(mesothelioma-central.com) Asbestos is the single biggest work place killer today. People who have worked with the material are at serious risk from developing lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, fatal respiratory illnesses that debilitate their victims. Evidence of asbestos’ deadly effect on those who breathe its fibres is likely to multiply in the decades to come.
Asbestos was once heralded as the greatest building material available to those in the construction industries. Its high tensile strength, durability and flexibility, as well as heat insulation and fire retardant properties meant that it could save lives, make buildings strong and make industries rich. It was first used by the Greeks some 2000 years ago. They were aware of the health hazards it posed but believed that its magical ability to withstand fire far outweighed this danger.
The dangers to health were all but ‘forgotten’ until at the turn of the twentieth century when medical researchers noticed a large number of deaths and lung problems occurring in asbestos mining towns. In 1917 and 1918, several United States studies discovered that asbestos workers were dying unnaturally young.
Asbestosis was first diagnosed in a 33 year old woman in 1924, this lead to studies being carried out on asbestos workers in the UK. Examinations on the workers showed that thirty percent had asbestos-related lung disease. UK laws were introduced in 1931 to increase ventilation and to make asbestosis an identifiable work related illness.
Despite the established link between asbestos and lung diseases the industry continued to grow well into the last century. At the peak of its usage asbestos was produced in 24 countries worldwide; it was also manufactured in over 100. World production climaxed at over 5 million tonnes. The building, shipping, insulation and demolition companies whose workers came into contact with asbestos were often aware that their staff were at risk. They did not take sufficient steps to protect their workforce from personal injury.
Sadly the effects of asbestos take many years to manifest themselves. People who worked in the construction industries some 20 to 40 years ago may still be awaiting their fate. Asbestos causes several diseases, two of which occur only in those who have had contact with asbestos, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Lung cancer and emphysema are more commonly associated with smoking but frequently occur in non smokers with a history of asbestos contact.
It is thought that the worst is yet to come. The peak of asbestos usage was in the 60’s and 70’s so many people may develop lung diseases in the near future.
Due to the latency of asbestos diseases it is thought that we will be seeing many more incidences of mesothelioma in the next 25 years. Hugh Robertson, head of health and safety at the British TUC says: “A realistic estimate is that within the EU alone 500,000 will die in the next 35 years, half from mesothelioma and half from lung cancer. In Japan, an estimated 100,000 will die. If you add the Australian, Canadian and US figures then even a million is an under estimation - and that is only for the developed countries.”
People affected by asbestos are entitled to compensation from the companies who knowingly exposed them many years ago.
People affected by asbestos related illness should speak to a personal injury solicitor who has experience in asbestos cases.
For free legal advice visit www.youclaim.co.uk to learn more about asbestos and to make a claim, or alternatively you can call us on 0800 10 757 95.
YouClaims’ solicitors have many years experience of handling asbestos related claims. They help people rebuild their future following exposure to the deadly effects of asbestos.
Editorial notes: YouClaim provides full accident litigation compensation services. Helps people to claim compensation for all types of injury from whiplash to head injuries.
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Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Asbestos - The Silent Killer
Mesothelioma Attorney - How to Choose an Attorney for Mesothelioma
(health-centre.cn) Finding a mesothelioma attorney through directories may be helpful for initial screening. As far as choosing one is concerned, it comes to make your decisions based on hard facts of life that if you or one of your family member is the victim of mesothelioma, the attorney must have a proven track record of bringing justice to your already sullen situation; after all, an attorney is an attorney.
A mesothelioma attorney specializes in wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits connected to asbestos exposure. They do this by targeting the companies that can be held accountable for asbestos exposure, which almost certainly is the cause of mesothelioma.
Choosing a Mesothelioma Attorney Choosing a mesothelioma attorney is not a small deal, especially looking at the number of failed lawsuits and the bombastic lawyers. To this end, consumer guides may help a lot. In addition to their reputations, you will need to figure out how to deal with intricate financial aspects of selecting a mesothelioma lawyer. Anyways, the crux of the matter is about choosing the most suitable mesothelioma attorney for you.
Ask Mesothelioma Attorney a Few Questions Ask a few questions to the attorney so that you can evaluate him or her more, but take care not to intimidate her or him. Here are the questions.
- What is the attorney’s personal experience with regard to standing for mesothelioma patients?
- Is he or she really intends to take up your case or is planning to transfer to another for a commission?
- How is the lawyer intending to involve you in the process of decision making
A typical mesothelioma lawyer has more often than not succeeded in getting an award of $1 million, got 40% of this amount in fees. As if, that wasn’t enough, many a lawyer advertises on the TV, however, be advised that let a TV commercial be not the reason to hire a mesothelioma lawyer. You must keep this one fact upper most in your mind before you finally engage a lawyer’s service. So, now it is obvious why mesothelioma attorneys are very eager to take up mesothelioma cases.
Attorney Reputable mesothelioma attorneys understand that each case is ridden with unique complexities and pay personalized attention to pursue with their huge experience and knowledge of mesothelioma related issues and asbestos industry. Attorney for mesothelioma, being an advocate of long standing reputation would have handled complex cases of torts involving MTBE and TCE water and radiation contamination, and many more, upon whose experience he can draw.
Stay away from attorneys that transfer your case to another law firm and receive commission in exchange. Larger firms, by contrast, may assign a junior or a paralegal staff to handle your case. The truth beckons that you are entitled to and in need of a reputed and an experienced mesothelioma attorney having a proven track record in mesothelioma cases to represent you.
In principle, mesothelioma attorney should guarantee that there will not be any cost to you till the award of compensation and should ensure your family gets protection.
Read more...Asbestos and Mesothelioma: A Younger Generation Now at Risk
(ARA) - Everyone knows the dangers of asbestos. What was once commonplace in factories and the construction industry has caused a slew of health problems to those who have been exposed. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer caused by this exposure, and it's not just people who worked directly with asbestos who now need to be concerned.
The word "mesothelioma" comes from the "mesothelium," which is a thin lining that covers many of the body's internal organs. Mesothelioma occurs when malignant, cancerous cells develop in this lining. Mesothelioma can occur even if you've had extremely low levels of asbestos exposure.
What was once just a worry for those involved in industries where asbestos was used has now become a concern for their spouses and children. So-called "paraoccupational" mesothelioma is a risk for anyone with a family member who has worked in an asbestos-using industry. That means the daily hug from dad after he got home from work or a wife simply washing her husband's work clothes can be enough exposure to cause health problems.
The latency period of mesothelioma is typically 30 to 40 years. That means you could have breathed in asbestos fibers brought home by a friend or family member as long ago as the 1950s and 1960s and only now be experiencing symptoms.
