Cancer treatment

According to statistics, more than 30% of Americans suffering from mesothelioma—a deadly asbestos-induced lung cancer—were exposed to asbestos while serving their country. Veterans and shipyard workers face the greatest risk of developing mesothelioma or similar diseases because of the extensive use of asbestos in military equipment and products, buildings, ships, and submarines. This is especially true for veterans who served during or after World War II and before the1970s when the government began regulating use of asbestos.

Sadly, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of American veterans have suffered exposure to asbestos, putting them at higher risk of developing asbestosis, mesothelioma, or other illness.

Veterans who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-induced lung cancer such as mesothelioma have legal rights and may be able to recover compensation for their losses and suffering. Only an experienced mesothelioma lawyer will know if you have a valid legal claim.

The Risk for Navy Veterans

Asbestos-induced lung cancer is a significant problem among Navy veterans, particularly because the use of asbestos was so very extensive on ships. Virtually no area on a Navy ship built before the 1970s is safe including:

· Fire and engine rooms
· Boiler rooms
· Navigation rooms
· Mess halls
· Sleeping quarters

Additionally, commonly used products such as gaskets, cables, insulation, adhesives, valves, and numerous others contained asbestos. Navy veterans, like other veterans, were prone to carry asbestos dust home on their clothes, thereby exposing their loved ones to the dangerous fibers.

Asbestos is the name for the family of minerals that are fibrous. Historically, it was used in lamp wicks. Asbestos is resistant to fire and it is thus used for various purposes. It is derived from metamorphic rocks.

It is mixed with cement or fabric to be used for various purposes. Because it is flame resistant, chemical resistant and flexible, it is used in electric insulation in constructing buildings, brake shoes and gaskets.

The major disadvantage of asbestos is that it is very harmful. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause various terrible illnesses like mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, whether cancerous or not, is a terrible illness that can mar a person’s entire life. Many countries have banned the use of asbestos for some purposes.

History of asbestos:

The Greeks, Romans and Persians used asbestos. The ancient Greeks first identified it. It was used a lot during the industrial revolution in the US and Canada. The Main purpose, during then, was Insulation; Asbestos fibers were also used in automobile brake pads and shoes. The first brands of filter cigarette, Kent, used asbestos in its filter. Only in the 1920s, the disease, asbestosis, caused by inhaling asbestos fibers was recognized. Only in the 1940s, it was realized that mesothelioma was caused by asbestos.

Usage of asbestos:

Asbestos was widely used in construction industry and shipping industry-It is used for the following purposes:

- Fireproofing

- Gaskets

• Vinyl floor titles & sheeting

• Roofing tars and siding

• Brake pads and shoes

• Fire blankets

• Fire clothing for fire fighters

• Thermal pipe insulation

• Ceiling tiles

• Insulation board

• Thermal and chemical insulation

• Cement sheets and pipes

• Water casing

Health concerns: From the beginning of 1970s, the concerns related to health because of exposure to asbestos have increased. Thousands of people die because of diseases caused by inhalation of asbestos filers. Asbestos is invisible to the human eye as it is very light and minute. This makes it easily airborne and exposure to human respiratory system is easy. This leads to terrible diseases like lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos warts, pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening.

Action taken:

Various countries have banned the use of asbestos completely some have banned asbestos use for certain purposes. However, there are still countries like India and China that are continuing to use asbestos in the construction industry.

It is time that they woke up to the harmful effects of asbestos. It is their duty to protect the citizens from asbestos harm. The WHO should also take some positive steps in this regard.

Asbestos is a wonder mineral that has high strength and heat resistance. Thus, it was widely used for fire proofing buildings and ships. To satisfy these requirements, various companies started mining asbestos in large quantities. The huge profits reaped by these industrial owners made them overlook the potential hazards to the health of employees. In the early 1900s itself, medical researchers started realizing that asbestos is harmful to health. A variety of lung diseases, including Mesothelioma and lung cancer, are attributed to exposure to asbestos filers.

The increased use of asbestos led to a high incidence of fibrosis, asbestosis and other diseases, People who have been working in asbestos industries for 20 years or more were at a higher risk than others of contracting the asbestos related illnesses. However, even people who have inhaled a very small quantity for a very small duration may succumb to this disease, the rich industrialists turned a blind eye to this major issue. Many times, the clothes of these workers also carried asbestos fibers and they passed on the fibers and the diseases to their families and neighbors.

