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Mesothelioma News – Dr Is In Sunday – What Exactly Is Mesothelioma?
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Asbestos Attorney Cancer Lawyer Mesothelioma Settlement
Posted by: | CommentsAsbestos attorney cancer lawyer mesothelioma settlement are crucial for receiving just compensation and determine personal injury settlement amounts. An asbestos settlement lawyer maryland or other qualified attorney could increase your settlement by ten times or more. The below gives a primer on mesothelioma and asbestosis to allow you to more accurately interview your Parkersburg mesothelioma lawyer or attorney or any other qualified asbestos settlement attorney for your possible mesothelioma law suit.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body’s internal organs. The mesothelium 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 to glide easily against adjacent structures.
Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is 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 spread from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year.
The highest malignant mesothelioma mortality rates occurred in Alaska and Maine. The rates for each of these states were more than twice the national rate of 11.7 per million. Men accounted for 80 percent of the deaths from malignant mesothelioma, and white U.S. residents accounted for 95 percent of these deaths. Occupations with the highest proportionate mortality ratio were plumbers, pipe fitters, steamfitters, electricians, and elementary school teachers. An asbestos personal injury information attorney Baltimore Maryland or an asbestos personal injury trust lawyer Baltimore Maryland is the best source of updated information.
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. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer and asbestosis, a non-cancerous, chronic lung malady.
Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases the risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.
OSHA has set the acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure. 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. To find out if your workplace is complying with regulations, your best source would be a lawyer for mesothelioma in Houston or any asbestos law firm Texas.
Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. These symptoms may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.
Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. It 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, a CT or CAT scan, or an MRI. A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma.
If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the stage, or extent, of the disease needs to be determined by the doctor. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. This helps the doctor and victim plan treatment.
Standard treatment options include:
-Surgery to remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it.
-Radiation therapy using high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
-Chemotherapy using of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein. Pemetrexed resulted in tumors that shrank in 41 percent of patients when used in combination with a more commonly used chemotherapy agent called cisplatin. Only 17 percent of patients receiving cisplatin alone experienced tumor shrinkage. Additionally, those on the pemetrexed combination lived nearly three months longer than those on cisplatin alone.
Sometimes, these treatments are combined. Adding chemotherapy to other treatments being giving to patients with mesothelioma, a lung cancer usually linked to asbestos exposure, does not appear to improve either survival or quality of life.
One bright side is that the asbestos exposure control plan has drastically reduced incidence of asbestosis and mesothelioma over the years.
Another bright light is that of attorney assistance. Do not hesitate to call an attorney immediately if you are diagnosed with asbestosis or mesothelioma. The preponderance of expertise is in metropolitan areas. Here is a list of most frequently searched terms:
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Mesothelioma News – Alimta(R) (pemetrexed For Injection) Receives Positive Opinion From…
Posted by: | CommentsEli Lilly and Company announced that the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has issued a positive opinion for the use of ALIMTA as monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with other than predominantly squamous cell histology in patients whose …
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Mesothelioma News – Insurers seek asbestos law review
Posted by: | CommentsUK insurers are hoping to overturn a new Scottish law that allows people to claim for past exposure to asbestos.
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Check Your Asbestos Exposure Control Plan
Posted by: | CommentsMesothelioma Cancer Treatment – Asbestos Kills
The number of cases of mesothelioma cancer being diagnosed is on the increase. This asbestos killer is currently treated by conventional cancer therapies. There are, however, several experimental asbestos cancer treatments on the horizon that offer new hope to victims.
Mesothelioma cancer is a disease that results from exposure to asbestos related substances. Asbestos usually consists of fibres that can enter the body through the mouth, or the skin, and, subsequently, enter the lungs, or blood stream.
Mesothelioma cancer has become more widely documented in the last 5-10 years, due to the fact that symptoms of asbestos cancer can take between 20 to 40 years to manifest. Mesothelioma cancer is hard to diagnose, as the symptoms do not tend to manifest themselves until the later stages of the disease. Symptoms of mesothelioma lung cancer include shortness of breath, chest pain, fever and other secondary illnesses such as pneumonia.
