Asbestos is a term used to classify a group of mineral fibers that share properties of thermal and chemical resistance, flexibility, and hight tensile strength. The term “asbestos” comes from the Greek word for inextinguishable and was termed the “magic mineral” because of its’ extraordinary ability to withstand heat. There are six minerals defined as asbestos including: chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite.

The history of this remarkable, but hazardous material dates back to at least 2500 B.C., when it was used as an ingredient in pottery making. Since then, asbestos has been used in a wide-range of products such as automotive brake pads and clutches, cement, ceiling and floor tiles, boilers, electrical wire insulation, gaskets, joint compound and adhesives, just to name a few.

Mesothelioma is type of lung cancer that is aggressive in nature and almost, always results from exposure to asbestos. At present there is no known cure for Mesothelioma and life expectancy is between 4 to 24 month from the initial onset of symptoms. Currently there is an ongoing epidemic of this disease in the US and it is not showing any signs of slowing down. The primary cause of the Mesothelioma problem is negligence on the part of asbestos manufactures since the1970′s whom did not protect their employees from the dangers of asbestos. Due to this fact and because the latency period for Mesothelioma is between 20 to 40 years, the court system has being inundated with pending asbestos cases ever since. It is estimated that asbestos cases will not peak for another 20 years.

Below are some statistical facts about asbestos and mesothelioma lung cancer:

• Asbestos is considered a carcinogen, which means that it can cause cancer.
• Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that occurs naturally in the environment.

• About 70% to 80% of all reported cases of asbestos exposure occur in the work place.
• Over the past 50 years, occupational exposure to asbestos in the United States is estimated to have occurred in approximately 8 million people.
• Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of lung cancer that results from exposure to airborne asbestos fibers.
• There are two types of Mesothelioma, pleural and peritoneal.
• Initial symptoms of Mesothelioma do not appear until 30 to 40 years after first exposure to asbestos.
• Symptoms of Mesothelioma usually arise 2 to 3 months before the cancer is found and can resemble shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, persistent cough, pneumonia, chest and abdominal pain.
• Mesothelioma is a terminal disease with no known cure and victims die within 18 months of diagnosis due to the cancer being too advanced by the time it is detected.
• Treatments for Mesothelioma include surgery to remove the tumors, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of all three.
• Management of mesothelioma depends largely on the the staging of the tumor as well as the age and physical condition of the patient. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention may lengthen life expectancy.
• According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 3,000 new cases per year of malignant mesothelioma are being reported in the United States, and the incidence appears to be increasing.
• Asbestos cases will continue to increase and it is estimated to peak around the year 2025, according to experts.
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued regulations to phase out the use of almost all asbestos products in 1989, and these rules were overturned in a court challenge in 1991.
• Asbestos is still not banned in the US and there are about 5,000 products that contain asbestos circulating in the US.
• Most asbestos products are used as an ingredient in the making of a final product, such as vinyl-asbestos flooring and friction products, which are purchased mostly by the construction and automobile industries.
• EPA has not banned any substance for any use since 1991 under the provision of the law used for the asbestos ban.
• It is estimated that about 8 million people in the U.S. have been exposed to asbestos in the work place, and, or their home.
• The Congressional Budget Office claims that there are 322,00 pending claims.
• Fair compensation for mesothelioma frequently means a settlement of over $1,000,000.
• About 2,500 victims of Mesothelioma die each year.
• The disease is three times more common in men than in women. In men, the occurrence of mesothelioma is ten times higher in men between the ages of 60-70 as compared to men between the ages of 30-40.
• Due to the monetary value of Mesothelioma as a keyword search term on the Internet, there are bids on Overture or Google Ad Words of over $160 per click, which primarily involved law firms.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is the most typical cancer within the pleura (area encircling the lungs). It is definitely an abnormal as well as steady division of mesothelial cells which encompass a large section of the pleural area. A powerful causal affiliation with asbestos subjection is clearly established. Different presentations of this disorder are also reported, although seldom.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an uncommon neoplasm for which the key risk cause is former asbestos exposure. During the past 10 years, there has been progress around the diagnosis, staging as well as biology of mesothelioma. In addition, treatment for this killer is still greatly controversial which enable it to range from supportive (palliative) care by itself up to aggressive multidimensional therapy. Calculating this, potential scientific tests within cautiously staged patients are essential to see what approaches to management could achieve the best survival rate.