Precautions to be taken:

The best protective measures to be undertaken by the workers of the asbestos industries are to wear clothing that protects them from these fibers. Also, it should be endeavored to reduce the dust and pollution in these industries. The workers should wash themselves and change their clothes before leaving home.

Mesothelioma, caused by exposure to asbestos fibers, is a terrible condition in which the mesothelium cells multiply rapidly and affect the nearby organs too. Mesothelioma may be cancerous or non-cancerous. When it is cancerous, it is known as a malignant form of mesothelioma and when it is non-cancerous, it is in benign form. The pain and suffering of the affected patients is too terrible to describe. Chemotherapy, surgery and constant monitoring are essential for these patients throughout their life. The patients are given painkillers to help them bear the terrible pain.

The link between asbestos fibers and illness was found out only in the 1930s. However, it was only in the 1940s, mesothelioma was linked to exposure to asbestos fibers • The main reason why the harmful effects of asbestos was not discovered was because of the long gap between the exposure and the onset of the disease. Sometimes, this may even be 35 to 40 years. Many of the workers shift umpteen jobs by this time and they are unable to link their condition to asbestos exposure.

The industrialists, fearing the safety precautions and stoppage of production, tried to stop further research in these areas. Also, they cover up research results and misrepresent and argue findings. However, now days, many countries have woken up to the harmful effects of asbestos and have banned it for various uses. Some countries like India and china have not taken any significant action to control asbestos exposure and protect the employees.

To protect innocent people from the clutches of mesothelioma is the responsibility of the governments of various countries. They should create awareness among the general public about the dangers of asbestos and check whether all industries are complying with the safety precautions.

The main causes of mesothelioma is the inhaling of asbestos particles or the exposure to asbestos dust and fibre. It is the most severe form of cancer and up to now there has been no cure for this deadly disease. The nature of this form of cancer is the development of malignant cells in the protective lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs. This protective lining is also called the mesothelium.

The most common area in the body where it develops is the outer lining of the lungs and is called the pleura. Chest pains is a common mesothelioma symptom, accompanied with frequent shortness of breath, chronic coughing, tiredness, pneumonia, hoarseness, anemia, fluid covering the lungs and coughing up blood being the harshest mesothelioma symptom. Sometimes in very serious cases the person might have numerous tumor masses which will cause the lungs to collapse. This tumor masses will then usually spread to other parts of the body such as the abdominal cavity. Symptoms of this being abdominal pain, weight loss, fluid in the abdomen and problems with bowel functioning.

The diagnosis is often difficult due to the fact that most mesothelioma symptom signs are similar to that of other conditions such as pneumonia etc. A medical history check usually gets done to see if the patient hasn’t had any exposure to asbestos in the past. Treatment of the disease by using traditional therapies has proved unsuccessful and patients usually have an average survival time of 6 to 12 months prior to presentation. Treating mesothelioma is extremely costly and because of this many people file lawsuits to cover the expenses of the treatment.

Patients of mesothelioma are able to claim for compensation by the government through the help of an attorney. Victims can also sue the companies they worked for, for not being considerate towards their employees health and only caring about the profit of the company.If you work on a job or perhaps worked on a job where you had to handle materials consisting of asbestos and you have frequent problems with your chest, then the chances are good that you might have mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is the growth of malignant cells in mesothelium, the thin membrane covering the body’s internal organs. This mesothelium lining covers the pleural, peritoneal and pericardial cavities. Pleura is a membrane covering the lungs and it is the most common location where mesothelioma cancer occurs also known as pleural mesothelioma. Peritoneum, the protective covering that lines the abdominal cavity may also develop malignant tumors and cause peritoneal mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is one of the rarest cancers in the world that is caused only by exposure to asbestos. Its exposure can be direct, by inhalation of asbestos or indirect exposure in which the asbestos particles are inhaled from the clothing, hair, equipment or other articles that were previously exposed to asbestos.

Causes of Mesothelioma Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that is mined in different parts of the world due to its wide utility in various industries. However, it is a deadly carcinogen too and a mojor cause of mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Asbestos fibers are known to cause cancer of the mesothelium. Asbestos is the fibrous form of several minerals and hydrous silicates of magnesium found under ground. There are 3 types of asbestos, the blue one, the while one and the brown one. Of all these 3 types, the blue one also called amphibole, long and thin in structure is more carcinogenic than white or chrysolite asbestos or the brown one known as amosite.

However, in some cases the brown asbestos has also been found to cause mesothelioma. And it is for this reason that people exposed to asbestos even for a short period are vulnerable to the disease.

