What is Mesothelioma? it is an aggressive form of cancer that affects the mesothelium, a membrane that surrounds and protects many of the body’s internal organs.

Mesothelioma most often occurs in the lungs and heart (pleural mesothelioma) or in the abdominal organs (peritoneal mesothelioma).

Approximately 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States every year, making it a relatively rare type of cancer. Incidence rates, however, are increasing.

What is Mesothelioma? Risk Factors

The leading cause of this form of cancer is exposure to asbestos, a material that has been used extensively in buildings and vehicles. Inhaled asbestos fibers can become trapped in the lungs or stomach, where they can cause scarring and eventually lead to tumors.

Research indicates that 70-80% of those diagnosed have had contact with asbestos, most of them for sustained periods of time.

Therefore, those who have worked near asbestos—in jobs such as electrician, construction worker, shipbuilder, or miner—are at the highest risk. The majority of those who suffer from mesothelioma are men, but women make up a significant minority of patients, as well. A person who has lived with someone who works around asbestos may also ingest enough of the material to cause cancer.

People may only begin showing signs of the disease decades after being exposed to asbestos. Someone may have no contact with asbestos for many years and still discover one day that he or she has mesothelioma.

What is Mesothelioma? Warning Symptoms

The different forms of mesothelioma are associated with different symptoms. Early signs of pleural mesothelioma include shortness of breath, coughing, fever, and chest pains. The peritoneal variety can be indicated by weight loss, abdominal swelling, stomach pain, and bowel obstruction.

Because these symptoms can be caused by other conditions as well, mesothelioma often goes undetected in its early stages. Only a doctor can determine whether they are signs of cancer or something less serious.

It is crucial for anybody with the symptoms described above to get a diagnosis as soon as possible, especially if he or she has ever held a job that caused asbestos exposure. As with any cancer, the earlier it is detected, the better.

What is Mesothelioma? Treatment and Legal Options

Unfortunately, treating mesothelioma has proven difficult. Options include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. A combination of all three treatments, when possible, has proven to be the most effective response. Scientists continue to search for new ways of combatting this painful disease.

Hopefully this information has sufficiently answered the question, “What is mesothelioma?” If you think you may have this disease, consult a doctor immediately.

Another important step for those affected by mesothelioma is to contact an attorney. The negative health effects of asbestos were known for many years, but companies tended not to inform their employees about the dangers before requiring them to come into contact with the material. Because of this, most people in the United States who have contracted mesothelioma are entitled to some form of legal compensation.

The same is true of the children and spouses of someone who has died from the disease. This compensation can help ensure that a patient will be able to afford treatment, or that his or her survivors will not suffer financial difficulties as a result of the loss of their loved one.

A casual glance around most homes reveals many of the same products. Folks usually have oven mitts, hair dryers, blankets, talcum powder, sheets and cables.

Most homes are made from asphalt, clapboard, finishing cement, insulation, drywall and brick. All of those products and compounds have one thing in common—they contain asbestos. Asbestos has long been known to be a killer.

The workers who made the boilers, gaskets and automobiles we use daily are dying from asbestos-related diseases they contracted from exposure to asbestos at work. Mesothelioma attorneys have been defending those workers against the very companies to which they dedicated their time and, in some cases, their lives.

The names are so common that they’re part of our language. Goodyear, Goodrich, American Standard, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors all imperiled their employees by exposing them to asbestos zones.

Those employees subsequently carried the cancer-causing fibers back home on their clothing and in their hair, unknowingly cross-contaminating their families. Mesothelioma attorneys don’t just file suit on behalf of employees, they also protect those who lived with employees and were infected by their close contact.

In fact, mesothelioma attorneys can even file suit on behalf of the survivors of a deceased worker who died from workplace exposure to asbestos.

Don’t think the list of professionals exposed to asbestos is small or unique. Carpenters, maintenance workers, painters, roofers and even building inspectors have all been put in risky situations for the profit of big corporations. Asbestos was so commonly used back in the early 1900s that it’s almost easier to name the products that didn’t use it.

