Category: Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma – asbestos exposure and life expectancy

Mesothelioma
Asbestos causes many dangers to a human’s life and one of the most common of these after a long period of exposure is cancer diseases and even rare forms cancer such as Mesothelioma.

There are three types of Mesothelioma that a human can develop. Firstly there is peritoneal and pericardial which most commonly affect the abdomen and heart, but the most common form of Medsothelioma in patients is pleural Mesothelioma of which there is much research and knowledge due to its common diagnosis. This also results in a more reliant treatment plan for the patient with a longer life expectancy rate than other forms.

However there are many factors that decrease life expectancy in a Mesothelioma patient and although some things can be altered in the person’s life other factors unfortunately cannot be changed.

Smoking can deeply affect the life expectancy of a patient with Mesothelioma and in fact cause more problems especially as the most common form of pleural Mesothelioma has a major impact on the patient’s lungs. Anyone who is diagnosed with Mesothelioma should immediately stop and never consider starting.

By: Robert Hof

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The author is working for a company doing asbestos surveys. So if you need asbestos surveys, have a look.
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What is Mesothelioma (and How Do You Pronounce It!)?

Mesothelioma

According to Dictionary.com, mesothelioma is pronounced mez-uh-thee-lee-oh-muh. It’s still a little tricky to say, even when you see it broken down! And, this $64 word carries an even pricier definition.

“A malignant [cancerous] tumor of the covering of the lung or the lining of the pleural and abdominal cavities often associated with exposure to asbestos.”

To put it simply, inhaling asbestos dust for extended periods of time can lead to cancer in the lungs and/or abdomen.

The mesothelioma, specifically, is a membrane that covers and protects most of your internal organs. It has two layers: the inner layer immediately surrounds the organ, while the second, or outer, layer forms a sac around it. It would be similar to wrapping a chicken breast in plastic wrap and then putting that in a zip-top bag.

By: Patricia Woloch

About the Author:

If you or a loved one worked in an industry that exposed you to heavy levels of asbestos, you could still be at risk. Please contact the Baltimore Mesothelioma Lawyers at Parker, Dumler & Kiely, LLP to determine your next step.
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Mesothelioma: The Basics

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is usually found in those previously exposed to asbestos. Cancerous cells form in the mesothelium, which is a protective lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs. These cells typically form in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or the sac that encircles the heart.

The average life span of a person diagnosed with the disease is about 4 to 24 months from the finding. About 3,000 people in the U.S. die of mesothelioma every year. People at risk are those who have been previously exposed to asbestos dust, including former steel workers, auto mechanics, mineworkers, and military workers, among many others. Their family members may also be at risk, as the asbestos dust from clothing can travel through the air.

Mesothelioma has an extremely long latency period, which means that symptoms of the disease may not emerge until 30 to 50 years after the initial exposure to asbestos. Pleural mesothelioma, which is the most common type and affects the area around the lungs, may cause shortness of breath, chest pains, and a persistent cough, which may lead to coughing up blood. These symptoms are caused by the build up of fluid between the lining of the lung and the chest cavity. The disease may start in the chest area and spread to other areas of the body. Other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include weight loss, severe breathing trouble, fever, difficulty swallowing, and swelling of the face and neck areas. It should be noted that some people with the disease do not experience any serious symptoms at all.

By: Jason Hahn

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Mesothelioma – Methods Used By Doctors To Detect Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma

Every year in the US, roughly 3000 people will get a rare form of cancer called mesothelioma. Ordinarily attributed to asbestos exposure sometime in the distant past, this variety of cancer can take decades to mature into full-fledged cancer.

The prognosis for mesothelioma patients are ordinarily quite futile. Your doctor will probably carry out a medical history and do an exam to look for signs of mesothelioma, for example pleural effusion, ascites or pericardial efflusion. Because it is so rare, general screening is by and large not performed. Tests are frequently carried out for those who are exhibiting symptoms or those that are at risk.

Physicians commonly no more than suspect mesothelioma when all else has been ruled out in combination with symptoms and asbestos related history. Mesothelioma is typically tested once the physician learns of asbestos work related circumstances.

Efflusion, calcium deposits and the thickening of the pleura membrane can be detected using the use of chest x-rays. CT scan of chest or abdomen are utilized to get an image of the affected area for probable clues to whether or not cancer is there. To detect tumors and verify its size, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used.