In a major study, doctors from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City reported on the affects of asbestos exposure to the families of men who manufactured asbestos insulation. None of these family members had direct contact with asbestos, but 35 percent had asbestos-related health problems, including mesothelioma.
If you think you have been exposed to asbestos fibers directly or indirectly, your first responsibility is to your health. Symptoms include lung problems such as dry cough and shortness of breath; stomach problems such as nausea, loss of appetite and bloating; and heart problems causing chest pain. The symptoms of mesothelioma are often confused with other, less serious illnesses, so you should visit your doctor for an official diagnosis.
Your second responsibility if you are diagnosed with mesothelioma is to make sure you get the ongoing care you need. For years, manufacturers of asbestos containing products have been held legally responsible for what those substances have done to workers with prolonged exposure. Today, they are also being held to the same responsibility for the families and friends of those workers.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Asbestos man needs compensation for his family
William Armitage worked for nearly 10 years at Henry Crossley (Packings) Ltd, in Mill Hill, Deane, during the 1950s and 1960s. He claims he regularly worked with a deadly form of asbestos.
In March this year, Mr Armitage, aged 68, was told he had asbestos-related mesothelioma, a form of terminal lung cancer.
Mr Armitage, who lives in Bury, has instructed a solicitor but the legal action cannot move forward because the insurers responsible for the firm cannot be found.
Now he is appealing for help in tracking down the insurers and wants others in a similar position to come forward.
Mr Armitage said: “I’m doing this for myself and to take care of my family after I’ve gone, but I’m also doing it because I know there must be other people out there who are suffering like me and should have some compensation.”
After starting work at the firm in 1953 at the age of 15, Mr Armitage, who has two children and six grandchildren, regularly made seals for steam pipes using asbestos.
He left the firm during the 1960s and had a variety of jobs, including being a lorry driver and working for the local water company.
Mr Armitage suffered crush injuries in an accident, when he was aged 58, and he had to retire early.
Since then he has kept fit by swimming regularly, but noticed a year ago he was struggling with his daily 20 lengths of the pool.
By March he could only manage one length and visited his GP, who referred him to Fairfield Hospital, where he was diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Mr Armitage and his wife, Elaine, have received a compensation payment from the Government of just under £14,000.
His solicitor, Dominic Hemsi, from MPH solicitors, added: “We really need to find out who the insurers are for this claim to go any further and would appeal to anyone who has any information to contact us as soon as possible.”
The Four Stages of Mesothelioma Cancer
(Article Stars) One rare form of cancer is called Mesothelioma, a malignant tumor in the mesothelial tissues of the lungs and the abdomen, arising from the inhalation of asbestos. Its rarity is one of the reasons why a lot of people are not aware of this kind of fatal disease. In fact, many people die of Mesothelioma undiagnosed. Although there is now a growing awareness of the hazards of asbestos to health, still many have not heard of Mesothelioma and thus, have not understood its nature, cause, signs and treatment.
Even some physicians find it hard to detect Mesothelioma because its symptoms are akin to other diseases like lung cancer and pneumonia. Furthermore, it takes decades for a patient who was exposed to asbestos to develop Mesothelioma — fifty years, at most.
Being unaware of Mesothelioma poses higher risks since it deters diagnosis and treatment. A person undergoing treatment must know the different stages of the cancer or the extent of the disease. Chances of recovering from Mesothelioma and the kind of treatment depend on the stage of the illness. There are basically two staging systems used for Pleural Mesothelioma (lungs): TNM system and Brighan system. These staging systems are also used in other kinds of cancers; however, the first is commonly used. There is no established method in determining the stage of the Peritoneal Mesothelioma cancer (abdominal) so the TNM system is used.
There are three variables in the TNM system: tumor, lymph nodes and metastasis. In the earliest stage of Mesothelioma, stage I, the malignant Mesothelioma cells
start to grow and multiply only one layer of the pleura. The pleura is the membrane that encloses the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. However, there are
some instances wherein the pericardium (membrane that covers the heart) and diaphragm cover are already affected. In this case, the cancer patient is still in
stage I Mesothelioma.
In the second stage, the two layers of the pleura are already affected by Mesothelioma. Take note, however, that in this stage, only one side of the body is affected.
Normally, the pleura produces only small amount of lubricating fluid that allows easy expanding and contracting of the lungs. The excess fluid is absorbed by
the blood and the lymph vessels so there’s a balance between the amount of fluid produced and removed. During the second stage Mesothelioma, fluid starts to build up between the membrane of the lungs and the membrane of the chest wall, resulting to pleural effusion. The increase in the volume of fluid produced causes shortness of breath and chest pain. Other Mesothelioma cancer patients experience dry and persistent cough. Diagnosis of the pleural effusion is achieved through a chest x-ray.
Stage III Mesothelioma means that the malignant cells have already spread to the chest wall, esophagus and the lymph nodes on one part of the chest. The patient may suffer severe pain near the parts affected. When not treated immediately or when the Mesothelioma patient doesn’t respond well to medication, the cancer may advance to the fourth stage. The fourth stage Mesothelioma is formidable since at this stage the Mesothelioma cells have penetrated into the bloodstream and other organs in the body like the liver, the bones and the brain. The lymph nodes on the other side of the chest may also be affected by Mesothelioma in stage IV.
Brighan staging system, on the other hand, determines whether the Mesothelioma can be surgically removed or not and whether the lymph nodes are affected or not. In stage I Mesothelioma, the lymph nodes are not yet affected and the patient can still recover through surgery. In stage II, surgery can still be executed but some lymph nodes have already been infiltrated by the cancer cells. In stage III, the heart and chest wall are already affected; thus, surgery is no longer advisable. The lymph nodes in this stage, however, may or may not be affected. In the final stage, stage IV Mesothelioma, cancer cells have already gone to the bloodstream and other parts of the body like the heart, brain, bone and liver. In most cases, a patient who has reached stage IV Mesothelioma only has four to twenty-four months to live.
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Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Now asbestos cases likely in Libby
Doctors Brad Black and Alan Whitehouse worked with researchers from Detroit and New York City on the study, which examined Mesothelioma in Libby, and concentrated on 11 situations that had not been described before.
None of those persons worked at the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine and the medical practitioners state they likely were revealed to reduced grades of asbestos in the village in localities close to Grace's mine or processing plants, or along trains tracks.
They furthermore state Libby can anticipate an outbreak of the lung infection over the next 20 years because of that low-level exposure.
The doctors' outcome were released on-line by the American Journal of Industrial Medicine and the journal's world broad web location shows that the report will be encompassed in the next published edition.