It isn’t easy to take money from companies as large as those responsible for such a heinous assault on their workforce. General Electric has a battery of attorneys and expert witnesses who will fight to defeat any lawsuit. All the big corporations rely on their attorneys to defray the costs of using a toxic product like asbestos.

In fact, long before the suits began, the companies were hedging their bets and trying to cover up the fact that asbestos was carcinogenic and employees were dying from their on-the-job exposure to it.

Mesothelioma attorneys were having none of that. They began specializing in asbestos-related cases, gaining knowledge and resources to help them beat the big corporations at their own game.

Lawyers can’t heal a person who’s been diagnosed with mesothelioma. What mesothelioma attorneys can do is make the company pay for putting their employees at risk. They can check employee records for dates and places. They’ll see how many cases have been filed against the same company for the same thing.

They’ll prosecute vigorously and demand satisfaction for the afflicted, the deceased and their dependents. They can hammer out a settlement or take the case to trial. They can make life easier for those affected by mesothelioma.

The most insidious thing about mesothelioma is that it takes 15 to 30 years for symptoms to develop. By that time, it’s too late to effect any real treatment short of attending to the symptoms. Dedicated mesothelioma attorneys are championing the cause of mesothelioma victims. They’re bringing justice to the afflicted, comfort to the dying and hope to the survivors.

Mesothelioma lawyers are fighters. They have to be. The corporations they battle on behalf of their clients are dastardly, scheming and powerful.

These are the same corporations that routinely sent their employees into asbestos zones where they were exposed to the carcinogenic fibers. The companies who were using asbestos knew the insulating material was cancer-causing, but they didn’t care.

They knew that passive exposure in the home could spread the asbestos to the entire family. Profit margins mattered more than their workers’ health. Additionally, these companies doubted any harm could come to them if their employees grew ill.

How could they be proven responsible for an illness like mesothelioma? Smug in their seemingly untouchable status, they continued their pattern of asbestos use in all sorts of products.

Asbestos is practically everywhere. It can be found in yarn, aprons, cigarette filters, paint, putty and rope. It’s also on the minds of mesothelioma lawyers. What began as a grievous offense against their workforce rapidly became a cover-up of the first order. With a wink and a nod, mega-companies denied that exposure to asbestos was harmful to their employees.

Meanwhile companies like Borg Warner, Owens Corning, Honeywell, Pfizer, 3M, Certainteed, Georgia-Pacific and General Electric were exposing their employees to asbestos. Mesothelioma lawyers protect the electricians, plumbers, painters, hod carriers and welders who suffered from their jobs.

A mesothelioma lawyer can file a lawsuit to assure that a victim of asbestos exposure doesn’t have to suffer needlessly. They can’t cure the disease or alleviate the symptoms, but they can get a fair settlement that ensures the bills get paid.

An experienced attorney knows where to file the lawsuit and how to get the facts in the case. They have a support system to investigate the claim. In most situations, an attorney will take a case on a speculative basis. After the settlement, the lawyer gets his percentage. That’s a great arrangement for a victim who couldn’t afford to hire an attorney to take on the big companies.

A victim needs to prove exposure to asbestos at an asbestos zone. Details are important and can be found in the company’s personnel files and through Social Security records. Lists of companies that risked their workers’ health and the occupations most likely to have been exposed can be found on the Internet. That’s also a great place to find a mesothelioma lawyer.

Most mesothelioma lawyers specialize in prosecuting those suits. Law firms with a history of environmental or worker compensation cases are also adept at asbestos-related lawsuits. It pays to stick with a firm that has handled mesothelioma cases for years. They have built-in resources and a familiarity with the process that can accelerate your case.

Mesothelioma lawyers can even file suit on behalf of the spouse or dependent child of a worker who died from asbestos-related causes. It’s important to have the suit filed promptly upon receiving the diagnosis of mesothelioma. Most states have a statute of limitations for filing, including claims filed for deceased persons.