Blood test can also be utilized to build a case for the presence of mesothelioma. High levels of osteopontin and certain soluble peptides have a tendency to be found in patients who have mesothelioma.

A further probable test is fluid analysis. The procedure is called different things depending on the are the needle is inserted into which are paracentesis, pericardiocentesis and thoracentesis. Analysis is carried out on the fluid that was removed from these areas. This test will not rule out cancer, but if cancer is there, it can help make a distinction the existence of mesothelioma opposed to other kinds of cancer.

By: Indrani Muniandy

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Indrani Muniandy operates a Mesothelioma Cancer based website that offers readers free information on topics such as Mesothelioma Treatments and Mesothelioma Treatment Center. Pay a visit today for further information on this rare form of cancer.
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Mesothelioma, A Rare Lung Cancer

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium-the sac lining the internal body cavities. The lining around the lungs is called the pleural and in the abdomen it is known as the peritoneum.Although sometimes referred to as “asbestos lung cancer”, mesothelioma is not the same as lung cancer. Lung cancers occur inside the lung itself; mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lung. Mesothelioma is rare, striking fewer than 3000 Americans per year.About 2000 people in the UK are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year.

There are three recognized types of mesothelioma.

1.Pleural mesothelioma

2.Peritonial mesothelioma

3.Pericardial mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the disease, accounting for roughly 70% of cases, and occurs in the lining of the lung known as the pleura. Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the abdominal cavity, known as the peritoneum and pericardial mesothelioma originates in the pericardium, which lines the heart.

Asbestos is the most common cause of mesothelioma. Up to nine out of ten cases of mesothelioma are caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a natural mineral, mined from rock found in many countries. It is made up of tiny fibres that are as strong as steel but can be woven like cotton and are highly resistant to heat and chemicals.

During the 1960s the first definite link between mesothelioma and asbestos was made. In the past asbestos was imported to the UK in large quantities. It was used in construction, ship-building and in household appliances. Asbestos was very widely used in insulation materials, such as amosite insulation board, and building materials, including asbestos cement.

When asbestos is disturbed or damaged, it releases tiny fibres that can be breathed into the lungs. Asbestos fibres are very fine and, when breathed in, they can make their way into the smallest airways of the lung, so they cannot be breathed or coughed out. Once the fibres are in the lungs, the body’s defense mechanism tries to break them down and remove them, which leads to inflammation in the lung tissue.

The asbestos fibres can also penetrate through the lung tissue to settle in the pleura (the membrane around the lung). Over many years they can cause mesothelioma or other lung diseases to develop.

By: Pethum

About the Author:

Medicle student
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Mesothelioma Prognosis: Knowing Your Chances

Mesothelioma

Some mesothelioma patients want to know about mesothelioma prognosis. They may have their own personal valid reasons for wanting to know their chances of survival or getting better. If you are a mesothelioma patient interested in the same thing, then you have the right to know. Do keep in mind though that there are various prognosis sources. Here are some important points you should consider when reading about asbestos cancer prognosis.

Prognosis Data

Where it Comes From – The first thing you should understand is where prognosis data comes from. Real prognosis information is based form statistical data. Researchers look into different mesothelioma cases through clinical studies to get average figures. This may mean that genuine prognosis information may be true for a large number of patients. This does not mean though that the information is always true.

Asbestos cancer cases can be unique. This is because a lot of different factors can affect mesothelioma. Some of these include your overall health, treatments taken, time when treatment began, mesothelioma type and severity of the condition. It is therefore important not to view prognosis information as absolutely true in your case.

Difficulties with Prognosis

It may be difficult to arrive at statistical or personal mesothelioma prognosis. This is because mesothelioma itself is not like many other forms of cancer. The condition is rare. Asbestos exposure, which is the primary risk factor linked to this condition is not always experienced by a lot of people. Those who also have the condition may not immediately seek doctors’ assistance for diagnosis and treatment. The symptoms do not obviously point to the condition and may even mimic the symptoms of other diseases.

