Mesothelioma Cancer and Asbestos Library

Asbestos Mesothelioma Attorney

2009-10-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

Asbestos Mesothelioma lawyer can help victims receive compensation in asbestos-related mesothelioma. Many mesothelioma attorneys with knowledge in this subject actually received compensation from asbestos manufacturers.

Mesothelioma attorneys can cover medical costs, lost wages and penalty costs for patients and their families. A mesothelioma lawyer can be introduced for the patient to talk about legal responsibility in mesothelioma cases.

Mesothelioma lawyers have to force superior to legal information and clubs, the parties do not want to acknowledge the obligation. A number of mesothelioma attorneys help their clients obtain compensation without going to court.

Mesothelioma attorneys can help clients reach their customers consolidate other lawyers. If the consent of both parties, the lawyers can work together in their case.

If a person is affected by mesothelioma, it must be related mesothelioma lawyers for legal advice. Mesothelioma, like other types of cancer comes in two forms – benign and malignant. So far, the most common malignant pleural mesothelioma berdifusi. This type of tumor is for everything, and very harmful. Spread quickly on the outside of the lungs, abdominal organs and heart.

Living Hope for People with this disease generally varies between four to twenty-four months, depending on the time at which the disease is detected, comparative strength and health of patients and other aspects. Average evaluation of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma berdifusi life four to twelve months after the onset of symptoms started. With appropriate medical treatment, some patients have lived for several years.

Mesothelioma Attorney – Get What You Deserve

Are you sick? Are you affected by asbestos? Unfortunately, the asbestos-rule in the 1980s, and millions of people are affected. Today, we understand the risks of working with asbestos, but we do not have this understanding if people are open every day. A popular theory today is that companies of the risks that are aware of hazards and the effects of asbestos on those who warn against but with each passing day, their employees of the dangers involved. You have nothing to protect the interests, health, life and their employees.

What we know today is that a number of asbestos-related diseases and injuries. Several wound in the context of accounting including the pleura, asbestosis, pleural thickness, atelektasis to EFUSI and pleura. Are from all asbestos-related diseases and injuries of the consolidation. This is a form of cancer. This can not be located mainly in the lungs, stomach, or cavity around the heart. After the car has been formed, the time that it is expected, since only a few months to live. This is because of the direct exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma is a deferred period of several decades. This means that time can take many years for someone to recognize that they have. Sometimes it can develop up to 30 years before mesothelioma. Although there is no label on a person’s life is that of mesothelioma affects the right to present claims for compensation. Although years have passed since the old one can have direct contact with someone with mesothelioma may have asbestos still pass make a claim.

For legal advice, it is important to get to the members. A person should be experienced with mesothelioma, mesothelioma lawyer. Trustees have experience in dealing with people with asbestos-related injuries and illnesses. You will be able to investigage the right channel for you. There are many mesothelioma attorney, who is a researcher who will determine where, when and how you have been affected by asbestos. Key to think that you can be really honest with your attorney. Without the full consent can not be in a position to all the information they need to get your effect on asbestos-show. Once all the information gathered, you have to be in a position to provide a right to subpoena the car.

Can a Mesothelioma Attorney Help You?

Mesothelioma is a difficult disease to diagnose because early symptoms become visible until about 20-50 years after exposure to asbestos. By the time symptoms appear, the disease is usually the next level, and can hardly do to Slower disease development or treatment. This is information on various types of mesothelioma, symptoms and advice if you want to take further measures mesothelioma lawyer.

Three types of Mesethelioma

There are three types of pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal and perikardial. Tawang is the most common type of mesothelioma. This is a rare form of cancer that develops in March mesothelioma, forming mesothelium. Mesothelium is a membrane that covers various organs in the body. Types of breast cancer or pleural pleural membranes. Symptoms include coughing blood, or interfere with the hard, dry cough, breathlessness, chest pain or chest hair, including respiratory diseases, fatigue, weight loss. The abdominal mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelial cells in development, which form a layer called the peritoneal membrane. As a type of mesothelioma cancer in May has many years to develop. Symptoms include abdominal pain or swelling, temperature and BERKERINGAT night, fatigue, anemia, weight loss, can be explained perikardial Mesothelioma is very rare. The disease develops pericardium, the membrane composed of mesothelial cells that surround the heart. Symptoms include chest pain, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, night sweats, heart palpitations or irregular heart detak.