Experienced mesothelioma lawyers know how to get satisfaction for their clients. The only recourse most victims have is to punish their heartless employers by suing them. The bottom line is really all that matters to these scoundrels. A good lawyer will get to their bottom line with a fair settlement.

Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory lung condition caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. These fibers become lodged within the inner layers of the lung, where they result in scarring which impairs the functioning of the lung.

Unlike mesothelioma, which can also be caused by asbestos, it is not a form of cancer.

Nonetheless, it is a serious health issue. The exact number of people who suffer from asbestosis is difficult to calculate, since many cases are misdiagnosed. However, an average of approximately 500-600 Americans die as a result of this disease every year.

Asbestos has gained notoriety for the health problems it can cause, but it is only dangerous if inhaled. Therefore, although many homes built in the United States prior to the 1970s used asbestos for insulation and other purposes, note that simply living in a home that contains asbestos does not put someone at high risk.

Unless such asbestos is disturbed, it does not enter the air and cannot be inhaled. That is why asbestosis is considered an occupational disease—only those who work with asbestos for many years are likely to inhale enough of it to cause a problem.

It typically takes high levels of asbestos exposure, or exposure over a long period of time, to contract asbestosis. Occupations which can result in contact with a sufficient amount of asbestos include (but are not limited to) miner, shipbuilder, construction worker, railroad worker, auto mechanic, and electrician. In addition, there is some evidence to indicate that the risk is also higher for those who live with someone who works around asbestos.

There is usually a long period of time between a person’s contracting the disease and the moment that symptoms first appear—20-30 years or more in some cases. Therefore, even though there are now many federal regulations against the use of asbestos and asbestos products, someone may still begin exhibiting symptoms today if he or she came into contact with asbestos in the past.

The primary symptom is shortness of breath. This usually appears gradually. At first, the sufferer will have breathing problems only when exerting him- or herself physically, but later breathing will become more and more difficult even at rest.

As the disease progresses, the patient may also experience chest pain and persistent coughing. In advanced cases, there may also be finger clubbing, where the fingertips become more round and spread out.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition, but some therapies, including oxygen therapy, can alleviate a patient’s breathing problems. Because it can make the patient more sensitive to certain other diseases, he or she will need regular medical care, including annual vaccines for influenza and immunization against pneumonia.

Quitting smoking, always a good idea, becomes even more important for those with asbestosis, as they have a much greater chance of contracting lung cancer. Severe cases may make a patient eligible for a lung transplant.

Someone who has worked with asbestos and who believes he or she may have asbestosis should see a doctor immediately. He or she may also wish to explore legal options, which may provide compensation for those who suffer from asbestos-related illnesses.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer closely linked to asbestos exposure. It is a deadly and expensive disease that takes a steep emotional, physical and financial toll on its sufferers.

Mesothelioma law firms help those with the disease to get the compensation they deserve for being subjected to hazardous conditions over their lifetime. In the case of mesothelioma, asbestos exposure greatly increases the risk of developing the disease.

Asbestos today is a known carcinogen, but during the 20th century, it was used extensively in building materials and insulation. Some forms of asbestos are friable, meaning that they are likely to break apart into fibers. These fibers become airborne and are inhaled by those nearby.

Workers in the construction and demolition fields are at the greatest risk, especially if they worked during the last half of the 20th century when asbestos was still commonly used for building.

Many cancers have a wide range of risk factors with few direct causes linked to them, but the correlation between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure is high. According to the National Cancer Institute, up to 80 percent of those suffering from mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos at one point in their lives.

This strong linkage has resulted in asbestos products being pulled from the market and companies in the United States stopping production of anything containing asbestos, but the risk remains since buildings already built with asbestos-containing materials were allowed to remain, and the risk for those doing construction or improvement projects remains.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs or the abdomen, but it can take up to 50 years after exposure to develop. This cancer is still extremely rare, but there has been an increase in the number of cases. The symptoms of the disease depend on the location of the membrane – called the mesothelium, affected.