Got million dollars in an asbestos-related lawsuit
Penn was identified with mesothelioma as a outcome of asbestos exposure throughout the 1960s. Between 1963 and 1999, Penn worked as a posted letters carrier. However, throughout the 1960s, he advised a vocation change and came to dental technician school. While in attendance, he was revealed to asbestos while making dental castings. The task engaged making wax replicas of teeth, and a kind of dental strip which occurred to comprise asbestos.
The test, the triumph, and the dimensions of the decision were all uncommon, as it is accepted to be the first thriving asbestos-related lawsuit to title a defendant that constructed dental tape.
The committee who perceived the case attributed 20 per hundred of the liability to Kerr Corp, a dental provide company. They were the sole defendant in the trial.
Penn’s advocate said, “The committee accepted Mr. Penn and did not accept as factual Kerr’s protecting against that the merchandise it circulated did not issue hurtful asbestos dirt, and that Kerr could not have renowned at the time that it was dangerous.”
The three-week test engaged state of the art health testimony. The committee perceived about the goods constructed by Kerr Corp and another dental provide business, Dentsply (formerly Randsom & Randolf). Dentsply, although, resolved before the decision, and the committee attributed 20 per hundred of the liability in the case to that company.
The committee furthermore perceived about other asbestos exposure occurrences endured by Marvin Penn, amidst them an occurrence pertaining to spray-on asbestos coating. Penn testified that he worked at a mail agency adjacent to the previous World Trade Center, and was present while the construction was being squirted with asbestos. The committee attributed 40 per hundred of the liability in the case to the spray.
Lastly, the committee verified Todd Shipyards was 20 per hundred liable for Marvin Penn’s mesothelioma. Penn’s dad worked at the shipyard as a steamfitter, and thus Penn may have been at risk of lesser asbestos exposure.
The case shows not only how elaborate asbestos litigation can be, but furthermore the numerous ways asbestos exposure can occur. Without the aid of a mesothelioma lawyer, Penn may not have obtained reimbursement to cover the immense cost of healing mesothelioma.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
$7 Million Awarded In Case Involving Asbestos Death
The building was owned by Koppers Holdings Inc., Downtown, which was later sold off by Beazer. Dravo Corp., (which was acquired by Belgium’s Carmeuse Group), and Fisher Scientific International Inc., (part of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.), were each found to be responsible for 10% of the damages. The remaining damages will be split among a litany of other defendants, mostly companies that made and sold asbestos products.
The asbestos victim worked on and off as a union contractor in the Koppers building for about seven years, beginning in 1968. He worked for Dravo and Fisher Scientific. All three job sites contained asbestos, but Koppers hid what it knew about the dangers. Even though it knew of the damages, Koppers failed to warn anybody about what it knew. The employee died at 68-years-old in 2006, about six months after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma — a cancer formed by exposure to asbestos.
In 2006, as part of a separate case, an Allegheny County judge ruled that Koppers officials knew of the dangers of asbestos since 1918, when it was a member of the National Safety Council. Rick Nemeroff, a Dallas lawyer, represented the family and did a very good job.
Source: Tribune-Review
Mesothlioma Types - Pericardial Mesothelioma
Like all other types of mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma is caused by inhalation of asbestos fine particles and fibres. Once inhaled, asbestos fibres become lodged in the lungs. From the lungs, the fibres can either pass into the lymphatic system and afterward be conveyed to the lining of the lungs or they can leisurely transfer across to the lining of the heart through a prolonged time span of time. Over a prolonged time span of time, asbestos fibres can collect on the lining of the heart and this is after pericardial mesothelioma becomes a likelihood. Due to the sighting that asbestos is immobile prevailing in many public assemblies, the likelihood of pericardial mesothelioma is a alive for all, even so for bulk, very unlikely.
Those with the highest chance of having mesothelioma are those any person who have been in constant contact with mesothelioma for a interval of time as condensed as a small proportion months. These are population like erected plan people enlisted and asbestos manufacturers. Those any person who are in contact with population any person who are repeatedly uncovered to asbestos are also at danger due to the sighting that asbestos fibres can stick to clothes and hair and so can be carried around.
Presently, cases of mesothelioma are enhancing surrounding pericardial mesothelioma. Elderly men any person who are drawing seal 60 - 70 years of age are just commencing to suffer from pericardial mesothelioma due to its prolonged latency time span (amount of time the symptoms take to show) of 30 - 50 years. They are suffering because this was the generation any person who toiled with asbestos and amongst asbestos after asbestos was an extremely republican makeup material in the 1950s ? 1970s. These men are now lodging multi-million dollar lawsuits against the businesses any person who uncovered them to the threats of asbestos.
Pericardial mesothelioma has a diagram of symptoms but these simply commence to take appearance in the cancer?s fresh points in time after it is close to fully fully highly-developed and developed. These symptoms include persistent coughing, shortness of breath, chest pains and palpitations. Other symptoms typical of all kinds of mesothelioma include loss of appetite, nausea and sinking implement loss. What regularly creates pericardial mesothelioma so difficult to treat is that its symptoms are typical of many other more regular illness such as pneumonia. To be treated expeditiously, pericardial mesothelioma requires to be treated aggressively in its early points in time and so many patients? remedies are given too late because of a hold back in diagnosis.
Treatments for pericardial mesothelioma are very limited and as yet, success rates for curing pericardial mesothelioma are very low. The chances of a patient?s survival depend largely on how early the cancer is treated and how aggressively. Treatment processes include chemotherapy, radiation treatment, many treatment and surgery. Chemotherapy engages drugs to endeavour to kill off cancerous cells. Radiation treatment engages radiation to endeavour to kill off cancerous cells even so this is extremely difficult in the covering of pericardial mesothelioma because too much radiation can weakly impairment the heart.
Dual treatment is a combination of both chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Surgery comes in couple dissimilar kinds, aggressive doctors and palliative procedures. Aggressive doctors is simply adapted on the strongest of patients such as young and favourable men and consists of extracting a many piece of the cancer and attempts to gain calm through the cancer. Palliative techniques are a more passive way of dealing with pericardial mesothelioma and just attempts to clear the patient of the symptoms.
Research is being done into pericardial mesothelioma in research stations all through the USA and many prescription medicine businesses are also attempting to pinpoint novel drugs for chemotherapy. So far, much research has been unsuccessful.
Asbestos the main cause of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a uncommon pattern of cancerous infection of the Pleura (lung cancer) and Peritoneum (abdomen cancer). Mesothelioma has been shown to have a powerful association with the crocidolite kind of asbestos. Pleural Mesothelioma, the most widespread manifestation of asbestos exposure, is well-circumscribed plaques of dense collagen, often encompassing calcium. Peritoneum Mesothelioma may or may not comprise asbestos bodies and seldom do they happen in individuals who have no annals or clues of asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma not only happens in persons who are revealed the asbestos, but furthermore to them who had been dwelling in locality to asbestos constructing method or those residing in asbestos contaminated buildings. In Great Britain, an association was described between Mesothelioma and persons dwelling inside 1 kilometer of an asbestos factory.