Diagnosis of mesothelioma

It is a very difficult disease to diagnose because symptoms are easily dikacaukan with other diseases is more common than fever, heart disease, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc., you should contact a doctor symptoms of the disease . If you work in industry, if you have the risk of quality display and asbestos related disease asbestos you, I hope you have a right to compensation. If you are considering this issue to court, which is associated with asbestos mesothelioma lawyer can help you know if there is a possibility that cases.

Can a Mesothelioma Attorney Help You?

Mesothelioma is a difficult disease to diagnose because early symptoms become visible until about 20-50 years after exposure to asbestos. By the time symptoms appear, the disease is usually the next level, and can hardly do to memperlambat disease development or treatment. This is information on various types of mesothelioma, symptoms and advice if you want to take further measures mesothelioma lawyer.

Three types of Mesethelioma

There are three types of pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal and perikardial. Tawang is the most common type of mesothelioma. This is a rare form of cancer that develops in March mesothelial, forming mesothelium. Mesothelium is a membrane that covers various organs in the body. Types of breast cancer or pleural pleural membranes. Symptoms include coughing blood, or interfere with the hard, dry cough, breathlessness, chest pain or chest hair, including respiratory diseases, fatigue, weight loss. The abdominal mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelial cells in development, which form a layer called the peritoneal membrane. As a type of mesothelioma cancer in May has many years to develop. Symptoms include abdominal pain or swelling, temperature and BERKERINGAT night, fatigue, anemia, weight loss, can be explained perikardial Mesothelioma is very rare. The disease develops pericardium, the membrane composed of mesothelial cells that surround the heart. Symptoms include chest pain, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, night sweats, heart palpitations or irregular heart detak.

Diagnosis of mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Attorneys Help You Get Compensation You Deserve

This is very important to take legal action to protect the legitimate rights of others, if you or your loved one are suffering from asbestos-related diseases. You should consult an attorney asbestos, because during this period, it might come from an expensive health care, and questionable future.

Mesothelioma lawyers will fight in court and can help you and your family to receive fair compensation for your request. Asbestos lawyer can help with the following rules:

• Ask your insurance advocate the usefulness of dollars
• Find out who is responsible for cause of mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure
• It is important to prove the case with the assistance of mesothelioma lawyers in court
• Make sure that the protection of their rights
• E “against the trial and adequate compensation claims

Mesothelioma treatment is too expensive. Doctors, hospitals, etc. may be too much expense. And over time, the cost increase. It does not work because of health reasons, and not revenue.

This is a certified law firm may be sued in negligence costs associated with damage to the victim, which causes mesothelioma. And mesothelioma lawyers can help you and your family for compensation for illnesses caused by other measures. Asbestos lawyers will help you recover damages for:

• medical expenses
• Loss of friendship
• Pain and suffering
• there was no
• Other expenses

very important that if you are diagnosed with asbestos or mesothelioma, mesothelioma lawyers, you need support, you can benefit. You have a moral and legal right to demand justice for the people and businesses of the disease. You are entitled to compensation for emotional pain, physical suffering and financial loss