Statistical Information

So what do the statistical figures say? Since patients are often diagnosed late, the prognosis for many patients is not good. A lot of patients are told that they can expect to live for only less than a year. Again, there are exceptions to this prognosis. There have been personal accounts of patients who have survived for more than five years. Some even live up to ten years after diagnosis.

Diagnosis

Like other forms of cancer, early mesothelioma diagnosis is important. Early diagnosis means early treatment and higher chances of survival. Since early diagnosis is not often made due to the lack of unique symptoms, you may not even think that a doctor’s visit is necessary. Your only clue that may suggest that you may need medical monitoring is asbestos exposure. This is only true however for individuals who work closely with asbestos. Patients who do not handle asbestos on a regular basis may not even remember or know that they have been exposed to asbestos.

Treatment

Treatment is one factor that can affect individual prognosis. Depending on your overall health, the stage of your disease and your doctor’s evaluation, you may have to undergo one or two cancer treatment methods. Like other forms of cancer, mesothelioma may be treated through chemotherapy, surgery or radiation therapy.

Mesothelioma prognosis is definitely never definite. Although prognosis information can provide you with valuable insight about the disease, there is no reason to believe that you absolutely have no hope of surviving beyond a year.

By: [email protected]

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What are the symptoms of mesothelioma cases and conditions? Learn more about mesothelioma prognosis.
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Mesothelioma and Epithelial Differentiation

Mesothelioma

One interesting study is called, “Effects of glycosaminoglycans on proliferation of epithelial and fibroblast human malignant mesothelioma cells: a structure–function relationship” by Christopher Potten, Zbigniew Darzynkiewicz, Kohsuke Sasaki, A. Syrokou, G. Tzanakakis, T. Tsegenidis, A. Hjerpe, N. K. Karamanos – Cell Proliferation Volume 32, Issue 2-3, pages 85–99, April 1999.  Here is an excerpt: “Abstract. Proteoglycans interact with other effective macromolecules regulating a variety of cellular events via their glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains. The effects of all known glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) produced by normal cells and tissues on the proliferation of two human malignant mesothelioma cell lines, one with fibroblast-like morphology and the other with epithelial differentiation – both able to produce hyaluronan (HA), galactosaminoglycans (GalAGs) and heparan sulphate (HS) containing proteoglycans – have been studied. Cell proliferation was assessed by measuring [3H]thymidine incorporation and cell number. GalAGs, i.e. chondroitin sulphates (CSs) and dermatan sulphate (DS), strongly stimulate the proliferation of fibroblast-like cells in a dose-dependent manner (170–250% at 100 ?g/ml), independently of their sulphation pattern. In epithelial cells, however, only DS stimulates cell proliferation. The effects of CSs on proliferation of epithelial cells are not depended on their sulphation pattern. Thus, CSs either with -[GlcA-GalNAc-(-6-O-SO3?)]- or -[GlcA-GalNAc-(-4-O-SO3?]- as the commonest unit, had no significant effect. l-Iduronic acid (IdoA)-rich heparin and fast-moving HS (fm-HS), a HS fraction with a heparin-like structure, had significant antiproliferative effects on mesothelioma cells of both types (30–70% at 1.0 ?g/ml and 85–90% at 100 ?g/ml, respectively). GlcA-rich HS, however, had no significant effects. HA inhibits only the proliferation of fibroblast-like cells by 25% at 50 and 100 ?g/ml. Keratan sulphate suppresses cell proliferation (10–30%) in both cell lines. In the view of these findings, a structure–function relationship of GAGs on cell proliferation of the two human malignant mesothelioma cell lines is discussed. Other factors, such as chain conformation and geometry, as well as interactions of growth factors with GAGs, possibly involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, are also discussed.”