The risk of Mesothelioma is described to be high in those situations where occupational exposure to asbestos is blended with tobacco smoking. Mesothelioma determinants mechanical irritation and in the sophisticated situations, there may be symptoms of clubbing of appendages, and cardiac distress.
The following assesses can be helpful in stopping occurrences of Mesothelioma:
• Use of safer kinds of asbestos (chrysolite and amosite)
• Substitution of other insulators for example glass fiber, inorganic wool, calcium silicate artificial foams
• Rigorous dirt control
• Periodic written check of employees for example biological supervising (clinical, X-ray, lung function)
The government should take ample steps and make befitting legislation to halt or minimize the case of asbestos exposure Mesothelioma. You can confer a trained advocate for filing a Mesothelioma lawsuit for comensation.
Blood test that might help screening for Pleural Mesothelioma
However, the newest researches have sharp out a body-fluid check that might help screening for pleural mesothelioma by ascertaining the body-fluid for high grades of a protein called osteopontin. This is significant because body-fluid osteopontin grades increase spectacularly in the early phases of the disease. This kind of cancerous infection is a dangerous asbestos associated illness.
This exposure can be direct with the matter or second-hand, with a family constituent whose apparel or skin conveyed the asbestos into the home. Obviously in the last case, the development of the infection could take more than 35 years.
Because of pleural mesothelioma it is tough to notice it in its early, it has high death rates and a life expectancy of couple of months. However, with the new body-fluid check cited overhead, it is anticipated a higher percentage of probabilities to notice it. Moreover, it can notice other types of asbestos associated cancers. But in those situations, the outcome need farther investigations, other kind of cancerous infection that could be early noticed through body-fluid check is for example "Ovarian Cancer".
So, the previous pleural mesothelioma cancerous infection is noticed, the better possibilities that persons influenced have. If you desire to understand how to do it, a body-fluid check might be very helpful in these cases.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Asbestos Documentary By New Jersey Mesothelioma Lawyers
“The History of Asbestos” is a 25-minute film that investigates the decades of lies, half truths, and deceptions practiced by the asbestos industry. From the first asbestos claim in 1925, to the misnamed Air Hygiene Foundation of the 1930s, and the bankruptcy of the major asbestos companies in the 1980s, it tells the story of the asbestos cover-up and the staggering number of victims it claimed through asbestosis and mesothelioma fatalities. Hidden documents, corporate negligence, and a policy of deception contributed to a conspiracy aimed at preventing asbestos industry workers from learning that asbestos dust could kill them.
Asbestos is a carcinogen that was once widely used on construction sites and in products such as insulation, ceiling tiles, and car brakes. Breathing in asbestos causes mesothelioma, a type of cancer that affects the lining around the lungs and other organs. Malignant mesothelioma can take two forms: a cancer of the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity (pleural mesothelioma) or a cancer of the membrane that covers the organs in the abdominal cavity (peritoneal mesothelioma). Malignant mesothelioma is almost always fatal, and even light asbestos exposure can result in cancer.
The New Jersey mesothelioma attorneys of Cohen, Placitella & Roth have extensive experience handling asbestos exposure cases and mesothelioma lawsuits. They have been helping New Jersey residents affected by mesothelioma receive much needed monetary compensation for over 35 years. “We fight for them like they are our own family,” says Chris Placitella, nationally renowned mesothelioma lawyer.
To watch “The History of Asbestos” or to have your asbestos exposure case evaluated by an experienced New Jersey mesothelioma lawyer, visit http://mesothelioma.cprlaw.com/History-of-Asbestos-Legal-Video--6-11293-212.html.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Can Vitamin D Help People with Mesothelioma?
One man who is currently receiving vitamin D treatment is David Rose, who for 40 years had a three-pack-a-day cigarette habit. To make matters worse, he also spent 18 months working with asbestos. Rose explains, “I got down in the pit with a broom and swept all this stuff up to the end and shoveled it out with a shovel. I lived in a cloud of asbestos for a year and a half.”
David Rose eventually developed lung cancer as a result of his high-risk lifestyle. However, doctors detected the cancer early, and were able to remove it completely. In order to prevent the cancer from returning, David Rose is currently receiving a new experimental treatment that involves high doses of vitamin D.
Rose is part of a study where patients are being given high doses of vitamin D, which has shown positive results in treating and preventing several types of cancer throughout the past decade.
Dr. Alex Adjei of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute says, “Vitamin D can actually kill cancer cells grown in the lab, as well as in animal models, and it can prevent cells from dividing, growing, and spreading.”
Dr. Mary Ellen Reid says, “With an agent that’s shown as much activity as vitamin D, that, in this population, we have an opportunity to slow the progression of lung cancer and maybe reverse it.”
This is extremely important for lung cancer patients. In most cases, patients receive a diagnosis when the cancer has already advanced into the late stages of development and treatment options have become limited.
The same problem occurs in patients with mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer that commonly develops in the lining of the lungs. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer, which is very difficult to treat effectively.
Although it’s too early to know whether this experimental treatment may be useful in treating or preventing asbestos-related cancers, there is the possibility that vitamin D may one day be part of a mesothelioma treatment regimen if its potential benefits are further explored.
From:news.asbestos.com
Treatment Options for Mesothelioma Patients Always Evolving
Some big news that came out recently was that there may be genetic predisposition towards mesothelioma. Hawaiian scientist Dr. Michele Carbone studied patients in Turkey where a village was exposed to a mineral similar to asbestos. While some families all died, others were perfectly healthy. This finding could help lead scientists to discover what gene could be the cause of mesothelioma and perhaps lead to advanced treatment, or dare we hope, a cure.
In the present it’s great to be hopeful but what we have now is a blend of mesothelioma treatments that are continually progressing and in turn leading to longer, more enjoyable lives.
The “major” treatments are pretty well known and include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation.
Outside of those, though, there are other options that can compliment major surgeries and therapies. Alternative medicine options in particular are becoming more important all of the time. In fact, Jonathan Chamberlain has an excellent line of books dealing with how to recover from cancer using alternative methods. For more information, please read “Cancer-The Complete Recovery Guide.”
Massage therapy promotes a number of important health benefits, promoting blood and lymphatic flow and improves circulation, which results in relieved muscle tension. It also stimulates the nervous and digestive system and can relieve chronic pain and improve skin function.
