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Posts Tagged ‘Asbestos Lawsuit’

Mesothelioma is a certain type of cancer most commonly caused by an exposure to asbestos. However, mesothelioma may not show up for many decades after the asbestos exposure. There are three types of mesothelioma: Pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial, and they all have devastating effects on the victim and their family.

Mesothelioma is the most uncommon form of cancer and it is also the most serious of all diseases related to asbestos exposure. Keep in mind that just because it is uncommon, it is not considered a rare type of cancer. Because of the symptoms mesothelioma exhibits, it is often difficult to diagnose. By the time a diagnosis is finally reached, treatment may no longer be effective. It is one of the lease responsive cancers to treatment.

Pleural mesothelioma affects the chest and lungs of its victim. From the chest and lungs, it spreads to different organs in the body, including the brain. Pleural mesothelioma is often not easy to detect. Survival rates are usually about a year and a half from the onset of their symptoms. A very small percentage may survive three to five years.

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms include:

· Pain in a specific area of the chest that doesn’t seem to go away.

· Shortness of breath or breathing problems due to fluid buildup in the chest.

· Weight loss

· Fever

· Anemia

· Fatigue

· Coughing up blood

· Jaundice

· Low blood sugar

· Blood clots

· Tumor masses

Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdomen and many times spreads to nearby organs, such as the spleen, liver, or bowels. The survival rate is very low, with most patients surviving about ten months after the development of symptoms.

Common peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include:

· Severe abdominal pain

· Excessive fluid in the abdomen area

· Difficult bowel movements

· Nausea and vomiting

· Fever

· Swollen feet

Pericardial mesothelioma affects the heart and is the rarest of the mesothelioma-related cancers. This type of cancer invades the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart. When the disease progresses, the heart is unable to deliver the proper amount of oxygen to the rest of the body. The health of the victim declines very rapidly during the progression of the disease. The most common symptoms resemble a heart attack, with nausea, shortness of breath, and pain in the chest.

Mesothelioma is most often treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, though there are some experimental treatments that are taking place while the disease is still in their earlier stages. This serious disease affects more than just the victim; it affects their loved ones as well. Having seen firsthand the devastating effects of this disease, we work hard to protect the rights of working men and women.

Copyright (c) 2008 Katie Kelley
A study from the Department of Molecular Pathology at the Polytechnic University of Marche in Acona, Italy recently found that biomarkers within the body may offer early warning signs for mesothelioma victims.
The study focused on biomarkers of mesothelioma cancer and found that biomarkers often form before mesothelioma cancer symptoms appear, which may offer early warnings and potentially a successful treatment for mesothelioma cancer patients, according to the study which was published in a June issue of Mutation Research.
Studying Biomarkers to Help Mesothelioma Treatment
Biomarkers are a type of “biochemically expressed substance” similar to a protein, according to a news report on the study. An effort is being collaborated on by the International Cancer Biomarker Consortium (ICBC) to better address biomarkers as indicators of cancer types such as mesothelioma.
The large-scale effort is similar, according to the ICBC, to the Human Genome Project and uses an array of researchers from around the world to assist in studying the use of the the biomarkers. The Polytechnic study followed 119 individuals who had been previously exposed to asbestos; of these individuals, all exhibited increased numbers of biomarkers compared to individuals who were not exposed to asbestos.
What is Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer that can develop after an individual is exposed to asbestos fibers or asbestos dust. After an individual is exposed to asbestos fibers, they may begin to develop cancerous cells on the interior lining of the lung. The cancer is often described as one of the only preventable forms of cancer especially since individuals are still being exposed to asbestos in America through improper cleanup and disposal methods. Asbestos can be found presently in an array of buildings including apartment complexes, homes, elementary schools, universities, hospitals and offices.
Unfortunately, individuals continue to be exposed to asbestos fibers because of its existence in many products implemented throughout the country, and because it is too costly to remove all asbestos by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many remain at risk. Additionally, because mesothelioma cancer usually remains dormant for years, it becomes increasingly difficult to diagnose and to successfully treat.
Finding Help for Asbestos Related Conditions Like Mesothelioma
It is important that individuals who may have been exposed to asbestos to contact a medical professional immediately to assess and potentially diagnose their condition. If mesothelioma cancer is diagnosed early on a mesothelioma victim has a better chance of decreasing the risks of fatality commonly associated with the cancer.
In addition to contacting a medical professional it may also be important to contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn about developing a mesothelioma lawsuit, which may result in receiving monetary compensation to pay for expensive mesothelioma medical bills.