Another study is called, “The value of Wilms tumor susceptibility gene 1 in cytologic preparations as a marker for malignant Mesothelioma” by Jonathan L. Hecht M.D., Ph.D., Benjamin H. Lee M.D., Ph.D., Jack L. Pinkus Ph.D., Geraldine S. Pinkus M.D., – Cancer Cytopathology Volume 96, Issue 2, pages 105–109, 25 April 2002.  Here is an excerpt: “Abstract – It has been shown that detection of the Wilms tumor susceptibility gene 1 protein (WT1) has diagnostic utility in the distinction of mesothelioma from adenocarcinoma in tissue sections of pleural tumors. This immunohistochemical study evaluates the effectiveness of WT1 as a marker for malignant mesothelioma in paraffin sections of cell block preparations derived from effusion specimens.  METHODS The authors evaluated 111 cell blocks for WT1 immunoreactivity, including 14 mesotheliomas and 97 metastatic adenocarcinomas from various sites.  RESULTS Nuclear reactivity for WT1 was observed in all samples of mesothelioma. However, only 22 of 97 samples (23%) of metastatic adenocarcinoma, nearly all of which were of ovarian origin (91%), exhibited nuclear reactivity for WT1. In 14 other samples (most of pulmonary derivation), WT1 staining restricted to the cytoplasm was observed for some tumor cells and was regarded as nonspecific.  CONCLUSIONS – Based on this staining profile, WT1 represents an effective marker for mesotheliomas in cell block preparations and can aid in its distinction from pulmonary adenocarcinoma. In assessment of effusion specimens with metastatic carcinoma, nuclear reactivity for WT1 is highly suggestive of an ovary primary tumor.

Wilms tumor susceptibility gene 1 is a tumor suppressor gene that initially was identified due to its deletion or mutation in Wilms tumors. Monoclonal antibodies to its protein product, WT1, were developed subsequently, and it was found that they had diagnostic utility not only in the identification of Wilms tumors and desmoplastic small round cell tumors1, 2 but also in the distinction of mesothelioma from adenocarcinoma in pleural tumors.3, 4 This immunohistochemical study evaluates the diagnostic utility of WT1 as a marker for malignant mesothelioma in paraffin sections of cell block preparations derived from effusion specimens.  Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2002;96:000–000.

Another study is called, “Value of E-cadherin and N-cadherin immunostaining in the diagnosis of Mesothelioma” by ORDONEZ Nelson G. 2, Allée du Parc de Brabois F-54514 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy – Cedex France.  Here is an excerpt: “Abstract – Distinguishing between epithelioid mesothelioma and pulmonary adenocarcinoma involving the pleura can be difficult on routine histological preparations. This differential diagnosis can be greatly facilitated by using immunohistochemical markers. E-cadherin and N-cadherin are among the newly described markers that have been proposed as potentially useful in the diagnosis of mesothelioma. E-cadherin and N-cadherin are members of the cadherin family of calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecules that play an important role in the embryogenic development and maintenance of normal tissue. Although several investigations have indicated that immunostaining for these markers can be useful in discriminating between mesotheliomas and adenocarcinomas, others have not confirmed this observation. In an attempt to resolve this controversy, the present study investigated 31 epithelioid mesotheliomas and 29 pulmonary adenocarcinomas for E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression using the 5H9, HECD-1, and clone 36 anti-Ewadherin antibodies, and the 3B9 and clone 32 anti-N-cadherin antibodies. Among the mesotheliomas, 68% reacted with the clone 36, 52% reacted with the HECD-1, and 19% reacted with the 5H9 anti-Ecadherin antibodies, and 74% reacted with the 3B9 and 71% reacted with the clone 32 anti-N-cadherin antibodies. Of the adenocarcinomas, 93% stained with the done 36, 90% reacted with the HELD-1, and 90% reacted with the 5H9 anti-Ecadherin antibodies, 45% reacted with the clone 32 and 34% reacted with the 3B9 anti-N-cadherin antibodies. Based on the frequent strong reactivity with adenocarcinomas but not with mesotheliomas, it is concluded that only the 5H9 anti-Ecadherin antibody may have some utility in discriminating between epithelioid pleural mesotheliomas and pulmonary adenocarcinomas. The causes of the disparate results reported in the literature on the value of E-cadherin and N-cadherin immunostaining in distinguishing between mesotheliomas and pulmonary adenocarcinomas are unclear, but a significant factor appears to be differences in the reactivity of the antibodies used.”

We all owe a debt of gratitude to these fine researchers.  If you found any of these excerpts interesting, please read the studies in their entirety.

By: Montwrobleski77

About the Author:

Monty Wrobleski is the author of this article.  For more information please click on the following links
Mesothelioma Lawyer
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Mesothelioma Life Expectancy-What are your chances of survival?