Another alternative medicine remedy is daily supplements. As long as they don’t conflict with current prescriptions, supplements can greatly improve quality of life and enhance any ongoing treatment you may be going through. Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, and amino acids. These are all needed to carry out essential life functions and supplements can provide the body with needed chemicals when diet alone cannot.
Yoga is yet another approach that many cancer patients find helpful. Yoga is good whether you are healthy or sick because it can strengthen and tone the entire body, all while improving flexibility. In addition, it gives patients a peaceful state of mind, which can never be underestimated.
Often times, the above approaches are best utilized in combination. All methods of therapy should be performed under the supervision of a doctor, who will have their own suggestions and medical opinions that are always important to keep in mind and follow.
From:news.asbestos.com
Friday, June 20, 2008
Treatment Options for Mesothelioma Patients
A mesothelioma treatment plan should be treated by an oncologist. Oncologist is a doctor who specializes in cancer treatment and is probable to be recognizable with mesothelioma than the most physicians.
There are multiplicities of mesothelioma treatments; many are proposed to attack the cancer cells while others address symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, wheezing and pain. Most patients want to cancer treatment initially. If the mesothelioma is diagnosed early in its development, this may be the best approach.
The traditional treatments for mesothelioma include:
- Radiation treatments (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill the cancer cells).
- Surgery (removing the cancer).
- Chemotherapy (using medicines to fight the cancer).
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Asbestos compensation case begins
The High Court will decide whether insurers are liable for damages from sufferers' first exposure to asbestos, or from when they become ill.
The Unite trade union, which is backing workers exposed to the substance, said the insurance industry was trying to "dodge their liabilities".
But solicitors representing insurers argued that it was "common sense" that they be liable from the later date.
'Sickening scenario'
Asbestos-related disease is the biggest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, mainly affecting former workers in shipyards and other heavy industries.
The case concerns a type of cancer called mesothelioma, which can follow exposure to asbestos by 25 to 40 years.
It is expected to cost insurers millions of pounds as cases dating back to the 1970s come to light.
Employers take out liability insurance to insure them against the cost of legal action by staff injured at work.
The case concerns several insurers who are no longer taking on employers' liability insurance business.
These companies want to clarify whether the liability insurance policies they have previously sold to employers are "triggered" when employees or former employees develop the disease rather than at the time they are initially exposed to asbestos.
The companies argue workers could have been employed by several organisations that required them to deal with asbestos during their career.
The Association of British Insurers stressed insurers who were currently providing employers' liability insurance would continue to pay out from the moment employees were first put at risk.
Unions say that Employers' Liability Insurance was written on the understanding that the trigger is asbestos exposure, and accuse the insurers of trying to protect their profits at the expense of cancer sufferers and their families.
'Achieve justice'
In an earlier test case, the family of mesothelioma victim Charles O'Farrell, who died in 2003, were awarded £152,000.
But the Excess Insurance Company, which insured Mr O'Farrell's employers, has taken the case to the High Court.
By the time Mr O'Farrell developed the disease, the firm for which he worked had ceased trading - meaning that were the insurers' case to suceed, his family would not be due any compensation from them.
Mr O'Farrell's daughter, Maureen Edwards, said she wanted to achieve justice for her father.
"Our grief and sorrow is being dragged out and made worse by insurers who we feel are doing all they can to get away from their responsibility."
Peter Taylor, partner at legal firm Lovells, said: "This is a struggle between those who assert that the rules of common sense and commerciality should prevail, and those who insist on the application of long-standing legal rules and canons of commercial contracts."
But Derek Simpson, Unite's joint general secretary, said the industry had a duty to protect sufferers.
"What's at stake here is millions of pounds which should be used to compensate asbestos victims and not be pocketed by the insurance industry," he said.
"It is a sickening scenario, and we will fight every step of the way to see that insurers are not allowed to pass the buck and dodge their responsibilities."
The case is expected to last nine weeks and a decision is likely in the autumn.
However, both sides have indicated that they will appeal to the House of Lords if the ruling goes against them.
From:news.bbc.co.uk
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Avoid Further Mesothelioma Injury Through Prompt Treatment
Mesothelioma injury arises when the Mesothelioma cells surrounding the lungs, heart, or abdominal organs become cancerous. The Mesothelioma cells change to form nodules, which can then clump together to form a tumor, or tumors around the organ.
In more extreme cases of Mesothelioma Cancer, the Mesothelioma tumor can break through the walls of the organs that it surrounds and cause internal damage to the organ. Also, in some cases the Cancer can travel through the blood stream and affect other organs, not directly surrounded by the original Mesothelioma Cancerous Cells.
The origins of Mesothelioma injury begin when a person is exposed to an asbestos related substance. The person either inhales the Asbestos fibers, or the fibers enter the skin. These fibers either lodge in the lungs, or travel through the body and affect the heart, or abdominal organs.
The bodies natural defense system will attempt to eradicate the fibers from the body, through attempts to expel the fibers. However, some fibers will become lodged in the Mesothelioma cell layers that provide a protective layer around the lungs, heart and abdominal area.
Over time, the Mesothelioma cells surrounding the fibers, can change consistency and become cancerous. It is at this stage that the Mesothelioma injury begins to occur, as it turns into Mesothelioma.
However, Mesothelioma injury also includes the conditional affects that occur as a result of having Mesothelioma Cancer. Some of these conditional affects include, immune deficiency, which can lead to a slow break down of the bodies defense system.
Once the bodies defense system begins to break down the body can become subject to colds and other such illnesses. The overall affects of having Mesothelioma Cancer can lead to an array of Mesothelioma injuries and has the potential to cause major organ failure.
In order to prevent the adverse affects of Mesothelioma injury, Mesothelioma doctors have been implementing various treatments that aim to prevent further damage. Some of these treatments include, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immune augmentative therapy.
In regard to Mesothelioma Cancer, Surgery aims to remove the Cancerous Mesothelioma cells, while chemotherapy uses drugs to kill the Cancerous cells. Radiation therapy also aims to eliminate the Mesothelioma cells, while immune augmentative therapy aims to restore the body's natural immune system to a level in which it can be effective in helping to fight the effects of Mesothelioma Cancer.
All of these treatment methods are aimed at preventing further Mesothelioma injury to the patient. If you, or someone you know, have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma Cancer, ensure that you seek immediate treatment to prevent the affects of Mesothelioma Cancer and to avoid further Mesothelioma injury.
Source:Ezinearticles.com
European union agrees to outlaw environmental damage
Shipment of waste. Killing, destruction, possession, or trading of specimens of protected fauna or flora species, except when it concerns negligible quantities which have little or no impact on the specimen s conservation status. Actions which cause significant deterioration of habitats within protected sites. Production, importation, exportation, placing on the market or use of ozone-depleting substances.