ASBESTOS LAWYERS, ATTORNEYS & LAW FIRMS

2009-10-11T14:57:00.001-07:00

ALABAMA ASBESTOS
ALASKA ASBESTOS	Anchorage
ARIZONA ASBESTOS	Glendale, Phoenix
ARKANSAS ASBESTOS
CALIFORNIA ASBESTOS	Anaheim, Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, Santa Ana, San Francisco, San Jose
COLORADO ASBESTOS	Colorado Springs
CONNECTICUT ASBESTOS
DELAWARE ASBESTOS
FLORIDA ASBESTOS	Cape Coral, Jacksonville, Miami, St. Petersburg, Tampa
GEORGIA ASBESTOS	Atlanta
HAWAII ASBESTOS	Honolulu
IDAHO ASBESTOS
ILLINOIS ASBESTOS	Chicago
INDIANA ASBESTOS	Fort Wayne, Indianapolis
IOWA ASBESTOS
KANSAS ASBESTOS	Wichita
KENTUCKY ASBESTOS	Lexington, Louisville
LOUISIANA ASBESTOS
MAINE ASBESTOS
MARYLAND ASBESTOS	Baltimore
MASSACHUSETTS ASBESTOS	Boston
MICHIGAN ASBESTOS	Detroit
MINNESOTA ASBESTOS	Minneapolis, St. Paul
MISSISSIPPI ASBESTOS
MISSOURI ASBESTOS	St. Louis
MONTANA ASBESTOS
NEBRASKA ASBESTOS	Omaha
NEVADA ASBESTOS
NEW HAMPSHIRE ASBESTOS
NEW JERSEY ASBESTOS	Jersey City, Newark,
NEW MEXICO ASBESTOS	Albuquerque
NEW YORK ASBESTOS	Buffalo, New York City
NORTH CAROLINA ASBESTOS	Charlotte, Raleigh
NORTH DAKOTA ASBESTOS
OHIO ASBESTOS	Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus
OKLAHOMA ASBESTOS	Oklahoma City, Tulsa
OREGON ASBESTOS	Portland, Salem
PENNSYLVANIA ASBESTOS	Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
RHODE ISLAND ASBESTOS
SOUTH CAROLINA ASBESTOS	Charleston
SOUTH DAKOTA ASBESTOS
TENNESSEE ASBESTOS	Memphis, Nashville
TEXAS ASBESTOS	Arlington, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, Plano, San Antonio
UTAH ASBESTOS
VERMONT ASBESTOS
VIRGINIA ASBESTOS	Virginia Beach
WASHINGTON ASBESTOS	Seattle
WASHINGTON D.C. ASBESTOS
WEST VIRGINIA ASBESTOS
WISCONSIN ASBESTOS	Milwaukee
WYOMING ASBESTOS

Find Mesothelioma Attorneys

2009-10-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

Choosing a Mesothelioma Doctor - Specialized Surgery Doctors, Questions to Ask, Standard vs Specialized Mesothelioma Doctors

2009-10-11T14:21:00.000-07:00

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma lung cancer after either a CT, PET or MRI scan, consulting a specialized mesothelioma doctor becomes very important. Your local hospital can only provide standard care options such as a chemotherapy tests to diagnose the type of mesothelioma you have, and standard pills or removal of fluids from the lungs (pleural effusions). If you are looking for more advanced treatment options such as surgery or radiation therapy, you will have to find mesothelioma doctors who specialize in these fields and can provide you with results. You can look at our list of mesothelioma doctors to find one that is nearest to your state and city. The first referral to a specialized mesothelioma doctor can come from your primary family doctor who could give you advice & opinions on what type of treatment may be best for you, and what doctor may best suit your case. A mesothelioma specialist is a physician licensed to practice medicine in your state and has passed a specialty exam given by a specialty board.

Examples of specialized mesothelioma doctors include surgeons who conduct surgical treatments on different parts of the body, for example the lungs & the abdomen. Some surgeons will further specialize in a sub-specialty, for example a thoracic surgeon specializes in doing surgery on the chest area. Medical oncologists on the other hand specialize in providing chemotherapy treatments, a branch of internal medicine to patients. Radiologists specialize in the use of ionizing radiation to kill malignant cells in the lungs and thus are also a sub-specialty.

Choosing a Mesothelioma Doctor

Here are a few questions to ask before you choose a specialized mesothelioma doctor:

1) Is the doctor trained & educated to meet your needs, and does he have the experience/skills needed to treat mesothelioma successfully?

2) How many specialized mesothelioma treatment cases has the doctor done in the last 1 year and over the course of their careers?

3) Has the doctor thoroughly described to you all the treatment options available for mesothelioma, and which one best suits your needs?

4) Does the doctor treat you with dignity & respect and cares for your needs?

5) Does the doctor encourage you to ask questions and be informed, and not shun you away?

6) Does the doctor communicate with you in standard english langugage or does he use too much medical jargon?

Choosing a Mesothelioma Surgeon

1) Does the surgeon have a certificate from a recognized medical board?

2) Does the surgeon belong to The American College of Surgeons medical board?

3) How many related mesothelioma surgeries has the surgeon done in his/her career?

4) Has the doctor clearly communicated to you the risks of surgery, side effects, success rates and quality of life after surgery?