Mesothelioma

About 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma is diagnosed every year in the United States of America. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer and it is an after effect of the asbestos exposure. The cancerous cells affect and destroy the mesothelium, which is a protective sac that holds the internal organs of the body. Initially, pleura or peritoneum are affected and then it spreads to the other parts of the body. It is a fatal disease and most victims do not survive beyond around one year after diagnosis, depending on the treatment and other contributing factors.

What is mesothelioma prognosis?

Prognosis for mesothelioma is dependent on the promptness of diagnosis and the treatment offered the victim. The earlier treatment is initiated the better the prognosis of the patient.

Also other factors that determine prognosis include the type of treatment, the histological {cellular type} type of mesothelioma as well as patient’s general state of health and morale. The stage of the disease during diagnosis is another crucial factor that decides the prognosis and the minimum survival expectancy of the victim.

Amongst the staging systems the oldest of them all is the Butchart system, based on the extent of mass, primary tumor and segregates the cancer into four stages. The TNM system is a more recent one while the Brigham system is the latest. It uses resectability and lymph node involvement for staging mesothelioma. Generally the higher the stage of the cancer the worse the prognosis of the victim. Sadly however most of the time diagnosis is made when the cancer is already in its advanced and latter stages, this is attributed to the long incubation period and the non specificity of the symptoms .

The traditional kinds of treatments are also prevalent in case of malignant mesothelioma include Radiation therapy which uses high-energy X-rays to eradicate cancer cells and chemotherapy which tries to destroy the cancer cells with the use of anticancer drugs.  Other forms of newer treatment options include Immunotherapy which helps to strengthen the immune system and photodynamic therapy that uses light energy while the genetic therapy resurrects the inherent genetic defects of the patient to fight the disease.

Surgery is also one of the traditional modes of treatment. There are different types of surgeries that are used: the process of removing fluid from the chest is known as thoracentesis while fluid reduction from the abdomen is known as paracentesis. The surgical removal of a part of the chest or the abdominal lining is called pleurectomy and if the lung is removed, then the operation will be termed as pneumonectomy.

When these treatment modalities are appropriately combined in the treatment of Mesothelioma especially in cases that are detected early, they can increase your 5 year life expectancy up to 10%.

By: Bello Gbenga

About the Author:

Bello kamorudeen is the author of several mesothelioma articles.For complete information on mesothelioma visit http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com
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Stage 4 Mesothelioma-Important Points For You To know

Mesothelioma

By the time mesothelioma has reached Stage 4 classification, the tumor has advanced and spread to different sites far away from the primary location. Most times mesothelioma spreads to vital organs like the brain, other areas in the chest cavity and into vital organs situated in the abdominal cavity.

The TNM System

The TNM system categorizes cancer based on three factors:1} the size of the tumor, 2}whether the cancer has spread from its point of origin to nearby lymph nodes, and 3}whether the cancer has metastasized. This system may be used to stage pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. The T stands for the size of the tumor, the N stands for the extent of lymph node involvement, and the M for the extent of distant metastases. This is the commonest staging system used for most cancers.

The Butchart System

The Butchart System categorizes the different stages of the cancer based mainly on the size and spread of the primary tumor. This system has four stages. In Stage 4 of the Butchart system, mesothelioma has metastasized, spreading through the bloodstream to organs and tissues that are distant from the primary tumor site.

The Brigham System

The Brigham system is a relatively new system of staging mesothelioma. This system classify mesothelioma into different stages based on whether or not tumors can be removed via surgery {resectability of the tumor mass}, and whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. The Brigham system includes four stages. In Stage 4 of the Brigham system, mesothelioma is inoperable due to the large size of tumors and it has penetrated into vital organs. In addition, mesothelioma has metastasized to other locations, meaning cancer is more than likely to recur even if primary tumors are removed.

How is Stage 4 Mesothelioma Treated?

Patients with stage 4 have few treatment options. With Stage 4 mesothelioma, the prognosis is generally very poor due to the spread of cancer to multiple locations. Additionally, primary tumors have often penetrated too deeply into organs and tissues to be removed. The general health of stage 4 patients would have also declined to a level where the patient is too weak to withstand the physical stress of surgery.

