Mesothelioma Hope and Help

Mesothelioma Hope and Help
By: Nick Johnson

The detrimental nature of being diagnosed with Mesothelioma has become widely recognized, and the unfortunate fact that asbestos-related illnesses are far reaching is only lately becoming understood. While most Mesothelioma patients have had jobs where they have had a higher than average contact with asbestos, it is now apparent that they brought home more than just hugs to their family members at the end of a long day.

Asbestos-related illnesses including Mesothelioma take many years to show their full effects, and often family members are now reporting cases of Mesothelioma simply from their exposure on the clothing their hard working loved one.

After over 50 years of unregulated asbestos usage throughout the United States, the number of Mesothelioma lawsuit cases skyrocketed. Attorneys were forced to become asbestos specialists, and Mesothelioma lawyers soon realized they were dealing with a long term epidemic.
In April 2003, it was suggested that the number of Mesothelioma cases had peaked, but Mesothelioma lawyers disagree as their rate for filing Mesothelioma lawsuits has once again begun a steady incline. Mesothelioma lawyers fear that their clients will not be able to bring enough companies into accountability as there is an overload of Mesothelioma lawsuits floating through district specific courtrooms.

New York Mesothelioma lawyers predict there will be a huge influx over the next ten years when the devastation of 911 is taken into account. The free floating asbestos that circulated through the city can have staggering effects on Mesothelioma lawsuits nationwide and perhaps even worldwide.

If you are in need of reaching a Mesothelioma settlement in order to take care of your medical needs as well as your family’s financial future, Mesothelioma lawyers can assist you in understanding your rights to file a Mesothelioma lawsuit. Mesothelioma settlements are designed to protect your family in the event of your financial loss, as well as protect your family from the financial devastation that asbestos related cancers can cause on a family’s income and ability to provide.

Mesothelioma lawyers predict that many people who were affected from the 911 destruction do not realize they have the right to sue the city. While numerous people, whether it was their job or not, risked their lives for the sake of others, the city has yet to come to a reasonable Mesothelioma settlement with those who were there to protect and serve, including those in governmental positions at the time. Do not hesitate to contact a Mesothelioma lawyer even if you simply suspect you are carrying an asbestos-related illness. Time is precious, and a Mesothelioma lawyer can help you make the most of your time.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com


Nick Johnson serves as lead counsel with Johnson Law Group, a personal injury law firm with principal offices in Houston, Texas. Johnson represents plaintiffs in many states and focuses on injury cases involving Mesothelioma, Paxil, Fen-Phen, Nursing Home Abuse, and Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH). Contact Nick Johnson today at 1-888-311-5522 or visit www.johnsonlawgroup.com for a free case evaluation.

Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment and Prevention

Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment and Prevention
By: Juliet Cohen

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer. It caused by previous exposure to asbestos. An exposure of as little as one or two months can result in mesothelioma 30 or 40 years later. Simian virus 40 (SV40) may act as a cofactor in the development of mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. The two major types of malignant mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma, which concerns the mesothelium membrane that surrounds the lungs, and peritoneal mesothelioma which concerns the mesothelium layer that covers the organs in the abdominal cavity. The people most at risk from being carriers of this cancer are those have worked with asbestos over the past thirty to fifty years. Because of this, the disease is most common in men between the ages of sixty and seventy as this is the group that commonly worked with asbestos during those years. Because of the lack of protection and regulations in those days, these workers were constantly exposed to the dust and fibres from the asbestos, which caused the cells of the mesothelium to become abnormal. Many building materials used in both public and domestic premises prior to the banning of asbestos may contain asbestos. Those performing renovation works or diy activities may expose themselves to asbestos dust.

Mesothelium helps protect the organs by producing a special lubricating fluid that allows organs to move around. Mesothelioma is an extremely malignant and incurable cancer that infects the membrane that surrounds most of the internal organs. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Affecting the mesothelial cells that make up the mesothelium – the outer lining that protects the body’s major organs such as the heart, stomach and lungs. Pleural mesothelioma represents 75% of mesothelioma cases - but it is far from the only type of this deadly cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining around the stomach and intestines, and is just as dangerous and deadly. Treatment of MM using conventional therapies has not proved successful and patients have a median survival time of 6 - 12 months after presentation. The clinical behaviour of the malignancy is affected by several factors including the continuous mesothelial surface of the pleural cavity

Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment and Prevention Tips

1. Health-care workers who specialize in part control are employing state-of-the art techniques to successfully fight pain.

2. During the initial stages of mesothelioma, pain can be relieved with over-the-counter analgesics, such as aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).