Asbestos cancer most often develops in men between the ages of 50 to 70 years who were exposed to high levels of asbestos in the workplace. Asbestos was mainly used in manufacturing industries such as automotive and ship building as well as in the construction industry. The use of asbestos was only recently banned in the 1990’s.
Mesthelioma lung cancer has been found to be the most common form of mesothelioma cancer and it develops in the lining of the lung (pleural). Mesothelioma cancer can also develop in the abdominal area (peritoneal) and around the heart (pericardial). There is a greater chance of malignancy in abdominal asbestos cancer. For a more detailed explanation of mesothelioma cancer as well as asbestos litigation, visit http://www.lung-canceradvice.com
Mesothelioma lung cancer can be detected through a CT scan which enables it to be sometimes diagnosed earlier than the other two types of mesothelioma cancer. The type of mesothelioma cancer treatment will depend on the stage at which the cancer was diagnosed, the age of the patient as well as personal preferences. The disease can be divided into four separate stages. The stage in the disease process that is reached will determine the method of mesothelioma cancer treatment. At the first stage when the tumour is confined to the lining of the lungs, surgeons may try to remove the entire tumour surgically. Once the tumour has invaded the surrounding body tissues in the later stages, it is not curable.
Conventionally, the more advanced stages of mesothelioma cancer are treated with either radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy x-rays to destroy cancerous cells and shrink tumours Chemotherapy, on the other hand, uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. The aim of these mesothelioma cancer treatments is to prolong the patient’s life as the disease cannot be cured in the more advanced stages.
In addition to these conventional mesothelioma cancer treatments, there are also various experimental treatments currently under investigation which offer new hope.
Immunotherapy: This form of biological therapy for mesothelioma cancer treatment uses the patient’s own immune system to attack the cancerous cells. Clinical studies have shown that the immune system is able to distinguish healthy cells from cancer cells, and can therefore be used to destroy those cancerous cells.
Gene Therapy: This form of mesothelioma cancer treatment is very much still in the developmental stages. The process involves injecting a specific gene straight into the tumour. This gene renders the cancer cells sensitive to the antiviral drug glanciclovir which under normal circumstances is not effective against these cells. The glanciclovir is then able to destroy all the cancer cells without harming the healthy tissue cells.
Drug Therapy: The drug Alimta is the only chemotherapy drug to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)for the treatment of patients with malignant mesothelioma lung cancer . This new and exciting drug has been demonstrated in clinical trials to reduce symptoms and increase the life expectancy of patients.
Photodynamic Therapy: Photodynamic therapy involves the use of light to destroy cancer cells. The patient first is first administered a photosensitizing drug that only collects in cancerous cells. Fibre-optic cables are then inserted in the body in order to focus light of a certain frequency on the tumour. The light stimulates the photosensitizing drug to produce toxic oxygen molecules that destroy the cancerous cells.
These experimental mesothelioma cancer treatments, although still in the developmental stages, offer cancer victims the prospect of a better and longer life. With the likelihood of an increase in the number of people diagnosed with asbestos cancer, further research into other forms of mesothelioma cancer treatment is vital.
| By Gregory de Villiers Published: 11/25/2006 |
New Potentially Successful Mesothelioma Treatment
Researchers have discovered a new and potentially successful treatment for victims of the deadly lung cancer known as mesothelioma.
Healthy Fruits and Vegetables: Mesothelioma Doctor Research
Quite a majority of doctors are still unaware of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. Since the incidence of the disease is not very common, the number of doctors specializing in this area is also small.
Three new therapies revealed in Mesothelioma Treatments
The third mesothelioma treatment is known as gene therapy. This is one of the more revolutionary therapies available and has become a very effective treatment not just for mesothelioma but for other fatal diseases.
Mesothelioma treatment options
The treatment program for mesothelioma depends on many factors, including: the stage of the cancer, where the cancer is, how far the cancer has spread, how the cancer cells look under the microscope and the patient’s age and desires.
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Symptoms Of Mesothelioma
Posted by: | CommentsMesothelioma symptoms are common with other less serious medical conditions, making it difficult for diagnosis. Consult your physician immediately if you have previously been exposed to asbestos and have (or even do not have) any symptom/s of mesothelioma.
What is Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the membrane lining the lungs, abdomen, or heart. It is a rare cancer and the prime cause is almost always asbestos exposure (inhalation / ingestion).