Stage 4 treatments are therefore limited to palliative treatments that are used to relieve symptoms of the disease. These may include procedures such as thoracentesis or paracentesis, where built-up fluid is removed from the lungs or abdomen to relieve pain and pressure on internal organs. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy may also be used to shrink tumors to provide symptomatic relief. As these treatments often have serious side effects, patients should carefully consider whether or not they wish to endure such treatments at this final stage.

By: Bello Gbenga

About the Author:

Bello kamorudeen.For more information on mesothelioma staging go to http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com
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Mesothelioma-A Brief Introduction For You

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that has become more common over recent years. Exposure to asbestos fibers is the main cause of this cancer. Exposure may be brief or chronic, when one is exposed to asbestos without insufficient protection, asbestos dust and fibers attach to and affect the mesothelial cells which make up the mesothelium.  The mesothelium is the outer lining that protects some of the body’s most vital organs such as the heart and lungs and the abdominal cavity.  The mesothelial cells become abnormal and start to divide and multiply without control after periods of exposure to asbestos leading to the development of the tumor.

Due to the latency period and symptoms of this cancer, mesothelioma is very difficult to diagnose.  Mesothelioma takes decades to mature and develop fully and this is why many elderly men who were exposed to asbestos thirty years before are just discovering they have the cancer.  A lot of these men are currently lodging multi-million dollar lawsuits against the companies that exposed them to the dangers of asbestos without sufficient protection.

The organs that are affected most by mesothelioma are the lungs.  The most common type of mesothelioma which is called pleural mesothelioma affects the lining of the lungs and can cause symptoms such as coughing, breathing and swallowing difficulties, shortness of breath and fever.

Another area that can be affected by mesothelioma is the abdomen.  This is less common and this is known as peritoneal mesothelioma.  Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include nausea and vomiting, weight loss, fever, bowel obstruction, loss of appetite and general pain in the stomach area.

Another form of mesothelioma which is very uncommon is known as pericardial mesothelioma and it affects the heart and the tissue surrounding it.  Symptoms of this form of the cancer include palpitations, breathing difficulties and persistent coughing.  Generally, the symptoms of mesothelioma are typical of many other diseases and this makes it very difficult to diagnose.

The last and the least common type of this cancer is testicular mesothelioma which affects the tunica vaginalis {mesothelial lining of the testis} of the testis.

There are treatments for mesothelioma although these are usually unsuccessful.  If the cancer is treated aggressively in its early stages then there is a good chance of a patient surviving.  However, due to the difficulty to diagnose mesothelioma, the cancer is not normally found until it is too late.  Treatments that are used for mesothelioma include surgery, radiation therapy, palliative therapy and chemotherapy.  Research for additional treatment of mesothelioma is being done at various cancer centers all over the United States as well as by pharmaceutical companies.

Patients should learn as much as they can about mesothelioma and treatment options, and reach out to available resources to make coping with a mesothelioma diagnosis easier.

By: Bello Gbenga

About the Author:

Bello kamorudeen is the author of several mesothelioma articles.For more information on Mesothelioma visit http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com
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Mesothelioma, Asbestos Lung Cancer, Asbestosis, Pleural Thickening

Mesothelioma

There are five main asbestos diseases including asbestos cancer that can develop following exposure to asbestos fibres. These are malignant asbestos mesothelioma cancer, asbestos lung cancer, asbestosis, asbestos pleural thickening and asbestos pleural plaques, however, doctors who do not regularly diagnose asbestos disease can misdiagnose (or be slow to give a diagnosis) what the condition is. This can lead to sufferers of asbestos disease wrongly concluding they do not have a right to make an asbestos compensation claim. It is therefore extremely important for sufferers of lung disease who have been exposed to asbestos fibres to immediately contact a specialist asbestos lawyer or asbestos attorney for advice and assistance in obtaining an accurate diagnosis if there is any doubt.

There are five main asbestos diseases including asbestos cancers that can develop following exposure to asbestos fibres These are malignant asbestos mesothelioma cancer, asbestos lung cancer, asbestosis, asbestos pleural thickening and asbestos pleural plaques, however,

Doctors who do not regularly diagnose asbestos disease can misdiagnose (or be slow to give a diagnosis) what the condition is because:-

A history of asbestos exposure may not be volunteered to the doctor at an early stage as it may have occurred 30, 40, 50 or even more years prior to seeing the doctor and may have been forgotten about. A striking feature of asbestos disease is this long latency period between exposure and onset of symptoms, the fibres laying dormant for many years before causing asbestos disease or symptoms for which medical advice is sought.