Pleural Mesothelioma Asbestos fibers are very fine and easily make their way to the lungs where they settle down in the parenchyma of the lung and penetrate the pleura that later develops malignant mesothelial plaques.

Pleura, which anchors lungs to the chest cavity, is itself a double-layered membrane. The inner layer called visceral pleura surrounds the lungs, while the outer one, known as parietal pleura, forms the lining of the pleural or chest cavity. The two pleural layers are filled with a fluid that helps them to slide over each other as we breathe. As the disease progresses, the delicate pleural membranes thicken and press the lungs. A fluid secreted by the malignant cells, pleural effusion, may also collect between visceral and parietal pleurae that causes problem in breathing and other complications.

Peritoneum Mesothelioma The asbestos fibers may also cause cancer in the peritoneum, known as peritoneal mesothelioma. This leads to thickening of the membranes surrounding abdominal organs and collection of a fluid, ascites in the abdominal cavity making it swell.

Though it is yet not clear how peritoneal mesothelioma develops, it is believed that from lungs, the asbestos fibers are transported to abdomen and its organs by the lymphatic system or they may be deposited in the gut through saliva contaminated by the asbestos fibers.

Pericardial Mesothelioma This is the rarest type of mesothelioma cancer that comprises of only 5% of all the mesothelioma cases. Like other types of mesothelioma cancer, pericardial mesothelioma is also caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust and fibers. The lining of the chest cavity which protects the heart is known as pericardium. It is provided with a natural fluid or mucous that provide continuous lubrication to the heart so that it can work properly and perform its functions.

Several diseases are related to the exposure of asbestos fibers. Not all of these are deadly, but they all result in health damage and even damage to the quality of the patient’s life. Most of these diseases can be predicted and treated during the time of asbestos exposure. Normally, your exposure to the dust and fibers of asbestos does not cause disease immediately. However, you need to protect yourself from being exposed just to make sure that you will not develop a medical condition related with the mineral.

The dust and fibers of asbestos are hazardous since these are really small. In fact, a microscope is needed just to determine the type of an asbestos fiber. Once they enter the body, there are two possible places where asbestos fibers go. When the fibers are breathed accidentally, they go to your lungs. If they are swallowed, they go to your stomach. Hence, the most common types of asbestos-related diseases occur in the human chest and lungs.

When the fibers of asbestos are viewed through a microscope, they appear sharp. If they get inside your body, they will destroy your tissues. It has been said that all levels of asbestos exposure are harmful to the body. This is due to the fact that just one fiber can bring severe harm. The risk is greatest when you are constantly exposed to it. Medical experts say that the only way for you to hinder the development of asbestos-related health problems is to keep yourself from being exposed to its fibers.

Cancer diseases, which are linked with asbestos exposure, generally take two to four decades to develop. The whole duration is known as the “latency period.” Compared to other asbestos-related diseases, pleural thickening occurs more often. There are some individuals who refer to their disease as “asbestosis.” However, asbestosis is the specific term for one condition. In order for you to know what is affecting you precisely, you need the diagnosis of a specialist.

The following are among the diseases that are brought about due to severe exposure to the fibers and dust of asbestos:

Mesothelioma

This is a type of cancer which is a result of one’s exposure to asbestos dust. Inhaled asbestos dust can accumulate on the lining of your lungs, stomach, and chest. Life expectancy for this kind is 6 to 18 months after the diagnosis.

Lung cancer and other types of cancer diseases

Epidemiological studies suggest that asbestos is one of the primary reasons for lung cancer-related deaths. On the other hand, there are times when a specialist finds it hard to determine the cause of lung cancer. This is especially true when the patient smokes a lot. It has been discovered that exposure to asbestos, paired with smoking, increases the likely of developing lung cancer. Other types of asbestos-related cancer are larynx cancer; stomach cancer; and cancer to the rectum, colon, and ovaries.

Asbestosis

This is a type of pneumoconiosis. Asbestosis is the general reference for the damage occurring to the interior of your lung as a result of asbestos dust inhalation. Your lung is comprised of several alveoli where carbon dioxide and oxygen are transported to and from your blood. When asbestos dust gets inside your lung, the walls of your alveoli are damaged.

Pleural plaques

These refer to the local scarring or thickening of the membrane lining your lungs. Although this type of illness is not that severe, it can be painful and discomforting. It can act as a precursor to another type of asbestos-related disease.

Pleural thickening

This happens when the pleural lining of your lung hardens due to the asbestos fibers found in your lungs. When the case is severe, it can lead to breathing difficulties.