In addition, the inciting, aiding, or abetting of such crimes is also considered a criminal offence. Further action was taken in a vote on May 21 to prevent European Union countries dumping toxic waste on beaches in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Waste dumping is an increasingly serious issue in these countries as aging ships are often sent here to be scrapped.
The report and vote urges the EU to ensure that all EU ships are cleaned of hazardous waste before they are sent to these countries for scrapping. The practice of sending older ships to countries such as India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan for scrapping is quickly becoming contentious, due to the high accident rate for workers involved in the business in these countries.
In addition, one in six workers involved in scrapping ships in these countries is affected by asbestosis, a chronic respiratory condition which develops as a result of heavy or long-term asbestos exposure. The United States has its own share of problems relating to the scrapping of aging ships. Recently the Environmental Protection Agency filed a complaint against a company it believed intended to scrap a liner containing large amounts of asbestos and PCBs. The EPA believed that Global Shipping LLC, based in Cumberland, Maryland, planned to scrap the SS Oceanic, a 682-foot liner, at a port in Gujarat, India.
The EPA complaint, filed in San Francisco, imposed a fine of $32,500 per day, but the charges were denied by Global Shipping. The SS Oceanic was built in 1951 and reportedly carries 250 tons of asbestos, and 210 tons of PCBs. Both of these materials were widely used in ship-building prior to the late 1970s, and both are human carcinogens. Many environmental organizations are concerned about the possibility environmental and health effects of the dismantling of ships such as the SS Oceanic, not only because workers may be exposed to large amounts of the contaminants, but also because toxic chemicals are released in large amounts into soil and groundwater.
Source: www.asbestos-post.com
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Mesothelioma Treatment and Care
Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer that affects the coating of the lung, coating of the abdominal cavity or the coating around the heart. It is caused by the exposure to asbestos and occurs in those who have breathed in asbestos fibres. Mesothelioma may not show until 25 to 50 years after the contact with asbestos which is why it was widely used in various industries for many years without anyone realising the damage it was doing to the health of the people working with it. It is predictable that by 2030, near about 300,000 workers in Western Europe unaccompanied will have died from Mesothelioma.
The primary symptom of Mesothelioma is shortness of breath; sufferers may also be affected by a persistent and productive cough, chest tightness, chest pain, loss of appetite and a crackling sound in the lungs when inhaling. Chest X-rays are the most common method of detecting this disease but other techniques can be used such as pulmonary function tests, Biopsy/Bronchoscopy and CT scans. The treatment for Mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, how developed it is and the patient's age and general health. Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Caring a Mesothelioma patient is very sturdy. Caring here doesn’t simply mean physical care. A Mesothelioma patient has to be given equal psychological and arousing support to fight with the circumstances. Most of the time it has been observed that the patient completely loses faith in life. One thing you know very well, some thing is difficult to do, it does not mean you should not try, you should try just harder.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Who Gets Mesothelioma
Who gets mesothelioma can depend greatly in a number of conditions. Amphibole or Asbestos exposure is not limited to manufacturing work sites. Office buildings, Schools, churches, Factories and recreational centers contained momentous amounts of asbestos until only a few decades ago. While those who worked in asbestos quarries and manufacturing centers are the most at risk, significant amounts of unrelated people were indirectly endangered. Furthermore, asbestos contamination affected many occupations not directly involved in the asbestos production or construction industries.
Mesothelioma in Mechanics and other Workers
Workers are the people at most risk of developing mesothelioma, because they worked directly or indirectly with the deathly materials. There are tons of at risk jobs, but some are more breakneck than others. These include:
- Factories
- Bricklayers
- Carpenters
- Automotive mechanics
- Boiler makers
- Building Inspectors
- Electricians
- Iron workers
- Laborers
- Maintenance workers
- Merchant marines
- Millwrights
- Painters
- Plasterers
- Plumbers
- Roofers
- Sheet metal workers
- Welders
Take Care!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Mesothelioma Symptoms
Mesothelioma it is a type of cancer. Even a short period of asbestos exposure can create the conditions for a disease that erupts much later in life.
Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms
For pleural mesothelioma, or mesothelioma of the lining surrounding the lung, common symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain and a persistent cough. Unfortunately, these symptoms are also very common for a number of other ailments, including pneumonia. The most common symptom is localized chest pain, but this may not occur until the disease is well advanced. A less common but still prevalent symptom of pleural mesothelioma is weight loss. Some patients show virtually no symptoms.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the abdominal lining. Symptoms include swelling or a mass in the abdomen, weight loss and abdominal pain. Bowel obstruction and blood clots also have been known to occur and fever is sometimes present.
Pericardial Mesothelioma Symptoms
Pericardial mesothelioma affects the lining of the heart, or pericardium. Symptoms include chest pain, cough, irregular heart beat and irregular breathing patterns. Many of these symptoms manifest during physical exertion – even minimal exertion. Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest type of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Types: There are two main types of mesothelioma
1->Pleural Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer
2->Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Pleural Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer
Pleural mesothelioma represents about 75% of all mesotheliomas. The malady can grow rapidly and enlarge the pleural space, causing it to sufficiency with fluid. This fluid leads to the discomfort or pain connected with first detection of the disease. It is thought that pleural mesothelioma is caused by the inhaling of fibrous materials, including asbestos. These fibers lodge in the pleura and, over time, cause damage to the tissue layer and cancer erupts. Learn more about pleural mesothelioma.
Pleural mesothelioma is of two kinds: (1) diffuse and malignant (mesothelioma lung cancer), and (2) localized and benign (non-cancerous.)
Benign mesotheliomas can often be removed surgically, are generally not life-threatening, and are not usually related to asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma lung cancers, however, are very sedate. Fortunately, they are rare - about four thousand people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in the U.S. each year.
Pleural mesothelioma lung cancer attacks the cells that make up the pleura or lining around the extracurricular of the lungs and inside of the ribs. Its only known cause in the U.S. is previous exposure to asbestos fibers, including chrysotile, amosite or crocidolite. This exposure is likely to have happened twenty or more years before the disease becomes evident, since it takes many years for the disease to "incubate." It is the most common type of mesothelioma, accounting for about 75% of all cases.
Mesothelioma lung cancer is sometimes diagnosed by coincidence, before there are any symptoms. For instance, tumors have been discovered through routine chest x-rays. However, when symptoms occur, they may include shortness of breath, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, chest pains, lower back pains, persistent coughing, difficulty in swallowing, alone or in combination. An initial medical examination often shows a pleural effusion, which means an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space - the area between the lungs and the chest wall.