3. Drug therapy is the primary method for treating mesothelioma pain.

4. Non-Opoids are pain-relieving medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and NSAIDs, such as ibuprofin, which can be purchases over-the-counter and taken orally.

5. Opoids are the strongest medicines available to treat pain. Opoids, such as codeine, morphine, oxcodone, fentany, and hydromorphone, are very effective in relieving mesothelioma pain.

6. Adjuvant analgesics are medicines intended for purposes other than pain relief. A number of these are used to alleviate pain associated with mesothelioma, such as antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and steroids.

7. Emotional Support to Help Relieve Pain.As with all aspects of mesothelioma, emotional support from family or professional counseling can play a key role in pain management

8. For patients with localized disease, and who can tolerate a radical surgery, radiation is often given post-operatively as a consolidative treatment.

9. Chrysotile has been used more frequently, hence many mesotheliomas are caused by chrysotile.

10. Removal is taking place in schools and other public buildings throughout the U.S. The hope is that these measures will greatly reduce the occurrence of this cancer.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com


Juliet Cohen writes articles for health care clinic and home remedies. She also writes articles on beauty tips.

Symptoms and Treatments for Mesothelioma

Symptoms and Treatments for Mesothelioma
By: Andrew Daigle

Mesothelioma is one of the few cancers that don't exhibit symptoms until the cancer reaches the late stage of development and it is at this point that many cases become incurable. It also has non-specific symptoms and thousands of cases each year are misdiagnosed as other, less severe respiratory conditions. Simply put, mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the thin layer of protective tissue around the major organs, most noticeably the lungs, heart and stomach and recently it has been positively linked to the mineral asbestos. This thin layer of tissue, the mesothelium, allows inhaled asbestos fibres to embed themselves, and it is here that they can lay dormant for up to 50 years before becoming cancerous.

The symptoms that are associated with mesothelioma depend on which of the body's organs are affected.

Pleural mesothelioma. This type of cancer affects the lungs and causes a number of symptoms including:

· Persistent cough that doesn't improve with medication
· Breathing difficulties
· Shortness of breath
· Fever
· Difficulty swallowing
· Chest pain
· Weight loss

Pericardial mesothelioma. This second type of mesothelioma affects the heart tissue and includes the following symptoms:

· Breathing difficulties
· Chesty cough
· Palpitations

Peritoneal mesothelioma. The third type of mesothelioma affects the stomach and causes the following symptoms:

· Nausea and vomiting
· Abdominal pain
· Weight loss
· Bloating of the stomach
· Bowel obstruction
· Fever

Obviously all of these symptoms can also be due to a number of other conditions however anyone who experiences them should consult a doctor, especially those who have been exposed to asbestos in the past.

Unfortunately for mesothelioma victims, the symptoms only present themselves late in the cancer's development and so in many cases treatment is palliative rather than curative. There are a number of possible types of treatment that can be used against mesothelioma and the course of treatment that is prescribed will depend to a large extent on how developed the cancer is and how far it has spread around the body. This information can be determined using x-rays, CT scans and MRI scans because these imaging techniques can provide a detailed view of the cancer's progression and how many areas of the body are affected. The possible forms of treatment include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and palliative care and either a single form or a combination will be used.

Surgery. Surgery can be used in cases where there is an obvious large tumour however it will only become an option if the tumour is causing chronic pain or if it is causing an obstruction e.g. in one or both of the lungs. Because mesothelioma can take between 30 and 50 years to develop many sufferers are elderly when they are diagnosed and so the option of surgery will also depend on age and general state of health. Occasionally it is considered safer to live with the tumour than to risk the rigors of surgery.

Radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is most effective when the mesothelioma is confined to a single site, such as the lungs. It can and often is used in conjunction with chemotherapy as an extra defence against any small pockets of cancerous cells that might survive drug therapy. Radiotherapy can produce some side effects however they are easily treated and rarely cause problems.

Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy for mesothelioma will more often than not involve a stay in hospital while a specific drug concoction is introduced to the body intravenously. Chemotherapy is used when the cancer has spread to other areas and so the treatment needs to attack multiple sites.

Palliative care. Palliative care can include any of the above treatments however they will be aimed at improving and extending the quality of life rather than providing a cure. Palliative care will also include pain relief as in many cases the mesothelioma is well advanced and causing chronic chest and abdominal discomfort.

Mesothelioma is considered a rare form of cancer however in the last decade the number of cases diagnosed each year has steadily risen. Since becoming associated with asbestos many victims have successfully sued their former employers and many more are starting proceedings each and every year. Today workers have to wear protective clothing and breathing apparatus while working with asbestos and so it may be that the presence of mesothelioma dies along with the current generation.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com


Andrew Daigle is the owner, creator and author of many successful websites including CancerAbout, a Cancer Information Resource site and a Mesothelioma Lawyer Resource site.