Just like looking for the best lawyers to handle a serious case, looking for the best doctors for mesothelioma is very important. If you or your loved one has this form of cancer, only the best trained and experienced doctor can give you the accurate diagnosis and can recommend other recuperative approaches. You will need to find a doctor who is knowledgeable about the disease and medication or other treatment options. You need a doctor who can come up with the correct options in care such as chemotherapy, radiation, surgical appraisal, and/or other more focused forms of treatment. It is of paramount significance to broaden your search for doctors who handle mesothelioma successfully. You want the doctor who also keeps himself informed of the latest procedures and studies.

You also need to know who is the backup physician. With a qualified substitute you can feel rest assured that you will be taken care of when you need medical attention. You have to consider the hospital where the doctor has work privileges. Since you will be visiting the clinic or hospital every now and then, it is important that you are comfortable with the location and quality of care that you would receive at that location.

You and your doctor will be partners for the rest of your life. So choosing a doctor should be done painstakingly and with care. Consider recommendations or referrals. Reflect on the credentials of the doctors and verify them. Choose 3 or 4 specialists and study their credentials before finally making appointments with those doctors. Then meet them and evaluate how well you two interact. Second opinions can also be helpful. There are conservative doctors and there are assertive ones. Only you can be the judge as to what kind of doctor is right for you.

You will be telling your doctor important information about your disease ranging from symptoms to how long ago the exposure was and how much time were you exposed to asbestos or asbestos-related substance. After the initial consultation the doctor may feel it necessary for you to undergo some scans like the Chest CT scan or biopsy, contingent on the type of mesothelioma cancer you have. Basically, there are three types of mesothelioma cancer. Pleural lungs, peritoneal (abdominal) and pericardial (heart), any of these can develop within you. As soon as your doctor has arrived at a definite analysis, you will know what type of mesothelioma cancer you have, at what stage and if the cancer has metastasized. Treatments are then scheduled. Whatever the treatments are, your doctor will recommend what is appropriate for you in considering how far along the cancer has progressed.

Having a good effective relationship with your doctor is key to your treatment. Being able to communicate properly with each other makes a big difference in your ability to deal with your cancer. Remember not to leave everything to your doctor. You also have responsibilities. Telling the doctor honestly how you feel, your opinions, and your questions will educate you about your illness. With recent research and discoveries, patients who undergo treatment are experiencing longer remissions than ever before. Mesothelioma patients with proper doctor care are living for longer periods of time.

If someone from your family has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, finding a mesothelioma lawyer right away is essential. When you are searching for the best attorney to represent you, there are important things which you have to consider. First, you need to make sure that the law firm is reliable. Its lawyers should also be reliable. Second, you have to consider the relationship that you will be building with your lawyer. Establishing rapport with him is essential, since you will be talking with him regularly. What is more, you will be divulging personal information to him.

When you are planning to file an asbestos-related lawsuit, you should start by researching law firms first. There are various law agencies which concentrate on litigating mesothelioma cases. You can find a reputable firm within your state if you know where to begin. If you are looking for an experienced mesothelioma lawyer, you can do your research over the Internet, directories, or bar associations. Inquire about the services that they are offering to their clients. You might want to make a list of the firms or lawyers whom you think are qualified enough to represent you.

When you think that the list is long enough, try to reach each of the firms or mesothelioma attorneys. You can do this by sending out a letter or e-mail or even with a phone call. Give the firms general information regarding your case, and determine whether they will be able to manage it well or not. You might also want to know how much they will be charging you. Their charges include initial consultation fees, and the overall charge for handling the mesothelioma claim. It is also important for you to meet personally with different lawyers. This way, you can determine if you are comfortable with the lawyer or not. Most of all, you have to know the expertise of the attorneys in your list. You will know that he is capable of upholding your rights when he has won many cases already.

After you decide which mesothelioma lawyer you want to hire, talk to him right away. The two of you will be able to converse well during the initial consultation. Your lawyer will assess your case, and learn its depth. He should inform you of your legal rights. If there are alternative steps available, you have the right to know what these are. During the initial consultation, your lawyer should also tell you what he can do to help you with your lawsuit claim. Along with this, he has to inform you how much this will cost you. When you are satisfied with the information that you have obtained during this first meeting, you can ask for a written agreement for the fees that you will be settling.

Based on the initial consultation, you will be able to know if you can really trust your mesothelioma lawyer. Furthermore, you will know if you can be comfortable around him or not. Make sure that the lawyer listens attentively to what you have to say. He should also be able to provide you with as much information regarding your rights, the lawsuit, and the steps that have to be taken. Most importantly, you have to make sure that you can understand your lawyer well.