Mesothelioma Top 5 Settlements

2009-10-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

Edwardsville, IL - A Madison County, Illinois jury awarded a $250 million dollar verdict on Friday in favor of 70-year-old Roby Whittington, a retired U.S. Steel worker from Gary, Indiana. Whittington was diagnosed in 2001 with mesothelioma, a cancerous tumor caused by exposure to asbestos.

In May 2000, SimmonsCooper LLC won the largest asbestos verdict in U.S. history of $34.1 Million, according to Mealey's Litigation Reporter. Our client, a 64-year-old Missouri resident, was exposed to asbestos when he worked at Shell Oil Company's Wood River, Illinois refinery from 1956 - 1966. In 1998, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung lining.

A San Francisco jury returned the largest asbestos verdict in California, $33.7 million, in favor of a Navy electrician and his wife. The electrician had developed mesothelioma from his occupational exposure to asbestos. He was awarded $22.7 million in economic and non–economic damages. His wife was awarded $11 million for loss of consortium. The defendant, Foster Wheeler Corporation, designed, manufactured and supplied marine boilers with asbestos–containing components including refractory block insulation, roving material, and gaskets.

An insulator who died of mesothelioma whose case was tried to jury verdict in 1994 in the Circuit Court of Cook County by Cooney and Conway attorneys John Cooney, William Fahey and Jim Hopkinson. The verdict of compensatory damages of $12.3 million, reported as the largest single mesothelioma verdict nationwide.

A victim died at the age of 55 of malignant mesothelioma. He was exposed to asbestos aboard ships while in the navy and later at various construction sites while working as an elevator repairman. A lawsuit was brought against the manufacturers of the asbestos products he was exposed to and the settlements to our client's family totaled over $7.4 million.

ATTORNEY DIRECTORY

2009-10-11T14:08:00.000-07:00

Find lawyers in your area using our attorney directory. If this is your first time searching lawyers you can read our tips to choose a lawyer and attorney fees.

Sooner or later, everyone will need lawyers for something. Venturing into the realm of laws, lawsuits, and judgments for the first time can be a very daunting experience. Even experienced plaintiffs and defendants can have trouble getting the best performance and value out of their lawyers. Compound this difficulty with the fact that a lot of your success rests on how you choose your lawyer and who you end up with and it's easy to come down with a bad case of analysis paralysis. If you follow a few simple rules, though, you can have much better success-and just as importantly suffer much less aggravation-in your journey through the legal system. Read more about choosing a lawyer.

Probably the most basic ingredient in any fee charged by lawyers is the amount of time spent on a particular problem. In one important way, a lawyers professional services differ from those of a doctor or dentist; much of the work is accomplished when the client is not present. Read more about legal fees.

Source

Utah Asbestos & Mesothelioma

2009-10-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

Asbestos in Utah

The industrial facilities where the risk of asbestos exposure is at its highest include oil refineries, steam powered electrical plants, steel mills and forges, shipyards, and generally any factory that uses heat as part of the production process. Utah was not part of the industrialization process that brought steel to Pennsylvania and oil to Texas, has no ports and is too far geographically to have developed support businesses involved in the heavy industries of the Rust Belt.

Nevertheless the state has its share of oil refineries, most of which have been in place for enough years that asbestos was certainly used in their construction. Power plants have been built as the state grew and many of them precede the asbestos-free era of construction. Asbestos products were used to build homes, as well as industrial and commercial facilities up to the mid 1980s.

Steel mills in Geneva and Provo were likely locations for asbestos exposure; the Chevron facility in Salt Lake City and the Phillips refinery in Woodcross also undoubtedly had asbestos insulation along the production line when they were built.

There are other facilities in the state that are known to have exposed employees to asbestos; there is a partial list below. Some are closed and some have been cleaned up but individuals who were employed there are nonetheless at risk. The characteristics of asbestos-related illnesses are the reason.

Asbestos affects humans because when it is used, disturbed or disintegrates it can give off tiny fibers. When those fibers are inhaled or somehow ingested they imbed themselves in the lining of the lung or in other parts of the body and are impossible to shed. Over a period of several years they can cause scarring of the lungs, which leads to asbestosis; or worse, to creation of malformed and malignant cells in membranes that line the chest and abdominal cavities, causing mesothelioma cancer.