At this time, chest tube drainage via a tube positioned within the chest cavity and pleurodesis, “a procedure which brings about the linings around the lung to stay together and prevents the increase of fluid”, is believed to be the most typical of comfort care treatment for malignant pleural Mesothelioma. Fluid build-up, or pleural effusion, is often the first indication of this grave condition which normally causes the patient to seek medical intervention. Once this effusion has taken place, it is usually obstinate and comes back rapidly subsequent to an original thoracentesis (draining of the fluid). In efforts to get rid of this dilemma, the pleural space must be closed by means of a procedure called pleurodesis. This procedure involves using a “talc slurry” or other sclerosing factor which makes the sticking outcome talked about previously.

As stated, malignant pleural Mesothelioma is an aggressive thoracic malignancy affiliated with contact with asbestos, also its incidence is predicted to increase during the first part of this century. Chemotherapy will be mainstay of any aggressive treatment of the disease, nevertheless there does exist ample confirmation to verify that this standard of care has come forth just in the past 5 years. Experimental clinical trials of second-line and distinctive agents are emerging from an improved comprehension from the mesothelioma cell make-up. These tests, together with high-quality translational examination have revealed that many developments possess a real potential to improve the outlook of sufferers at a time of an increasing incidence.

Please do not forget that malignant pleural Mesothelioma will be the most frequently recognized kind of any malignant mesothelioma. That said, numerous factors are used in determining the survival rate because of this aggressive cancer and some are better understood than others. Estimates of average survival times of this population vary from one to 2 years furthermore these averages depend on a variety of underlying criteria including the type and extent of spread belonging to the mesothelioma. Based on recent figures, persons recognized with malignant pleural Mesothelioma, only have a 7 percent survival time to 5 years following diagnosis. However, this outlook is increasingly improving in the midst of some promising investigational management and several will survive well beyond the stated five years from the point of diagnosis.

Of note is the truth that no reports have included formal dealings of quality of life matters when keeping track of the survival rates for this population plus a small number of scientific studies have reported regarding strategies involved to rate symptom control as well. Palliative radiation treatment may offer symptom treatment and increased quality of life (QOL) for these sufferers.

In review, malignant pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) is the most common neoplasm of the pleura (area around the lungs). It entails an irregular proliferation of mesothelial cells that incorporates a large part of the pleural space. A powerful causal connection to asbestos exposure is well proven. It is the most often recognized type of any malignant mesothelioma as well as includes a survival time of approximately 2 years after diagnosis. Nevertheless, breakthroughs in the treatment and control of this debilitating disease can increase survival rate to above five years and in some cases longer. In other terms, there is hope.

The most critical form of mesothelioma is the malignant form. Known as malignant mesothelioma, the primary causal factor is asbestos infection. According to the US National Cancer Institute, “Malignant mesothelioma is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura), the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum) or the lining around the heart (the pericardium).”

Mesothelioma can be classified into three types – pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma refers to a cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma refers to a cancer of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum) lining, and pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs in the lining that surrounds the heart (pericardium). The subtypes of mesothelioma are of three basic types, one very aggressive, one least aggressive, and one lying between the two extremes.

Malignant mesothelioma can be diagnosed through several imaging techniques. These imaging techniques enable physicians to assess mesothelioma. Once mesothelioma is suspected, patients are advised to undergo several tests, like X-ray, Computed Tomography (CT) scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. The physician may also like to undertake special mesothelioma tests like thoracoscopy, peritoneoscopy and biopsy.

Learning about the stage of mesothelioma is a critical factor that helps physicians to decide the treatment plan. If the cancer is confined to the pleura, mesothelioma is considered localized. If the cancer spreads beyond the pleura and to other parts of the body such as the lungs, abdominal cavity, lymph nodes and the chest wall, mesothelioma is considered to be in an advanced stage.

The oft used and the oldest system for determining the stages of mesothelioma is the Butchart System. The Butchart System is based on the extent of the primary tumor mass available in a patient. This system divides mesothelioma into four stages. The TNM system, a slightly advanced system over the Butchart System, determines staging through variables of tumor in mass and the spread, the lymph node involvement and metastasis. However, the latest system is known as the Brigham System, where staging is done as per the respectability and lymph node involvement. In spite of such modern techniques, a definitive diagnosis of mesothelioma still remains possible through fluid diagnosis and tissue biopsy.

Major symptoms

Though Mesothelioma is neither age nor sex specific, peritoneal Mesothelioma is mostly seen in men who are in the age group of 50-70 years. There are a number of symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma most of which start appearing after 20, 30 or 50 years after the exposure to asbestos. These symptoms may include weight loss (however, waist line may increase), pain or swelling in the abdomen, weakness, loss of appetite, bowel obstruction, anemia, nausea and fever. Also, fluid often accumulates in the peritoneal space leading to a condition called Ascites.

Diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma

The initial step towards detection of peritoneal mesothelioma includes X-rays and CT scans. For confirmed diagnosis, however the doctor needs to do biopsy whereby a piece of tissue is cut from the affected part of the victim’s body and is placed under microscope for examination. If the disease is detected at an early stage it stands better chance of getting cured than the state of diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma, where the cancer has already spread to various parts.

The cure

It’s true that peritoneal mesothelioma is fatal and leads to several deaths every year. However, with continued researches, several modes of treatments have been embarked upon and in the future there is a fair chance of the disease becoming absolutely curable. The types of treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

In surgery a part of the abdominal tissue is cut out to remove the tumor. At times the doctor may also need to remove a lung or a portion of the diaphragm as per the requirement of the surgery. Radiation therapy, the second method, requires the application of high energy X-rays to shrink the tumor and kill the malignant cells. The rays may be applied from an external machine or by placing the radiation source directly to the affected part of the body, by means of plastic tubes. Last treatment type is the chemotherapy whereby a combination of drugs is applied to kill the cancer cells. The drugs may be administered by mouth in the capsule form or may be applied intravenously via needle.

However, it is essential to mention that cost of treating any form of cancer is extravagant and you may consult a mesothelioma lawyer to earn you a handsome compensation from the authority who was responsible for your prior exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma is a rare, deadly form of cancer which can occur in a number of types. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos, a group of natural fibres which are extremely dangerous if inhaled as fibres. When fibres are inhaled they become lodged in the alveoli of the lungs and over a period of time these fibres make tissue and cells abnormal and cause mesothelioma cancer. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma cancer, accounting for approximately 75% of all mesothelioma cases.

The next most common form, peritoneal mesothelioma, accounts for 20% of all mesothelioma cases and pericardial mesothelioma accounts for the remaining 5%. Pleural mesothelioma affects the lining of the lungs, peritoneal mesothelioma attacks the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdomen and pericardial mesothelioma affects the tissue surrounding the heart. All three of these types of cancer occur in extremely important areas of the human body and this is one of the reasons why it is so difficult to treat. Treatment methods such as radiation therapy can only be conducted with strict radiation dosage restrictions due to the possibility of damaging a vital organ such as the lungs or the heart.

Aggressive mesothelioma surgery is undertaken only by the strongest of mesothelioma patients because weaker patients are at risk of death within the first month after the operation. An experienced doctor will evaluate a patient before deciding that surgery is the best treatment method. He will take into account age, medical record, disabilities, allergies, sex, even weight. The operation will then take place. Mesothelioma surgery consists of cutting open a patient and removing the majority of cancerous cells from either the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart in an attempt to gain long term control over the cancer. Due to the proximity of the cancer to major organs of the body, the operation can only be performed by extremely skilled surgeons. There is a chance that a patient will die during the operation.

A second type of mesothelioma surgery is called palliative procedures. This is a far less dangerous and aggressive form of surgery which does not attempt to gain long term control over the cancer. Palliative procedures are designed to lessen the symptoms for a patient when it is almost certain that the patient will die inevitably from the cancer.

Mesothelioma surgery can also be coupled with radiation therapy and chemotherapy in what is known as dual therapy. Patients would undergo surgery to get rid of the majority of the cancerous mesothelioma cells and then chemotherapy and radiation therapy would be used to kill off any remaining cells. This combination of treatments has proved to be effective and has one of the highest success rates for treatments of mesothelioma cancer.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the mesothelium, a membranous lining that surrounds the internal organs. The mesothelium that encloses the lungs is called the pleura; so pleural mesothelioma is the term used to refer to this cancer when it affects the lining of the lungs. The pleura is actually the most common location for this cancer to take hold. This is because the contaminants that cause the disease (usually asbestos fibers) enter the body through the airway and lodge in the lungs. However, it is important to note that pleural mesothelioma is not lung cancer.

Symptoms

Painful breathing, shortness of breath, constant, painful coughing, and chest pain are all common symptoms of the disease. Unexplained weight loss, fever, trouble swallowing, lower back pain, and a hoarse voice are additional issues that may occur with this cancer. Malignant mesothelioma can be present in the body for many decades before causing symptoms. When health problems do start to become evident, they may be mistaken for other illnesses. These are two reasons that this cancer is usually far advanced before it is detected.

Diagnosis

Since mesothelioma is most often caused by asbestos, a patient’s history of exposure will be reviewed early on to determine the likelihood that the symptoms are being caused by this form of cancer. After a physical examination, several tests may be done to find out if mesothelioma is present. Chest X-rays, a CAT scan, and a PET scan are a few examples. An MRI and/or a pulmonary angiography are sometimes used for further confirmation of a diagnosis.