Mesothelioma is usually seen in elderly patients, mostly male. The reason for this is mesothelioma takes approximately 30 to 40 years to develop and show its effects.
Mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive, painful, and fatal of all cancers.
Mesothelioma Types
In a maximum number of cases (over 80%) mesothelioma is restricted to the lining of the lungs (pleura), but can also occur in the lining of the stomach (peritoneum), and in very rare cases the lining of the heart (pericardium). They are known as Pleural Mesothelioma, Peritoneal Mesothelioma, and Pericardial Mesothelioma respectively.
Persons at Risk of Mesothelioma
Since mesothelioma takes approximately 30 to 40 years to develop and show its effects, those being diagnosed with mesothelioma today have probably been exposed to asbestos as far back as the 60s or 70s.
Asbestos safety guidelines never existed until the late 80s, so those diagnosed today could either be directly involved with asbestos, or their relatives / friends who were indirectly exposed to asbestos.
Persons at maximum risk of mesothelioma include the following.
— Construction workers
— Building renovation workers
— Ship building workers
— Ship renovation workers
— Auto clutch and brake manufacturing workers
— Auto clutch and brake mechanics
— Asbestos mine workers
— Relatives and friends of all of the above mentioned persons
— Those living in close proximity to asbestos mines
Mesothelioma Symptoms
The symptoms of mesothelioma are non-specific to the disease. Almost all the symptoms of mesothelioma overlap with the symptoms of certain other minor diseases.
This is further complicated with the fact that the symptoms of mesothelioma occur approximately 30 to 40 years after initial exposure. When a person experiences the symptoms of mesothelioma it is easily mistaken for some other disease such as viral pneumonia.
Mesothelioma affects the linings of the lungs, stomach, or heart. As the cancer progresses, the tumors cause the affected tissues to expand and gather fluid. This excess fluid is the cause of the symptoms to appear. Mesothelioma symptoms will also depend on the location of the cancer. An x-ray will reveal the amount and spread of the fluid.
Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma affects the lining / tissue around the lungs with a build-up of fluid (pleural effusion). Pleural mesothelioma symptoms could include one or more of the following.
— Shortness of breath
— Mild to severe constant chest pain
— Constant mild to severe cough
— Sudden weight loss
These symptoms are common with other diseases and could be misdiagnosed for pneumonia.
What is Pleural Effusion
Pleural effusion is one of the most common symptoms of mesothelioma. It is the accumulation of fluid in between the pleura covering the chest wall / diaphragm (parietal pleura) and the pleura covering the lungs (visceral pleura). In normal circumstances these membranes are covered with a very small amount of fluid that acts as a lubricant between the moving chest wall and lung. When an excess amount of fluid is collected without being able to drain due to the cancer, it results in an effusion.
Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining / tissue surrounding the abdomen. Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms could include one or more of the following.
— Abdominal swelling
— Tissue mass in the abdomen
— Sudden weight loss
— Nausea
— Anemia
— Mild to severe abdominal pain
— Mild to severe diarrhea
— Mild to severe constipation
These symptoms are accompanied by a constant mild fever in some cases.
Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma is extremely rare. It affects the lining / tissue surrounding the heart causing a fluid build-up. Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms could include one or more of the following.
— Mild to severe chest pain
— cough
— Irregular heart-beats
— Irregular breathing pattern
— Constant unexplained fatigue
Get Diagnosed for Mesothelioma
If mesothelioma symptoms show, it means just one thing. The cancer has spread to incurable proportions.
If you know that you have been exposed to asbestos in the past, but none of the symptoms of mesothelioma are present, do not wait for the symptoms to show up. It could be very late by then. Get a diagnosis for mesothelioma performed by a surgeon who is trained in handling mesothelioma cases. Detection in the early stages (which is very rare) will help in better treatment, possibly even getting rid of the cancer.
Always remember that all of the above symptoms could be caused by mesothelioma, or could be caused by some less serious condition having nothing to do with mesothelioma. Never come to a conclusion by yourself that you have mesothelioma even if most of the mentioned symptoms are present. Get it checked / diagnosed by a trained physician / surgeon, because only they will be able to make a definitive diagnosis of the symptoms.
| By Kevin Mathias Published: 6/29/2007 |
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