Mesothelioma in the lungs results in a cough that gets progressively worse, trouble breathing and fatigue. Other forms of mesothelioma will cause bowel obstruction, anemia or blood clotting. Anyone showing any of these symptoms must visit a doctor for an evaluation. Then the patient should seek out one of the many mesothelioma law firms.

The legal aspects of mesothelioma are many, and mesothelioma law firms have a staff of lawyers with expertise in this niche of the area of the law. Asbestos has long been linked to cancer, but some companies continued to expose their workers to this material, knowing the risks.

In such instances, the company could be liable for their former employees cancer or lung damage. Just as a doctor is the only one who can make a medical diagnosis, only an attorney from one of the mesothelioma law firms is capable of determining whether a victim of mesothelioma has a viable legal case.

Just doing ones job should not result in that person developing a deadly disease. Legal action can get those with mesothelioma compensation for the financial strains and damages the disease incurred. Though money will never return ones health or life, it can help the family to meet their financial needs and the sufferer to pay for medical care.

The first step to getting compensation after a diagnosis should be to choose from one of the many mesothelioma law firms for a consultation and advice about any legal recourse.

If you’ve been exposed to asbestos, you might find a lawyer is your best friend. Asbestos lawyers have been filing lawsuits on behalf of clients who were recklessly exposed to asbestos during their jobs, at their homes and in the schools.

For over 50 years, immoral, greedy corporations put their bottom line ahead of the health of their employees. That resulted in a large number of people who became seriously ill just by doing their jobs.

A conspiracy of silence by manufacturers kept the secret until the 1970s. At that point, the government banned the use of asbestos. The new laws had little effect on the people who had already been exposed; the damage was already done.

From the 1920s to the 1970s, asbestos was used as an insulator in products and buildings. It could be found in nearly every factory, warehouse, house, ship, church and school.

Those who worked with asbestos didn’t realize it then, but they were killing themselves. Breathing the tiny asbestos fibers began their journey to mesothelioma, a cruel killer of many a good person. As the asbestos-related cases became more common, asbestos lawyers rode to the rescue.

In spite of the regulations regarding asbestos, workers and their families were still being exposed. As homes were remodeled, buildings were torn down and ships were dismantled, workers were once again exposed to the micro-fibers. In fact, asbestos clean-ups still occur under strict guidelines, and workers are still being infected.

In fact, entire families have been exposed to asbestos just by being in the same room with people who had asbestos in the hair or on their clothing. That means innocent infants, children and spouses suffered right along with the exposed worker. That’s a wrong that asbestos lawyers sought to make right.

The sheer arrogance of manufacturers who believed they could routinely place their workers in jeopardy is incomprehensible. It boggles the mind to think that loyal workers were repaid for their allegiance by being thrown into an asbestos zone with no warning. That is exactly what happened. As dastardly as it sounds, the big companies didn’t care at all.

In fact, the longer the facts about asbestos and its carcinogenic properties were hidden, the more companies were involved in the cover-up. Then the mesothelioma cases began mounting up. The common factor among all these workers was that they worked with or near asbestos. Some made asbestos, some wrapped it on pipe or lined boilers with it and some sprayed it into the engine rooms of ships.

Years later, the sickness came. What started as a whisper then became a roar of indignation. Victims couldn’t believe their companies had sacrificed their workers for extra profit. Asbestos lawyers not only believed the companies were guilty–they knew it.

There’s a paper trail leading right to the front door of many corporations–corporations that prospered because their workers were unknowingly placing themselves and their families in harm’s way. Asbestos lawyers followed that trail and are making those companies pay for their sins.

Lawsuits for impaired ex-employees, stricken wives, cancer-ridden babies and those who died from mesothelioma are being filed all across the U.S. every day. Those with the disease can’t be cured, but they can be made more comfortable. Asbestos lawyers help folks who were exposed to asbestos because workers shouldn’t be treated as an expendable resource.

When manufacturing or construction processes result in particles of asbestos containing materials becoming airborne, minute amounts of asbestos fibers are inhaled.

When trapped in the human body, these fibers may eventually lead to multiple types of asbestos cancers. There are different types of asbestos, but the International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined through extensive research that exposure to any type of commercial asbestos fibers can cause cancers.