It can take decades after asbestos exposure for mesothelioma symptoms to appear. For that reason if you were ever employed at one of the locations listed below you should talk with your doctor about it and get regular checkups. If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos related disease, get in touch with an experienced attorney who can help you pursue the compensation owed to you by the asbestos manufacturers.

NAVAL SUPPLY DEPOT CLEARFIELD UT
IPP POWER PLANT DELTA UT
COLUMBIA GENEVA STEEL DIVISION GENEVA UT
GENEVA WORKS GENEVA UT
U. S. STEEL CORPORATION - GENEVA WORKS GENEVA UT
UTAH POWER & LIGHT HUNTINGTON UT
KENNECOTT COPPER MAGNA UT
HILL AIR FORCE BASE OGDEN UT
IRS BUILDING OGDEN UT
OGDEN DEFENSE DEPOT OGDEN UT
UTAH ARMY DEPOT - AUC OGDEN UT
UTAH CANNING PLANT OGDEN UT
HUNTER POWER PLANT PRICE UT
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY PROVO UT
US STEEL PROVO UT
BULLOUGH ASBESTOS SALT LAKE CITY UT
CHEVRON CHEMICAL SALT LAKE CITY UT
CHEVRON OIL SALT LAKE CITY UT
FIBERGLAS ENGINEERING & SUPPLY CO. SALT LAKE CITY UT
GADSBY POWER PLANT SALT LAKE CITY UT
HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL SALT LAKE CITY UT
HUNTER INSULATION SALT LAKE CITY UT
INDUSTRIAL SERVICE AND ENGINEERING CO. SALT LAKE CITY UT
J C PENNY BUILDING SALT LAKE CITY UT
OCF CORPORATION SALT LAKE CITY UT
OWENS-CORNING FIBERGLAS CORP. SALT LAKE CITY UT
PACIFICORP SALT LAKE CITY UT
ROOSEVELT JR. HIGH SCHOOL SALT LAKE CITY UT
SALT LAKE CITY REFINERY SALT LAKE CITY UT
STANDARD OIL REFINERY SALT LAKE CITY UT
SKYLINE INSULATION, INC. SALT LAKE CITY UT
TURPINS SALT LAKE CITY UT
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH SALT LAKE CITY UT
UTAH OIL REFINERY SALT LAKE CITY UT
UTAH POWER & LIGHT SALT LAKE CITY UT
WESTERN GYPSUM SIGURD UT
URANIUM REDUCTION CO. THOMPSON UT
PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY WOODSCROSS UT
PHILLIPS WOODSCROSS REFINERY WOODSCROSS UT
SALT LAKE REFINERY WOODSCROSS UT

Deaths related to Asbestos Exposure in Utah

A study conducted six years ago analyzed the pattern of deaths due to asbestos exposure across the country, during the period between 1979 and 2000. The researchers found that Utah had a relatively low number compared to other states, but that they did occur and continue to be a health issue today.

The survey reported that over the twenty year period examined, Utah reported 59 deaths due to asbestosis and up to 154 deaths caused by malignant mesothelioma. That was during a period when asbestos was not the enormous health concern it is today.

In 1999 the federal government began tracking mesothelioma deaths carefully and reported that during the period between 1999 and 2004 there were 93 deaths due to mesothelioma. Comparison of the numbers suggests that mesothelioma continues to be a problem despite the current bans on products that contain asbestos.

Cancer Care in Utah

Huntsman Cancer Institute
University of Utah
2000 Circle of Hope
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-5550
Tel: (801) 581-4485
Fax: (801) 581-2175

In nearby states:

University of Colorado Cancer Center
University of Colorado at Denver & Health Sciences Center
13001 E. 17th Place
Aurora, Colorado 80045
Tel: (303) 724-3155
Fax: (303) 724-3162

Arizona Cancer Center
University of Arizona
1515 North Campbell Avenue
Tucson, Arizona 85724
Tel: (520) 626-7685
Fax: (520) 626-6898

What's Mesothelioma ?

2009-07-16T08:07:00.001-07:00

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which occurs in thin membranes (called the mesothelium) lining the chest, lungs, abdomen and sometimes the heart. Although quite rare, mesothelioma symptoms strike more than 200 people each year in the United States.

It's also a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.

What is the mesothelium?

