialogue with your doctor It is natural to want to understand as much as possible about a disease and its treatments, particularly when the disease is as rare as malignant mesothelioma. The Internet has opened up a wealth of information on mesothelioma, however, it is still important to keep in mind that your doctor is your FIRST and (hopefully) BEST resource for understanding and dealing with this disease.

This does not mean that you shouldn't explore resources and treatments on your own; a good doctor wants informed patients who are interested in discussing every available option. Only a trained physician, however, can help you understand each treatment and evaluate how it fits in with your particular circumstances, including the stage of your disease.

There are valuable research and support resources available via the Internet which can assist you in your efforts to gain medical knowlege as you begin your interaction with your doctor. To begin, there is an online resource that tutors on how to use the Internet to research a lung cancer diagnosis. This tutorial also cautions you as a researcher to be mindful of the limitations of Internet-based research and to learn how to evaluate the information that you do find. Another useful tool to assist in being an informed patient is The Cancer Patient's Workbook: Everything You Need to Stay Organized and Informed, (DK Books, 2001). This workbook hopes to help the patient better understand their situation so they may deal with and fight their disease from an informed position. This interactive guide helps patients cope and also explains how to receive the best treatment possible.