The most aggressive of the asbestos cancers is mesothelioma. This cancer specifically targets the mesothelial cells that form a protective layer around the body’s internal cavities and organs. Mesothelioma typically affects the lining of the lungs, but it can also develop in the lining of the abdomen and of the heart.

The mesothelial lining of the lungs is called the pleura, and pleural mesothelioma accounts for approximately 75 percent of all diagnosed cases of mesothelioma. The lining that covers the abdominal cavity and surrounds the internal organs is called the peritoneum.

Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in this lining. Pericardial mesothelioma develops in the membrane that surrounds the heart, which is known as the pericardium.

There is no known cure for malignant mesothelioma, but there are a variety of palliative treatments that can prolong life expectancy and make living with the cancer more comfortable.

Mesothelioma is not usually detected in its early stages; one of the difficulties with asbestos cancers is their long latency period. These illnesses often take 20 to 50 years after initial asbestos exposure to develop, and in most cases the victim is not even aware the exposure has occurred.

Mesothelioma is not the only cancer caused by asbestos fibers in the body. The National Cancer Institute reports that asbestos exposure can result in an increased risk of developing a number of life-threatening cancers. These illnesses include lung, gastrointestinal, colorectal, kidney, throat, esophageal and gallbladder cancers. Higher incidences of breast cancer, prostate cancer and leukemia may also be linked to asbestos exposure.

Lung cancer is the second most common of the asbestos cancers, second only to mesothelioma. Lung cancer resulting from asbestos exposure is identified as either small cell lung cancer or non-small cell lung cancer. The identification depends upon the appearance of the cancer cells. Non-small cell lung cancer is the more prevalent of the two types.

The risk of developing cancer from exposure to asbestos is increased or lessened by a number of factors relating to the exposure. The primary risk factor is the amount of asbestos fibers inhaled. Larger numbers of asbestos fibers in the body equate to larger risks of developing asbestos cancers.

The fibers accumulate in the body, so the risk from a short term exposure to a large amount of airborne asbestos fibers could be the same as the risk from exposure to much smaller quantities of fibers over a longer period of time.

It is important to remember that not all asbestos cancers are terminal, and that early detection can be a key issue to successful; treatment. People who become ill with persistent coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss or tiredness should discuss work history as well as symptoms with a physician.

Certain jobs in specific time periods are known to have carried a high risk of asbestos exposure, and this information may aid the physician in making a diagnosis.

Companies routinely put their employees at risk. Sometimes they’re aware of the risk; sometimes they’re not. Asbestos was used as an insulator for decades in the early 1900s. It was in just about every home or building, as well as in many fixtures. During the course of applying the asbestos, workers breathed in the carcinogenic, or cancer-causing, fibers.

Later on, when the buildings and homes were being remodeled or torn down, workers were again exposed to that asbestos. Even folks who were in close contact with workers who were exposed to asbestos became exposed themselves. That asbestos exposure has reared its ugly head in the form of numerous maladies, one of which is mesothelioma. That’s the reason for the recent increase in mesothelioma lawsuits.

There is no cure for this debilitating condition. Once diagnosed with the affliction, the only recourse a person has is to file a mesothelioma lawsuit. Filing a suit won’t bring a cure, but it will protect the afflicted and their loved ones from any extra expense incurred to treat the problem. Hospital bills rack up fast. Treatments and therapy and medications can cause medical expenses to skyrocket.

If an individual feels that he was exposed to asbestos in an asbestos zone, the lawsuit needs to be filed in a timely manner. The statute of limitations is two years from the date of the initial diagnosis, but that can vary by state. A lawsuit filed on behalf of a deceased person still needs to be filed within two years.

A person who has been exposed to asbestos through a spouse or other individual must also file a suit in the same manner as any others who contracted the disease from asbestos exposure. The same rules apply to anyone exposed to asbestos, not just employees.