2009-07-16T08:06:00.004-07:00

The mesothelium 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 mesothelium 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.

How common is mesothelioma?

2009-07-16T08:06:00.003-07:00

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.

There are three common forms of mesothelioma:

1. Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common form of Mesothelioma. It starts in the chest cavity (after breathing the particles) before spreading to other areas.

2. Peritoneal Mesothelioma starts in the abdomen (after swallowing the particles) and accounts for about 10-20% of Mesothelioma patients.

3. Pericardial Mesothelioma is the rarest form of Mesothelioma. It starts in the cavity that surrounds the heart.

Statistiques

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Notable people who died from mesothelioma

Mesothelioma, though rare, has had a number of notable patients. Hamilton Jordan, Chief of Staff for President Jimmy Carter and life long cancer activist, died in 2008. Australian anti-racism activist Bob Bellear died in 2005. British science fiction writer Michael G. Coney, responsible for nearly 100 works also died in 2005. American film and television actor Paul Gleason, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Principal Richard Vernon in the 1985 film The Breakfast Club, died in 2006. Mickie Most, an English record producer, died of mesothelioma in 2003. Paul Rudolph, an American architect known for his cubist building designs, died in 1997.

Bernie Banton was an Australian workers' rights activist, who fought a long battle for compensation from James Hardie after he contracted mesothelioma after working for that company. He claimed James Hardie knew of the dangers of asbestos before he began work with the substance making insulation for power stations. Mesothelioma eventually took his life along with his brothers and hundreds of James Hardie workers. James Hardie made an undisclosed settlement with Banton only when his mesothelioma had reached its final stages and he was expected to have no more than 48hrs to live. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd mentioned Banton's extended struggle in his acceptance speech after winning the 2007 Australian Federal Election.

Steve McQueen was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma on December 22, 1979. He was not offered surgery or chemotherapy because doctors felt the cancer was too advanced. McQueen sought alternative treatments from clinics in Mexico. He died of a heart attack on November 7, 1980, in Juárez, Mexico, following cancer surgery. He may have been exposed to asbestos while serving with the U.S. Marines as a young adult—asbestos was then commonly used to insulate ships' piping—or from its use as an insulating material in car racing suits.^[20] (It is also reported that he worked in a shipyard during World War II, where he might have been exposed to asbestos.^{[citation needed]})

United States Congressman Bruce Vento died of mesothelioma in 2000. The Bruce Vento Hopebuilder is awarded yearly by his wife at the MARF Symposium to persons or organizations who have done the most to support mesothelioma research and advocacy.

After a long period of untreated illness and pain, rock and roll musician and songwriter Warren Zevon was diagnosed with inoperable mesothelioma in the fall of 2002. Refusing treatments he believed might incapacitate him, Zevon focused his energies on recording his final album The Wind including the song "Keep Me in Your Heart," which speaks of his failing breath. Zevon died at his home in Los Angeles, California, on September 7, 2003.

Christie Hennessy, the influential Irish singer-songwriter, died of mesothelioma in 2007, and had stridently refused to accept the prognosis in the weeks before his death. His mesothelioma has been attributed to his younger years spent working on building sites in London.

Bob Miner, one of the founders of Software Development Labs, the forerunner of Oracle Corporation died of mesothelioma in 1994.

Scottish Labour MP John William MacDougall died of mesothelioma on August 13, 2008, after fighting the disease for two years.

Canberra journalist and news presenter, Peter Leonard also succumbed to the condition on 23 September 2008.

Terrence McCann Olympic gold medalist and longtime Executive Director of Toastmasters, died of mesothelioma on June 7, 2006 at his home in Dana Point, California.

Notable people who have lived for some time with mesothelioma

Although life expectancy with this disease is typically limited, there are notable survivors. In July 1982, Stephen Jay Gould was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. After his diagnosis, Gould wrote the "The Median Isn't the Message"for Discover magazine, in which he argued that statistics such as median survival are just useful abstractions, not destiny. Gould lived for another twenty years eventually succumbing to metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung, not mesothelioma.

Malignant Mesothelioma, coronal CT scan.

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Legend: the malignant mesothelioma is indicated by yellow arrows, the central pleural effusion is marked with a yellow star. (1) right lung, (2) spine, (3) left lung, (4) ribs, (5) aorta, (6) spleen, (7) left kidney, (8) right kidney, (9) liver.

