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
New Mexico Mesothelioma Attorney here. . .
To your right you will find links to various
Mesothelioma related pages. There you will find great information about
New Mexico Mesothelioma 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 New Mexico Mesothelioma 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
Asbestos Asbestos Product
Asbestos Attorney Tx
Asbestos California Consultant
Asbestos Cancer Learn Lung
Asbestos Ceiling Removal
Asbestos Claim Law Suit
Asbestos Disease Mesothelioma
Asbestos Fund Medical National Worker
Asbestos In Lung
Asbestos Lawyer California
Asbestos Lung Damage
Asbestos Mesothelioma Papillary - Internet Error
Asbestos Related Disease
Asbestos Test Lab
Colorado Mesothelioma Lawyer
Delaware Mesothelioma Attorney
Information And Support Mesothelioma
Kansas Mesothelioma Lawyer
Law Mesothelioma Support
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Attorney Tx
Mesothelioma Resource
New Jersey Mesothelioma Lawyer
New York Asbestos Attorney
Pennsylvania Mesothelioma Attorney
Pennsylvania Mesothelioma Lawyer - Internet Error
Pericardial Mesothelioma
Pleural Mesothelioma Misdiagnosed
Stage Iv Mesothelioma
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.
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.
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
-
New Mexico Mesothelioma Attorney - Hotline 800.291.0963 - Mesothelioma Help ... Albuquerque New Mexico Mesothelioma Attorney. www.newmexicomesotheliomaattorney.net ... |
A New Mexico attorney may provide assistance if you or a loved one is suffering from mesothelioma lung cancer, asbestosis, or other asbestos related diseases caused ... |
... have aquired mesothelioma and the New Mexico mesothelioma attorney lawsuit success rate. ... Different Regions >> New Mexico Mesothelioma Attorney, Facts and ... |
Mesothelioma Attorneys in Albuquerque, NM (New Mexico) at Local.com - Search for Albuquerque businesses, products and services at the web's leading Local Search Engine |
Santa Fe, NM Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyers and Attorneys - This free lawyer search can help you find Asbestos Mesothelioma lawyers/attorneys in Santa Fe, NM (New Mexico) |
Today's News Related To
Mesothelioma
|