Mesothelioma Symptom Info

Mesothelioma Symptom Info
By: Darren Siebrits

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. 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.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com


For more info on mesothelioma go to www.mesothelioma-symptom-information.blogspot.com

Rare and Serious, Mesothelioma is a Dangerous Disease

Rare and Serious, Mesothelioma is a Dangerous Disease
By: Peter Kent

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lining of the lung (pleural mesothelioma) or the lining of the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). The only known cause of mesothelioma in the U.S. is exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma has a long latency period, the time between first exposure to asbestos and the diagnosis of the disease. In rare cases the latency period has been as short as 10 to 15 years after the first exposure to asbestos; however, generally mesothelioma occurs between 20 and 40 or more years after an individual's first exposure. Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions.

Benign mesothelioma is a non-cancerous tumor of the pleura (lining of the lung and chest cavity). Men are more likely then women to be affected by the localized malignant tumor caused by mesothelioma. The tumor may grow to a large size and compress the lung, which then causes the following symptoms: chronic cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity).

Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include anemia, blood clotting abnormalities, fever, and bowel obstruction. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. Some people experience these symptoms and they may be caused by a less severe condtion, but they are also indications of mesothelioma.

Approximately half of mesothelioma patients are asymptomatic (show no symptoms of disease). An indication of exposure to asbestos and the presence of mesothelioma that can be found by a health care provider is the physically clubbed appearance of the fingers of the patient.The health care professional may run tests that identify mesothelioma. These tests include a chest x-ray, CT scan of the chest and/or and open lung biopsy.

There is no universally accepted protocol for screening people who have been exposed to asbestos. However some research indicates that serum osteopontin levels might be useful in screening asbestos-exposed people for mesothelioma. The level of soluble mesothelin-related protein is elevated in the serum of about 75% of patients at diagnosis, and it has been suggested that assessing soluble mesothelin-related protein levels may be useful for screening.

Surgery is usually generally necessary for a solitary tumor (if found); however, according to current statistics, the outcome of the surgery is expected to be good with prompt treatment. One of the most common complications though is pleural effusion (fluid escaping into the membranes around the lungs), which can be very serious.

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com


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Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Mesothelioma Treatment Options
By: Alan Haburchak