Copyright (c) 2009 Katie Kelley
Researchers have discovered a new and potentially successful treatment for victims of the deadly lung cancer known as mesothelioma. The treatment is known as chemoembolization and is being offered at a single German facility only. The treatment was recently administered to its first mesothelioma patient, a woman who developed the condition after hugging her father everyday, who was covered in asbestos fibers because of work.
The woman’s cancer has since gone into remission with her tumor having been reduced by more than half, according to BBC news reports.
The method of chemoembolization uses chemotherapy drugs delivered into the “site of a cancer tumor” and “since the chemotherapy drugs are delivered into the tumor, stronger doses of the drugs may be used,” according to research from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. For mesothelioma cancer patients, a catheter into the lungs may potentially be used to deliver the drugs to the cancer site. Because of the success of the treatment, research is continuing, according to news reports.
Developing Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma occurs when mesothelioma of the chest develops. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recently reported that “the pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity.” According to NCI, mesothelioma occurs once cells within the lining of the lungs, known as the mesothelium begin to metastasize. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reported the following as symptoms of pleural mesothelioma:
* pain in the side of the chest
* pain in the lower back
* trouble swallowing
* cough
* fever
* sweating
* fatigue
* weight loss
* hoarseness
* coughing up blood
* swelling in the face, arms
* muscle weakness
* sensory loss
Often symptoms occur within two to three months prior to an initial diagnosis, according to the ACS. It is common that mesothelioma signs and symptoms remain dormant for several years, usually anywhere from 10 to 30 decades.
A number of tests are in existence to determine if a patient has lung cancer and if it is of mesothelioma type or pleural mesothelioma. Additionally, there are blood tests, fluid and tissue as well as imaging tests, which can determine a mesothelioma diagnosis, according to the ACS; they are as follows:
* chest x-rays
* computed tomography scan
* positron emission tomography scan
* magnetic resonance imaging scan
* osteopontin protein blood tests
* thoracoscopy
* tissue biopsy
* laparoscopy
* thoracotomy
* laparotomy
* bronchoscopy
* mediastinoscopy
* immunohistochemistry
* DNA microarray analysis
What to Do Following a Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Once a mesothelioma diagnosis has occurred, there are several actions that can be taken to potentially treat the deadly condition. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is often untreatable. The NCI sponsors clinical trials, which can assist individuals with their mesothelioma diagnosis by offering potentially new mesothelioma treatments that can be administered and studied.

The dosage levels of medicinal treatments for mesothelioma patients are being studied by physicians and researchers in Boston in order to acquire more suitable treatments for patients suffering from the fatal lung cancer.
Researchers are using two methods of treatment known as intraoperative intracavitary hyperthermic cisplatin perfusion along with amifostine, to assist in preventing cisplatin toxicity, to patients suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma, which is often deemed the most severe and fatal diagnosis among mesothelioma patients.
So far the study has found that the use of single dose amifostine does “not protect adequately against cisplatin-induced renal toxicity,” meaning that if higher doses of the chemotherapy treatment cisplatin are used, then “additional cytoprotective strategies are needed” to protect a patient from developing toxic levels of medication in addition to their painful mesothelioma side effects.
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma lung cancer is a fatal condition that can develop after exposure to asbestos fibers and asbestos dust occurs. It is common for individuals who are employed in the field of construction to be at the highest risk for developing mesothelioma cancer, which often remains dormant for years, eating away at a victims interior until it is too late for successful treatment.
Although those working in the construction industry are at an increasing risk of developing mesothelioma cancer, the risk also stems to their family and friends who become exposed to asbestos after an employee covered in asbestos returns home accidentally exposing family and friends to the fiber.
For those who may be concerned about a mesothelioma diagnosis, they can learn more about the condition by contacting a physician and receiving a physical as well as x-rays to ensure that a proper diagnosis as well as treatment is administered. However, it will still be important for a patient to know and recognize the following mesothelioma signs and symptoms as well. There are two common types of mesothelioma cancers that are often infected with cancerous cells: abdominal and lung. The Mayo Clinic reported the following
* symptoms for both conditions:
* shortness of breath
* painful breathing
* painful coughing
* chest pain under the rib cage
* unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on the chest
* unexplained weight loss
* dry cough
* abdominal pain
* abdominal swelling
* change in bowel habits
* lumps of tissue in the abdomen
If an individual develops any of the above side effects, it is imperative that they receive immediate attention from a doctor. Because of the high rate of fatalities associated with mesothelioma, it is necessary for a victim to begin receiving treatments prior to the onset of symptoms, as their risk for fatality will decrease the earlier they are diagnosed by a qualified physician.
Support For Mesothelioma Victims
Mesothelioma sufferers face many challenges as a part of their diagnosis. In order for a victim to receive adequate mesothelioma treatments they must retrieve medical attention, which will assist in easing the pain and symptoms of mesothelioma.
Additionally, it may be necessary to receive details about the development of a mesothelioma lawsuit from an experienced mesothelioma attorney. Constructing a mesothelioma lawsuit will likely assist a victim in receiving monetary compensation, which can pay for the expensive mesothelioma treatments associated with the disease. For the latest on a mesothelioma diagnosis as well as the development of potential litigation, individuals can discuss a mesothelioma lawsuit with a mesothelioma attorney who can provide the most up-to-date news and information on such a case.