By: Nigel Askew

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Mesothelioma Lawsuits – an Faq

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma can be intimidating and frightening diagnosis to receive, especially if the mesothelioma is connected with occupational asbestos exposure. This can be particularly confusing and frightening because mesothelioma may not even appear in an individual until many years or even decades after the initial asbestos exposure. In order to properly deal with this condition, it is important to address the medical treatment of the mesothelioma first. Once a treatment course has been determined and initiated, the next best step may be to inquire with a qualified mesothelioma lawyer about the possibility of mesothelioma litigation. The prospect of a mesothelioma lawsuit can seem intimidating in and of itself, therefore this article is intended to assuage any fears about mesothelioma litigation by provide answers to questions commonly asked about mesothelioma lawsuits.

What does the term “occupational exposure” mean in the context of a mesothelioma lawsuit?

“Occupational exposure” means that you were exposed to the agent that caused your mesothelioma – usually the toxic mineral asbestos in its insulation and fireproofing forms – in the usual course of business. If you worked with asbestos and then contracted mesothelioma, even if it was years after the exposure, you experienced occupational exposure.

What does a mesothelioma lawsuit entail?

Litigation is a long and often confusing process. When you contact a lawyer about a potential mesothelioma claim, you will typically present your medical records and diagnosis for his assessment before he can tell you if you have a chance in court. If the lawyer determines that your case is sound and will probably recover some monetary compensation and damages, he will take on your case, usually with a retainer or fee agreement. The lawyer will then file a complaint and summons suing the appropriate parties for the exposure leading up to mesothelioma.

The court will set a series of dates for discovery and trial and, if the case does not settle, both parties will begin to work towards building a case. Since mesothelioma is a disease, an Independent Medical Examiner (IME) will probably be involved in your case. An IME conducts an unbiased medical investigation into your mesothelioma and examines your medical records. The other side will probably request your medical records, as well, in order to determine if you had a pre-existing condition or other medical problems that may relieve them of responsibility for your occupational mesothelioma. You should be prepared to sign any necessary waivers that will release this pertinent medical information to any parties requesting it. Your attorney will advise you which documents to sign and which releases to give. During the discovery process, your attorney may also consult with medical and other experts, who perform a variety of services such as document review and reports, medical examinations and detailed expert testimony on issues related to asbestos exposure, mesothelioma and employment.

If your case goes to trial, expect your lawyer to consult with other experts such as trial preparation specialists, who conduct mock trials and coordinate convincing exhibits, multimedia experts who can help present the evidence at trial in the most convincing manner, and witnesses who can bolster your own testimony in your mesothelioma trial. In an effort to avoid the cost and expense of a lengthy jury trial, many states require a mandatory settlement conference (MSC) or arbitration at which both parties sit down for a last-ditch attempt to resolve your complaints. This may or may not result in a monetary settlement. If a jury finds in your favor, you may be eligible for damages above and beyond just your medical treatment; pain and suffering, loss of employment, and other damages may apply.

Do patients usually win mesothelioma lawsuits?

It may seem like a daunting process, but patients do effectively fight and win against employers who have caused them to be exposed to toxic asbestos and its devastating health effects. Often, employers knew of the health dangers of asbestos but did not warn their workers or enable them to work in safe conditions. The fact that negligence occurred, whether willful or accidental, means that employers have responsibility for damage to the health of their employees that occurred as a result of asbestos exposure during the normal course of work. Patients can and do win mesothelioma law suits, and many multi-million dollar payouts have been recorded for the victims of mesothelioma and their families. If you have mesothelioma, it is vital to contact an experienced and competent mesothelioma lawyer in order to recover your rightful compensation.

By: Peter Kent

About the Author:

LegalView.com is your source for everything legal on the web. Visit us at http://legalview.com for access to a complete legal database, including our free attorney referral service. Visitors to LegalView.com will be able to browse a collection of resources on many legal issues including a construction accident lawsuit, brain injury lawyer, and more. You can also get help to find a mesothelioma lawyer at http://mesothelioma.legalview.com
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