The first step in detecting pleural mesothelioma lung cancer is, typically, a chest x-ray or CT scan.
This is often followed by a bronchoscopy, using a viewing scope to look inside the lungs.
The actual diagnosis of mesothelioma lung cancer usually requires obtaining a piece of tissue through a biopsy. This could be a needle biopsy, an open biopsy, or through a tube with a camera (thoracoscopy or chest scope.) If an abnormality is seen through the camera then a tissue sample can be taken at the same time, using the same tube.
This is a hospital procedure that requires anesthesia, but is not usually painful. The tissue sample is tested by a pathologist.
Fluid build-up from the pleural effusion can generally be seen on a chest x-ray and heard during a physical examination, but a firm diagnosis of mesothelioma can only be made through a biopsy and pathological testing. This is important because there are also benign pleural effusions and other tumors that have a similar appearance to mesothelioma. Diagnosing mesothelioma lung cancer can be quite difficult; it requires special lab stains, and much experience in understanding them.
The spread of the tumor over the pleura causes pleural thickening. This can reduce the flexibility of the pleura and encase the lungs in an increasingly restrictive girdle. With the lungs restricted, they get smaller and less functional, and breathing becomes more difficult. At first a person with mesothelioma lung cancer may be breathless only when he or she exercises, but as lung function drops, he or she can become short of breath even while resting.
The tumor spreads by direct invasion of surrounding tissue. As it spreads inward it can compress the lungs. As the tumor spreads outward it can invade the chest wall and ribs, and this can be extremely painful.
Current medical science does not know exactly how and why, at a cellular level, asbestos fibers cause mesothelial cells to become abnormal (malignant or cancerous.) Thus it is not known whether only one fiber causes the tumor or whether it takes many fibers. It seems that asbestos fibers in the pleura can start a tumor as well as promote its growth; the tumor does not depend on any other processes for its development.
There is as yet no known cure for malignant mesothelioma lung cancer. The prognosis depends on various factors, including the size and stage of the tumor, the extent of the tumor, the cell type, and whether or not the tumor responds to treatment. The Firm has represented many clients who lived for five to ten years after diagnosis, most of them in good health for a majority of those years. Some mesothelioma victims succumb within a few months; the average survival time is about a year.
The treatment options for people with mesothelioma lung cancer have improved significantly, especially for those whose cancer is diagnosed early and treated vigorously. Many people are treated with a combination of therapies, sometimes known as multimodal therapy.
Specific types of treatment for mesothelioma lung cancer include:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy based therapies
- Radiation therapy
- Intra-operative photodynamic therapy.
There are also experimental treatments like gene therapy and immunotherapy, angiogenesis inhibitors, and clinical trials for various new treatments and combinations of treatments.
Treatments that reduce pain and improve lung function are becoming more successful (although they cannot cure mesothelioma.) Pain control medications have become easier to administer. Debulking is a surgical process of removing a substantial part of the tumor and reducing the pleural thickening; this can provide significant relief. X-ray therapy has also been successfully used to control the tumor and the pain associated with it for a while.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma of the abdomen is called peritoneal mesothelioma. The serous membrane surrounding the abdomen is known as the peritoneum. This disease accounts for approximately 10% to 20% of mesothelioma cases. In addition, a rare form of peritoneal mesothelioma affects the male testicles. The covering layer of the scrotum is actually an outpouching of the peritoneum. Peritoneal mesothelioma is due to the ingestion of fibrous materials, including asbestos. Learn more about peritoneal mesothelioma.
Many of the organs in the abdomen are enveloped by a thin membrane of mesothelial cells, known as the peritoneum.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a tumor of this membrane. Its only known cause in the U.S. is previous exposure to asbestos, but it can be many years after exposure before the disease appears. Peritoneal mesotheliomas account for about one-fifth of all mesotheliomas.
Like pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma can be either benign or malignant. This discussion is only about malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is sometimes diagnosed by coincidence, before any symptoms have appeared. For example, the tumor is sometimes seen on a routine abdominal x-ray for a check-up or before surgery.
When the symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma appear, they typically include abdominal pains, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal swelling. Fluid often accumulates in the peritoneal space, a condition known as pathology. Over time the wasting symptoms can become more and more severe.
The increasing tumor can utilize increasing pressure on the organs in the abdomen, leading to bowel obstruction and distention. If the tumor presses upward, it can impair breathing capacity. If the tumor pushes against areas with many nerve fibers, and the bowel distends, the amount of pain can increase.
X-rays and CT scans are, typically, the first step towards detecting peritoneal mesothelioma. The actual diagnosis is typically achieved by obtaining a piece of tissue. The medical procedure of looking at the peritoneum is known as a peritoneoscopy. It is a hospital procedure and requires anesthesia. If an abnormality is seen, the doctor will attempt to obtain a tissue sample - this is known as a biopsy. The tissue sample will be examined by a pathologist who makes a diagnosis using microscopic analysis of specialized stains.
There are at least two explanations for how asbestos fibers can get into the peritoneum. The first is that fibers caught by the mucus of the trachea and bronchi end up being swallowed. Some of them lodge in the intestinal tract and from there they can move through the intestinal wall into the peritoneum. The second explanation is that fibers that lodge in the lungs can move into the lymphatic system and be transported to the peritoneum.
Medical science does not know precisely how or why, at a cellular level, a carcinogen like asbestos causes a cell to become malignant (cancerous.) Thus it is not known whether only one fiber can cause a tumor to develop or whether it takes many fibers, or what the exact conditions and predispositions are for this change to happen.
At this time there are treatments, but no known cure, for peritoneal mesothelioma. The prognosis depends on various factors, including the size and stage of the tumor, its extent, the cell type, and whether or not the tumor responds to treatment.
However, the options for relief and treatment of people with peritoneal mesothelioma have improved, especially for those whose cancer is diagnosed early and treated vigorously. Many people receive a combination of therapies, sometimes illustrious as multimodal therapy.
Specific types of treatment include:
- Chemotherapy and other drug-based therapies
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery.
Read more...
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Widow's fight for husband
http://www.birminghammail.net
THE wife of a Birmingham lorry driver who died from a painful lung disease has launched a legal battle for compensation against the company he worked for.
Father-of-four Michael Cartwright, from Selly Oak, was 61-years-old when he died from mesothelioma - a lung cancer normally caused by being exposed to asbestos.
His widow Maureen Cartwright is now taking his former employer Birmingham and Midland Demolition Company to court.
She believes her husband, who was a driver but also loaded building debris from demolition sites at factories and buildings across Birmingham, may have been exposed to asbestos dust while working for the firm during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Mrs Cartwright, along with her two sons and two daughters, is now appealing for former work colleagues of her husband to come forward to help her in the legal battle.