Treatment of malignant mesothelioma can be very difficult for a wide variety of reasons. First and foremost, mesothelioma can be difficult to correctly diagnose and may not show up in a patient for decades. This can create problems for treatment because with mesothelioma, as with all cancers, treatment is more difficult the longer the disease has been allowed to progress. In addition to the difficulties created by delayed treatment of mesothelioma, the disease often does not respond to traditional cancer treatments, further complicating treatment. Also, the organs that are involved in mesothelioma cannot be partially or wholly removed usually, which means that surgical options can be extremely limited. Lastly, the fact that the majority of mesothelioma patients are men of advanced age, usually over 50, means that some more radical treatment approaches cannot be used because of declining health due to old age.All of this means that even newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients sometimes are given a very bad chance of recovery by their doctors. Statistics are hard to come by, but British scientists suggest that 10% of newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients will live for at least three more years; Only 5% will live five years or longer. For patients in the first stage, 50% live for at least two more years. However doctors can be mistaken, and a diagnosis of mesothelioma is in no way always tantamount to a death sentence. Famed scientist Stephen Jay Gould lived with peritoneal mesothelioma for nearly 20 years. He eventually died from a different type of cancer.There are four stages of malignant mesothelioma, which measure how far the disease has progressed. How a patient's mesothelioma is treated depends largely on which stage he or she is in when the disease is found.* Stage I: Localized mesothelioma that exists only in the lungs, the diaphragm or the pericardial lining.* Stage II: Advanced mesothelioma that has spread into the lymph nodes of the chest.* Stage III: Advanced mesotheioma that has spread into the wall of the chest, the center of the chest, the lining of the heart and the diaphragm. Stage III malignant mesothelioma may or may not have spread to the lymph nodes.* Stage IV: Advanced mesothelioma that has spread far from the chest and abdomen into other organs.SurgeryPatients with Stage I or milder Stage II mesothelioma are generally offered one or more of the conventional cancer treatments: surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. For early-stage patients, surgery for mesothelioma aims to cure the disease by literally cutting the cancer out of the patient's body. The most common type of surgery for pleural mesothelioma is a pleurectomy/decortication, which is where doctors remove all or part of the tissues lining the lungs and chest cavity. If doctors find that they can't remove the cancer without removing the lung underneath those tissues, they may remove one lung as well; this is called a pneumonectomy. A more radical type of surgery for pleural mesothelioma is called an extrapleural pneunonectomy (EPP). In the case of an EPP, surgeons will remove parts of one lung, the pleura, the diaphragm, and the lining of the heart. These are difficult and dangerous surgeries that doctors won't recommend lightly.Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma -- the kind that affects the abdomen -- may be offered cytoredutive surgery. In this surgery, doctors are trying to remove all of the cancerous tissue they can find in the abdomen and gut. Doctors may also opt for a peritonectomy, in which the entire lining of the abdomen is removed. Again, this is not an easy surgery and may not be possible for everyone, but it has been successful in some patients. Patients with pericardial mesothelioma are not generally offered surgery.Radiation and ChemotherapyIn addition to or instead of surgery, doctors may offer an early-stage mesothelioma patient chemotherapy, radiation or both. Radiation and chemotherapy are designed to kill the cancer cells without killing the patient. Unfortuantely, in order to kill the cancerous cells, these treatments often kill healthy cells as well. This is why cancer patients often lose their hair, have trouble eating and feel generally weak and sick during treatment. Doctors who prescribe chemotherapy or radiation may also suggest dietary supplements or other measures to control these symptoms.Chemotherapy gives patients a drug designed to attack the cancer cells as they divide. The drug is swallowed or injected into the bloodstream regularly over a period of weeks or months, in cycles that give a patient some recovery time in between treatments. Patients can live at home and just go into a doctor's office for the treatment; sometimes, they can even have the treatments at home. In some cases, doctors may choose to apply chemotherapy drugs directly to the cancerous tissue; this requires surgery, so patients must check into a hospital. There are many different kinds of chemotherapy drugs, and scientists are trying to develop better ones every day.Radiation therapy seeks to kill the cancer cells with high-energy rays of radiation, such as x-rays, that stop them from growing. With external-beam radiation, patients will be subjected to directed rays of radiation directed as specific parts of the body affected by cancer. This treatment lasts about 30 minutes a day and is given in the exact same way each day over a period of weeks. In internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy), doctors put a container of radioactive material next to the cancerous tissue, using surgery or an existing body cavity. Some will be left in the body; others will be removed and replaced. Lastly, radiopharmaceuticals are sometimes used to administer radiation treatments, with the drugs being either injected, inserted into a body cavity or swallowed.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com
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Mesothelioma and Wrongful Death Lawsuits
By: Alan Haburchak

Mesothelioma litigation is usually brought forth after a victim's exposure to asbestos years earlier, but these lawsuits are often coupled with mesothelioma wrongful death lawsuits. A mesothelioma wrongful death lawsuit occur when a plantiff or claimant, such as a victim or family member of a mesothelioma cancer victim, brings forth legal action in a civil court.

Why File A Mesothelioma Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

The death of a loved one as a result of any disease is always terrible for the family of the victim, however that pain can be made even more difficult to bear when the disease and death come as a result of the negligence or action of a third party. Luckily, family and friends of a victim can find comfort with an experienced and knowledgeable wrongful death lawyer who can offer assitance as well as ease suffering. Victims of mesothelioma cancer, which is incurable, have often been exposed to asbestos fibers that are breathed in and attach to the lung. This exposure usually occurs at a place of employment.

Because of the fact that mesothelioma is so serious a form of lung cancer, the ultimately outcome of the disease if often the death of the patient. Mesothelioma litigation is usually brought forth after a victim's exposure to asbestos years earlier, but these lawsuits are often coupled with mesothelioma wrongful death lawsuits. A mesothelioma wrongful death lawsuit occur when a plantiff or claimant, such as a victim or family member of a mesothelioma cancer victim, brings forth legal action in a civil court.

What Are Expectations and Potential Outcomes Concerning Those Filing A Mesothelioma Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

Beginning in the twentieth century, there is a long history of mesothelioma litigation, with a lengthy precedence of the negligence and responsibility for those companies that manufactured asbestos or placed their employees in direct contact with it. Therefore, the family of any individual who has died as a result of mesothelioma cause by exposure to asbestos can expect some compensation in a mesothelioma wrongful death lawsuit. In order to properly understand what this compensation might entail, it can be in an individual's best interest to contact an expert mesothelioma wrongful death lawyer to better understand how a mesothelioma wrongful death lawsuit could provide compensation for any loss that has been suffered.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com


LegalView.com is your source for everything legal on the web. At www.legalview.com/, readers can view information on a variety of issues regarding mesothelioma, such as a mesothelioma lawsuit or help to find a mesothelioma law firm. To access this mesothelioma information please visit mesothelioma.legalview.com/.