Asbestos

2009-07-16T08:04:00.002-07:00

Asbestos, a known toxin since the 1930's, is an inexpensive fibrous material that is extremely durable and heat resistant. Because of these properties it was, for many years, heavily used in industry throughout the United States. Even after its carcinogenic (cancer-causing) properties were discovered, many industries continued to use asbestos, putting at risk those who were exposed to it. Asbestos-containing products remain, to this day, in buildings, ships, industrial facilities and other environments. The EPA has stated that asbestos "presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health." Even low levels of asbestos exposure can trigger not only mesothelioma, but also asbestosis, pleural disease and lung cancer: diseases that are caused almost exclusively by asbestos. The statistics for recent years show an average of 3000 people per year dying of aspestos-related causes.

Because aspestos products have been used so heavily by industry, many people have come into contact with asbestos fibers via their jobs (e.g. via occupational exposure). There is also a risk to the family members of those working in at-risk occupations; this exposure is called paraoccupational exposure. People who live near sites that 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 can result from very small fibers or dust particles at low exposure levels. (Most such exposure would likely have occurred prior to 1973, but the latency period can be up to 40 years for most types of lung cancer to develop.) Trades in which aspestos exposure is likely include:

~ Asbestos product manufacturing (insulation, roofing, building, materials)

~ Automotive repair (brakes & clutches)

~ Construction/contractors

~ Maritime

~ Miners

~ Offshore rust removals

~ Oil refineries

~ Power plants

~ Railroads

~ Sand or abrasive manufacturers

~ Shipyards / ships / ship builders

~ Steel mills

~ Tile cutters

Causes of Mesothelioma

2009-07-16T08:04:00.001-07:00

Asbestos is the principal cause of Mesothelioma. Asbestos is a type of insulation material, which was commonly utilized in the past in the following industries:

Steel Workers

Brake Mechanics

Insulators

Boilermakers

Ship fitters

Maintenance Workers

Pipe Fitters

Construction industry

Shipbuilding industry

Automotive industry

Other manufacturing industries

Mesothelioma appears most often in people who worked in the above industries and were exposed to asbestos in their workplace. The utilization of asbestos was very prevalent after 1940’s. However it would take 10-40 years after the first exposure for the first symptoms of mesothelioma to become noticeable, which made it very difficult to diagnose. The peak in mesothelioma cases is projected to be reached near year 2010 according to studies. There are three frequently used types of asbestos: white, brown, and blue. Brown and blue asbestos are more frequently associated with mesothelioma. These types of asbestos have been restricted by most countries in the 1990s. A record of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases.

Asbestos is a very dangerous material and can cause serious damage to your health. It is made up of very minute fibers, which can find their way to pleura (outside lining of the lung) and damage the cells pleura are made of. These fibers can also be passed on to clothing, which makes them dangerous not only to the person exposed to asbestos, but to their family members as well.

Smoking

Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure drastically increases a person’s risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.

Symptoms of mesothelioma

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Symptoms of mesothelioma may not materialize until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling because of a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, difficulty swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis. Once Mesothelioma is diagnosed, the likelihood of recovery varies according to several factors, including the size and location of the tumor, how much it has spread, and the age of the patient.

In general, the earlier that Mesothelioma is diagnosed, the greater the likelihood of survival. If you feel that you have experienced any of the typical Mesothelioma symptoms, pay a visit to your doctor for professional advice.

The early symptoms of mesothelioma are often ignored, because they may be caused by a variety of ailments. These symptoms include:

pain in the lower back or at the side of the chest

shortness of breath

difficulty swallowing

cough

fever

fatigue

abdominal pain, weight loss, and nausea and vomiting (symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma)

Treatment for mesothelioma

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Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient’s age and general well being. Typical treatment options consist of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.

Surgery is a frequent treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.

Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from moving materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of applying chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).

To ease symptoms and control discomfort, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has accumulated in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be administered through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be beneficial in alleviating symptoms.

Note of Urgency

Mesothelioma is a life-threatening disease and cannot be left untreated. The sooner it is diagnosed the better a patient’s chances are of fighting this deadly cancer. Please contact a qualified doctor immediately if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with mesothelioma.