There is a way for you to lessen legal costs. It is possible that a paralegal or junior attorney can handle the lesser legal tasks involved with your case. You can also offer help with the other duties if you are able to. There are some lawyers who work according to a contingency basis. When you are offered this kind of service by your lawyer, this means that you will have to pay him a percentage of the compensation. But if you do not win the lawsuit claim, you are not required to pay your lawyer anything.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which affects the peritoneum of the human abdominal cavity. However, depending upon the location of the cancerous tumours (pleura or peritoneum) the symptoms vary.

There are different treatments available for the malignant peritoneal Mesothelioma, depending upon the state of its diagnosis. Physicians and researchers are constantly working to improve upon the existing treatments. There is no established method in determining the stage of the cancer so a TNM system is used.

Symptoms of the cancer include nausea and vomiting, weight loss, fever, bowel obstruction, loss of appetite and general pain in the stomach area. Thus, the three main forms of Mesothelioma are pleural, peritoneal and pericardial. Peritoneal affects the lining that guards the abdomen’s insides, and which also gives a lubricating fluid that facilitates the smooth movement and functioning of the organs.

Peritoneal and, less commonly, Pericardial, are not as common as the pleural type, but just as deadly. Specific types of treatment for peritoneal include:

1-Surgery

2-Radiation Therapy

3-Chemotherapy

Peritoneal causes many deaths each year. Other symptoms may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anaemia, and fever.

A person with malignant peritoneal may be diagnosed because of complaints such as an abdominal lump or swelling, unexplained weight loss, fever, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, and constipation caused by bowel obstruction. Similarly, symptoms of peritoneal Mesothelioma, such as nausea, vomiting and appetite loss, may be seen in a number of abdominal and systemic conditions.

In around 1980 asbestos was determined to cause several life-threatening asbestos exposure-related diseases (asbestosis, lung cancer, pleural and peritoneal Mesothelioma). Those suffering from peritoneal Mesothelioma are mostly elderly men who worked amongst asbestos decades ago when workers were not protected from asbestos dust.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is difficult to diagnose. Symptoms are chronologically far apart. This creates a lot of confusion among some doctors because some symptoms could be attributed to other common diseases. Well-timed diagnosis can be extremely difficult due to the dormant period between getting infected and manifestation of indications. This could take up to 40 years to fully show itself and the damage it has caused. When symptoms are apparent, this cancer is already in the advanced state. By that time, treatment can do little for the patient. Treatment choices differ according to the stages of the cancer. Pleural mesothelomia has around four stages while peritoneal mesothelomia is not staged.

Stage I shows the presence of mesothelomia either on the right or on the left pleura or the stomach. Stage II assaults the chest wall or the esophagus, heart or pleura on both sides. At stage III, lymph nodes can be found further and may involve the chest. This is also the stage when mesothelioma has penetrated the abdomen down to the lining of the abdominal cavity. Stages II to IV is categorized as the advanced state of cancer. Stage IV is considered advanced mesothelioma and most of the time it is an open/close surgery, as it is no longer helpful. The cancer of mesothelioma is difficult to the point of being impossible to treat. Initially tumors can be seen in the membranes that enclose the chest cavity and abdominal cavity. It then metastasizes to the organs nearby.

The gauge of the stages is done through CAT scans, MRI testing, and other use of mechanisms like x-rays. By way of these tools the physician can see how far the cancer has has spread. Through theses measures the physician will be able to translate what level and type treatment is appropriate for which stage. Once stage and treatment has been defined, the doctor then talks it over with the patient and his family. By the time mesothelioma is diagnosed, most of the treatment is pain management and control, drug therapy, and psychological methods to help the patient deal better with the effect of pain.

Treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery are not sufficient without supplementary medications. But when conventional methods are no longer an option, experimental methods might be considered. Clinical trials are being done on humans to see how effective new drugs are with human beings. If a patient will agree to participate in a clinical trial the patient benefits in return for helping scientists analyze its efficacy of the research.

By and large, treatment would always depend on the location of tumor, what stage the cancer is in, its spread and how mesothelomia cancer metastasized. Factors like age and the overall health condition of the patient may well be considered during treatment.

Management and handling of mesothelomia cancer is a very difficult procedure. The patient needs to be physically and emotionally ready for the consequences of having mesothelioma cancer. Whatever the doctors’ prognosis will be, the patient needs to be able to prepare for what will happen next.