To file a mesothelioma lawsuit, the victim needs to detail where and when the exposure occurred. An attorney can hire a private investigator to find out the exact circumstances if they’re unknown. Attorneys are usually willing to take on mesothelioma lawsuits for no-pay up-front. They take their payment as a percentage when the suit is settled. That means an individual who wouldn’t normally be able to afford an attorney can hire one on a speculative basis.

Mesothelioma lawsuits can be filed in the victim’s home state or wherever the attorney feels the chances of getting a positive verdict might be. It’s best to find an attorney who specializes in these cases. He’ll have the resources and connections to push the case through the courts quickly. He’ll also know the best place to file the lawsuit to get the maximum settlement possible.

It’s difficult to say how much a mesothelioma settlement might be. It depends on the severity of the condition and any mitigating factors. Some cases settle for hundreds of thousands of dollars–others can reach into the millions. It really depends on your case and how good your attorney is.

Mesothelioma lawsuits usually don’t go to trial. Out-of-court settlements are common in these cases. An attorney should be willing to take the case to court if the defendant doesn’t offer a fair settlement. It’s easy to search the Internet to find an attorney who handles mesothelioma lawsuits exclusively or at least regularly. Nobody should be a victim twice.

The advantageous properties of asbestos have been known for at least 2,000 years. Some evidence exists that the mineral was used as early as 2500 B.C. to strengthen clay pots and vessels. Asbestos is resistant to fire and is relatively easy to incorporate into a wide variety of materials.

Unfortunately, the American public was unaware of the link between asbestos and mesothelioma until the 1970s, more than a century after suspicions were first voiced about the dangers of the mineral. Ample evidence exists, however, to show that not everyone was unaware of the risks.

In the last decade of the twentieth century, Britain’s Chief Inspector of Factories reported that there was a clear link between asbestos and health hazards. Around the same time, a study in France examined the deaths of 50 asbestos workers who succumbed to lung disease.

Shortly thereafter, Dr. H. M. Murray conducted an autopsy on a young man who had been a worker in a British asbestos factory and testified that the man had asbestos in his lungs, which had, at minimum, contributed to the death.

By 1918, Canadian and American insurance companies often chose to decline asbestos workers’ applications for life insurance due to their occupations. In 1927, a report detailed the deaths of nine of the ten workers employed in the carding room of an asbestos factory; the report called the disease “asbestosis,” a less-lethal lung disease, but questions exist as to whether the cause was actually mesothelioma.

In 1932, the U.S. Bureau of Mines, writing to an asbestos manufacturing firm, called asbestos “one of the most dangerous dusts to which man is exposed.” It is also believed that the U.S. Navy was made aware of the link between asbestos and mesothelioma that same year, yet specifications for naval vessels continued to require copious amounts of asbestos. Official warnings were not issued, and no steps were taken to provide workers with protective gear.

By the 1970s, enough information had been discovered to prove that companies manufacturing or using asbestos had entered into a conspiracy of silence to suppress information about the link between asbestos and mesothelioma.

This resulted in courts awarding punitive damages to those afflicted with a disease related to asbestos. Some sought the protection of bankruptcy, but most of the major companies established trusts for the payment of settlements.

Today, the link between asbestos and mesothelioma is typically regarded as a proven fact. The medical profession has yet to offer proof of any cause of mesothelioma other than exposure to asbestos. Among the evidence supporting the link is that, in modern times, the disease was extremely rare prior to the Industrial Age, when the mineral began to be mined and utilized in great amounts. Further support is evidenced by an increased rate of asbestos-related diseases among those who live near natural, aboveground asbestos deposits or in the vicinity of asbestos mines.

Since mesothelioma can occur many decades after exposure, some patients are not sure where and when the exposure occurred. Although the use of the mineral is now restricted, those who retrofit marine vessels, renovate homes built prior to the 1970s or work on automobiles remain at risk.

The link between asbestos and mesothelioma, however, is so well documented that employers are required to provide protective gear for any employee who is at risk of exposure.

Asbestos is a natural material present in the earth. Unlike other minerals, asbestos appears like bundles of fibers when seen under a microscope.