If abnormal results are detected that might indicate mesothelioma, a biopsy will need to be performed. This may be done using a fluid sample from the pleural lining or with a sample of the pleura itself. The larger the sample taken, the more accurate the results of the biopsy tend to be. Gene pattern analysis and other advanced tests may be performed on the tissue sample to determine exactly what type of cancer is present.

Treatment

The recommended approach for treating mesothelioma depends on how far the cancer has spread and the patient’s overall health. Radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery may be the best option for some situations. A few individuals are even candidates for lung transplantation. In other cases, treatment focuses on relieving symptoms such as pleural effusion (fluid buildup around the lungs). There are many clinical trials underway to find more effective treatments for each stage of mesothelioma. These include advanced options such as immunotherapy and gene therapy.

Lawsuits

Many patients who are diagnosed with this cancer file a lawsuit with the assistance of a personal injury lawyer. The goal is to obtain mesothelioma compensation that will cover medical bills and compensate the victim for the pain and suffering caused by the disease. Family members may also choose to file a wrongful death suit following the death of an ill loved one who has died from mesothelioma. Because this disease is commonly diagnosed in elderly patients after the cancer has started spreading, the long-term survival rates are generally very poor.

All cancers, not only mesothelioma cancer, are treated most successfully when the disease is caught very early in its development. Presently, there are no known mesothelioma treatment options that can save a patient’s life after it has started to spread throughout their body. The very best that the doctors can do at that point, is to reduce your pain by supplying you extremely powerful drugs and medications.

If you know somebody that has mesothelioma cancer, your chances of also getting it are significantly increased if you live or work in the same building as they do. The reason for that, is this form of cancer only infects people if they come in contact with a material called, asbestos.

Asbestos was widely used to make all kinds of things in the 20th century, and one of them was construction materials. Fortunately, most of the items it was used to manufacture are no longer around. But, it is still in many old buildings that were constructed during this period.

When the scientist discovered that just inhaling its particles in the air could cause mesothelioma cancer, an entire industry was created removing it from buildings built during the 20th century. But, it is no easy task completely renovating a building and removing all of the asbestos. It is extremely expensive and very time consuming, which is why so much of it is still around today.

If you frequent the same building as somebody that has mesothelioma cancer, you should go to your doctor immediately to have test done to see if you have it. If you catch it early enough, the mesothelioma treatment options that are used today, just might be able to save your life. If the test come back negative and show that you do not have it, you are still not completely safe.

Many times it takes years, or even decades for mesothelioma cancer to develop in somebody’s body after they have been exposed to asbestos. It is highly recommended that if you have come in contact with asbestos, that each year you have test done to determine if you have it.

Today, the most widely used mesothelioma treatment options are the following; surgery, palliative therapies, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The option that your doctor selects for you will be based on many factors which will give you the best chance of survival.

This is a very depressing time for not only the patient, but for the entire family. Most mesothelioma treatment options are not very pleasant experiences, and can make the patient much sicker, until the cancer is no longer present, and they are no longer being utilized.

If you suspect that you or a loved one has this form of cancer, it is imperative that you see your family doctor as soon as possible to have the test done that can either confirm or deny it. Without question, your chances of survival are greatly increased when a mesothelioma treatment is started when this disease is in its very early stages of development.

Mesothelioma Pleural or Pleural Mesothelioma is generally a severe form of cancer that affects the membrane lining in the thoracic cavity. There are a few benign cases as well. The inhaling of asbestos dust either during the mining or manufacturing or handling of the material or from the systems and applications in which it is used is believed to be cause of this sickness.

The latency period, that is, the time taken for the symptoms to manifest, is anywhere from twenty to forty years. The time lag may even extend to fifty years. Because of this, most patients diagnosed with this disease are in the age group of sixties or seventies. Some may not even remember their exposure to asbestos. By the time the warning signs are noticed and correctly diagnosed, the disease may be in an advanced stage where treatment could be non-effectual.

Unfortunately, mesothelioma pleural doesn’t have any distinctive symptoms that prima facie identify the disease. The usual indications are dyspnea (shortness of breath), persistent coughing, disphagia (difficulty in swallowing), and tightness in chest accompanied by chest pain. Some patients may develop swelling of the neck, face and arms. This may indicate that the mesothelioma has spread. There could also be wheezing, hoarseness, fever and sweating, fatigue, sensory loss and nausea. At the advanced stage there may be hymoptysis (coughing up of blood).

The symptoms are mainly caused by effusion, which in this case means fluid collection in the thoracic area. Also, the delicate membrane covering the lungs may thicken and thus reduce expansion and contraction. In certain cases no perceptible signs may show till the cancer has spread beyond control.

Out of the symptoms of mesothelioma pleural the major ones are shortness of breath (90%) and weight loss (29%). About 84% of patients have pleural effusions (fluid collection).

The cure of mesothelioma is highly dependent on a few factors. The type of cure will depend on the type of mesothelioma that someone has and where in the body organs the cancerous tumor is. Another important factor is how big or small the tumor is. The level in which the mesothelioma has progressed is also another factor. The state of health of the patient is very important and also how old the patient is. The age of the patient is important because there are some forms of treatment that are too harsh for a particular age group and if the patient health is very weak then some cures will make the patient feel even worse.

One cure of mesothelioma is surgery but this depends on the stage of the cancer. If the cancer has progressed to later stages then surgery will be needed. There are two type of surgeries that can be performed. The lungs include the organs that are removed during the curative surgery that enables the patient to live for a longer time. The pericardium and the diaphragm are the two other organs that are also removed in this type of surgery. This surgery is very invasive and that is why it is done on patients who are youthful and whose health status is in good standing.

Then there is the other type of surgery that does not necessarily cure the mesothelioma but instead makes it more tolerable. Palliative surgery, the type of surgery is aimed at reducing the side effects of the mesothelioma. When the cancer has progressed to the advanced more dangerous stages, then this is the only surgery that can be done. It is not necessary during the early stages of the mesothelioma.

Chemotherapy is another form of mesothelioma cure though it does not take the cancer away. There are still on-going research that are aiming at making chemotherapy more helpful to the mesothelioma patients. What chemotherapy does is that it alleviates the pains that patients endure because of the mesothelioma. In chemotherapy, two drugs are used so that it can be more effective. There are some patients who do not react well with a combination of drugs and in this case, one drug is used instead. One problem with chemotherapy is that it comes along with side effects like nausea that causes the patient to be given more drugs to take care of the nausea.

Radiation cure of mesothelioma is only used if the health of the patient is not good. Such patients cannot even undergo surgery or even chemotherapy. If the latter procedures are used then the patient could suffer enormously. In brachytherapy radiation, the main aim is to rid the mesothelioma. This is done by inducing the radiation in either the lungs or the abdomen and this deals with the tumor head on. External beam radiation deals only with the organs that have the mesothelioma tumors. The purpose of this type of radiation is to make the patient breath easier and when it comes to eating they are able to swallow better because the pain will be less because of the radiation.

There are many ways that a person can die today. One of the worst ones ever, was when a father was taking his family to Disney World on a vacation. While they were walking around the park a tree branch fell on his head and killed him. What a way to die, but this is not about terrible ways to die, it is about two words that should be connected at the hip, which are “Mesothelioma Cancer” and “Asbestos”.

Almost the entire population of the world has come together to find a cure for cancer. Trillions, not millions, or billions have been spent on the project, with very few positive results to show for it. With any luck, someday the extremely intelligent doctors and scientist that are working on this mission will eventually come up with something that works.

People that smoke cigarettes or use other forms of tobacco, know that they are at a greater risk of getting throat or lung cancer, than if they did not engage in these activities. Individuals that drink large amounts of alcohol, know that there is a possibility that someday they will contract liver cancer.

However, the people who come in contact with asbestos, have no idea that there is a very strong likelihood that someday they will come down with Mesothelioma Cancer. Even worse, a great deal of them do not even know what asbestos is, or have even heard the word spoken a single time in their entire lives.

But, if you lived back in the 40′s or 50′s, you would have been well aware of the marvelous manmade material that was going to change all of our lives. Back then, it was thought of as some kind of “Wonder” substances since it had so many superb qualities that made our lives better. Because of this, it was used in almost every kind of product that is imaginable. Fortunately, most of those items no longer exist.

But, that does not mean that asbestos is still not all around us, if we happen to live or work in the wrong place. It was also used extensively as a building material, because it was cheap, and it was an excellent fire retardant and insulator.

This substance is so dangerous and deadly, that even inhaling a few particles of it could end your life. It is the primary cause of Mesothelioma Cancer, which is an especially vicious form of this lethal disease.

Although, it is now illegal to still use asbestos in anything at all, it is still quite frequently found in old structures and there still are people dying because of it.

It is strongly recommended, that if somebody who you work with, or lives in the same building as you do happens to get Mesothelioma Cancer, that you do everything possible to protect yourself and your family. Almost assuredly, the person that caught it happened to breath in air that contained minute amounts of it, and if you live or work close to them, the very same thing could happen to you.