People realized that asbestos had a great ability to insulate and provide fire-proofing, so it was incorporated into building and insulating materials.

Such building practices remained in place until the late 1980s in most places in the United States, but just living or working in an older building is unlikely to result in illness from asbestos exposure. It requires a more direct contact with the substance for damage to the lungs to occur.

Those most at risk for adverse effects of asbestos exposure are those who worked with building materials including asbestos. Shipbuilders, construction workers and miners from the 1940s onward all are at high risk for illnesses resulting from exposure to asbestos. During the course of their job, these workers would daily cut into asbestos-containing products.

Preparing asbestos to be installed required cutting the materials, this disturbed the bundles of asbestos fibers, sending them air-borne. Workers would breath in the asbestos fibers, but unlike regular dust particles filtered out by the lungs, asbestos exposure would irritate and inflame the lining of the lungs, creating a condition known as asbestosis.

This condition has been seen as a precursor to more serious ailments such as lung cancer or mesothelioma. The risk increases significantly in workers who smoke.

The family members of workers are not immune to the ill effects of asbestos exposure. Cutting into the materials containing asbestos products can deposit some of the fibers onto the worker’s clothing. The person at home doing the laundry will be subject to breathing in those asbestos fibers from the clothes, even without direct contact with the material.

Though asbestos is no longer in use as a building material, demolition crews and those nearby abandoned buildings are also at risk. Prior to pulling down a building, asbestos remediation and removal must be done by licensed contractors, but some areas allow this step to be skipped if the individual is the one tearing down the old building.

Just as building with asbestos-containing materials can cause the carcinogenic fibers to be released, so can breaking apart a building made with such products.

Those in high risk categories and their family members should be aware of the signs of illness from asbestos exposure. Symptoms of lung damage or another condition include: shortness of breath, worsening cough, loss of appetite, pain in the chest or abdomen, swelling in the face or neck, problems swallowing or weight loss.

Those experiencing such symptoms and who have worked with building materials during the last half of the 20th century should visit a physician immediately for an evaluation.

The scientific mystery of cancer is that not everyone exposed to a carcinogenic substance will develop cancer. Asbestos exposure is not a guarantee of getting asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma later in life, but it greatly increases the chances.

Those with a history of exposure to asbestos should do everything possible to adopt a healthy, cancer-preventing life-style to avoid the ill effects of breathing in asbestos.

The best steps to take are the simplest: quitting smoking, adopting a healthy diet and following a regular exercise routine might not ward off cancer, but such measures can help to strengthen the body if an asbestos-related disease does develop.

Most of the body’s organs are surrounded by a thin tissue known as the mesothelium. When these tissues are attacked by cancer, the condition is referred to as mesothelioma.

The pleura are the two layers of thin, connective tissue that cover the inner chest wall and the outer lung surface. Pleural mesothelioma, therefore, is cancer of these tissues. It is the most common form of mesothelioma.

The only recognized cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, a mineral that can break into fibers or dust with ease. If these particles are inhaled, they can become lodged in the lungs and lead to pleural mesothelioma. If asbestos particles bypass the lungs, they can attack the stomach and cause peritoneal mesothelioma.

Asbestos has excellent fire-retardant properties, is lightweight and easily formed or woven. It was used in a wide range of applications, from insulating boilers to making roofing materials. The construction, shipbuilding and automotive industries were among the leading markets for asbestos.

By the time asbestos use was strictly regulated, millions of Americans had been exposed to asbestos on their jobs. These same employees also carried the dust home with them on their clothes or in their hair, exposing family members to the risk of mesothelioma also.

Those who worked in shipyards, whether building or retrofitting vessels, are most at risk of any single group. Proportionally, the mortality rate for asbestos-related illnesses among these workers is approximately 16 times greater than the average found in other occupations. Within this group, those who built the “Liberty Ships” during World War II saw an even greater concentration of incidences

Today, stringent guidelines exist to protect workers from exposure to asbestos. For the first six or seven decades of the twentieth century, however, workers and many employers were unaware of the risks associated with asbestos.

Many worked with materials containing asbestos in areas with little or no ventilation and without the benefit of safety equipment, such as respirators. In addition, there were no policies in place requiring employees to leave their work clothes onsite or to shower before leaving the premises, which could possibly have reduced the number of pleural mesothelioma cases attributable to second-hand exposure.

Mesothelioma seldom manifests until many years have elapsed between exposure and the patient’s initial symptoms. It is quite possible for exposure to have occurred fifty years prior to diagnosis.

The average time is about twenty years, and it is rare for a patient to display symptoms in less than seven years. However, the disease’s slow manifestation does not equate to its growth. On the contrary, once it begins, the cancer is quite aggressive.

Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma

The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma can mimic those of numerous other respiratory conditions, thereby delaying an accurate diagnosis. Patients who know or suspect they might have been exposed to asbestos in the past should inform their physicians so that the possibility of mesothelioma can be recognized as soon as possible.

Statistically, mesothelioma is not a common cancer. In the United States, approximately 3,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Globally, the numbers reported are approximately 9 cases per 1 million people.

However, when the epidemic first appeared, the lack of success oncologists achieved with methods that had worked well for other types of cancer led many physicians, pharmaceutical companies and radiologists to focus on improved treatment methods. Although pleural mesothelioma remains a serious condition, great strides have been made in treating the disease, and research is ongoing.

Malignant mesothelioma is a form of cancer that grows around the internal organs of the body. While having no known cure, the disease often responds to various treatments.

Most diagnosed cases are traced back to asbestos exposure, possibly due to a person living or working in a contaminated environment. Though obstacles influencing survival chances, specifically in the later stages, are formidable, mesothelioma life expectancy can be prolonged, based on the following criteria.

Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

While there are many factors to consider, the mesothelioma life expectancy, on average, is about 4 – 18 months. Age, cancer stage and basic health risks, such as smoking, all play a role in a patient’s survival.

Although smoking is not the cause of mesothelioma, smokers seem to have a shorter life expectancy, likely due to compromised lung function. Quitting smoking could positively affect treatment results. A healthy lifestyle, in general, could play a role in a patient’s survival and treatment response.

Age is also a factor in the effectiveness of any therapy a person might receive. The older a patient is when they begin fighting the disease, the harder it may be to recover, because of a weakened immune system. The average age of a mesothelioma sufferer is around 60, but that age seems to be dropping, possibly from a growing number of secondary exposure cases, where family members unknowingly bring home asbestos dust on their clothing.

Stages of Mesothelioma

Stage 1 is the earliest stage of detection and carries the highest rate of survival. The patient may be able to have surgery to remove malignant tumors and possibly pave the way for a full recovery.

Although stage 2 is an earlier stage of detection, it is still considered advanced and the mesothelioma life expectancy is lowered. However, surgery may still be an option, and depending on risk factors, a positive outcome is still attainable.

Once a patient reaches stage 3, symptoms have already presented themselves and the cancer has most likely spread. The prognosis is not as good and treatment will be used, mainly, to lessen the symptoms.

By stage 4, the cancer has invaded many parts of the body and the patient may be experiencing severe pain. While there are methods to relieve suffering, the life expectancy is sharply decreased.

Treatments

There has also been much research and work done by doctors, to not only improve the life span of cancer victims, but to improve the life quality. Early detection has greatly increased life expectancy and clinical trials are consistently advancing the medication and treatments used by physicians.

Radiation, chemotherapy and surgery are traditional methods used to treat mesothelioma, depending on the stage of the cancer. Medications and immune system boosters are often recommended.

There are also alternative therapies in use, such as gene therapy or immunotherapy, along with certain natural healing methods. A select number of patients have shown improvement through the use of acupuncture, massage and meditation. Good nutrition has also proven to be beneficial. Although these treatments may not present a cure, they may prove invaluable in raising the quality of life.

As one might expect, mesothelioma life expectancy is dependent on a number of components, some beyond a patient’s control. Early diagnosis is critical, but through research and knowledge, there is still hope for those with advanced disease.