"Michael suffered terribly during his last months from this horrible illness," said Mrs Cartwright.
"Before he was diagnosed, Michael was the family's full-time carer. He cared for our two adult children who have learning difficulties and also our grandchild who suffers with epilepsy.
"Michael was golden, I couldn't have wished for a better husband. We are all finding it very hard to come to terms with his death."
Mr Cartwright was diagnosed with mesothelioma in April 2005 and died just over a year later.
An inquest into Mr Cartwright at Birmingham coroner's court in November 2006 returned a verdict that he died as a result of an industrial disease.
Family solicitor Iain Shoolbred, from law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: "In order for his family to obtain some recompense from the debilitating illness, it is vital that people who have information about the working practices and contracts undertaken at Birmingham and Midland Demolition Company in the late 1960s and 1970s come forward.We are keen to hear from any of his work mates."
Midland Demolition Company has ceased to trade so the family is sueing the company's insurers at the time.
Carbon nanotubes may bring health risk
http://www.newelectronics.co.uk
Research led by the University of Edinburgh has found that carbon nanotubes may be as harmful as asbestos.
The researchers found that short carbon nanotube fibres appeared to be harmless. However, they also found the body was unable to deal with longer fibres, which provoked inflammation and disease. The reaction is similar to that produced by asbestos, where longer fibres can cause mesothelioma.
Professor Ken Donaldson, chair of respiratory toxicology, said: “While we have identified a potential hazard, more research is needed to show what, if any, the health risk is.
There should be minimal risk in handling items made of carbon nanotubes because the fibres are so embedded. We are more concerned that there may be higher exposure of the workers involved in production of items containing nanotubes.”
Alongside the University of Edinburgh, research was carried out in collaboration with the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, the Institute of Occupational Medicine, Napier University and the University of Manchester.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Home renovators warned of danger of asbestos illness
news.com.au
A NEW wave of fatal asbestos-related diseases is on the way, threatening the state's amateur home renovators. Deaths are set to double.
Experts say the national death toll of 3000 a year from mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancers will double in the next 10 years _ and the proportion of Queenslanders in this category is set to rise from the current one-in-five.
Mesothelioma deaths in Queensland have leapt 30 per cent since 1997, outstripping all states and territories.
Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia president Barry Robson said the first cases of renovators falling victim to the killer diseases were appearing, and he warned there were many more to come.
Mr Robson said he was disappointed recent offers to supply Bunnings, Mitre 10 and other hardware stores with warning pamphlets had been rejected.
Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer that wraps itself around lung lining. It can take 20 to 30 years to appear, then usually kills within six to 18 months.
Asbestosis researcher and former university lecturer Dr Jim Leigh said terminal asbestos-related lung cancer rates were about double those of mesothelioma; both diseases are set to peak in the coming decade.
Former industrial oven installer Chris Smith, 58, has asbestos-related lung cancer and is part of the third wave of victims - mostly tradespersons and end-users of asbestos materials.
The first victims of the diseases were asbestos miners, followed by a second wave of the makers of building products, and later tradespeople.
The former smoker was diagnosed in 2004 and doctors will be surprised if he lives past 2011.
Chris Smith, who is chairman of the Queensland Asbestos Related Disease Support Society warned home renovators to take precautions.
"One exposure may kill, so if you're not sure if it's asbestos, wear a mask," Mr Smith said.
"The asbestos out there now is in a worse condition than it was. It's deteriorating and dusting away."
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare recorded 105 new Queensland mesothelioma cases in 2005, from 569 Australia-wide. Forecasts are based on a steady rise since data collection began in the 1980s but health professionals and victim support groups say the statistics are under-reported.
Brisbane's Slater and Gordon Lawyers asbestos specialist Tim Hammond painted a grim picture for those exposed to fibres.
He said the diseases' long gestation periods meant thousands were unaware the carcinogen had taken hold.
"Sadly, we're going to see more and more Queenslanders getting sick and dying from this disease," he said.
"There's going to be DIYers, mum-and-dad home renovators. We're really at the fourth wave now. The reality is most of the first and second wave are dead."
Exposure to asbestos, mined and used in Australian building materials for decades, can also cause non-cancerous asbestosis (scarring of the lungs) and pleural plaques.
Prince Charles Hospital lung specialist Dr Kwun Fong is part of a team of physicians treating a rising number of Queenslanders with one of the four variants.
"Unfortunately, there's no cure for mesothelioma at the moment but there are drugs that can prolong life and ease the symptoms," he said.
"If (cases of mesothelioma increase as predicted) we'll have to work out ways to deal with it."
Mr Robson said he would meet Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland within two months to push for a national approach to education, treatment and compensation for asbestos-related diseases.
Nanotubes may be as bad as asbestos
EE Times
Carbon nanotubes could cause the same maladies as asbestos, according to a study by University of Edinburgh, which also showed that long-thin fibers cause the pathological response known to be a precursor to mesothelioma cancer in mice.
"Long, thin carbon nanotubes showed the same effects as long, thin asbestos fibers," said University of Edinburghprofessor Kenneth Donaldson.
Both carbon nanotubes and asbestos fibers were injected into the abdominal cavity of mice, a technique that is accepted in medical circles as a predictor of how pathogens affect lung tissue. The results showed that like asbestos, long nanotube fibers were thin enough to penetrate deep into lungs, but their length prevented the lungs' built-in mechanisms from removing the particles.
"If nanotubes get into the lungs in sufficient quantity, there is a chance that some people will develop cancer—perhaps decades after breathing it," said Donaldson.
Short nanotubes did not behave like asbestos, and were cleared from the bodies of experimental mice. However, long, thin nanotubes tended to bunch together, causing inflamation and lesions, which are precursors of cancer. Short nanotubes may also be found to cause harm, according to the researchers, who said more research is needed.
Carbon nanotubes have high aspect ratios, only nanometers in diameter but sometimes microns long. Aspect ratios are often over 1000:1. In semiconductors, nanotubes are usually safely affixed to a substrate, but their use in other industries could enable them to enter the water or air where they could become a health hazard.
If nanoparticles are breathed into the lungs, the researchers warned that the health affects would be as severe as breathing in asbestos. Asbestos exposure can cause lung cancer in 30 to 40 years after initial exposure.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Pleural Mesothelioma Trial Shows No Benefit for Chemo
Neither of two chemotherapy regimens -- analyzed together or singly -- extended life significantly nor was there a significant effect on quality of life, according to Richard Stephens of the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit, and colleagues.
But an exploratory analysis suggested that one of the chemotherapy agents used -- vinorelbine (Navelbine) -- might have a benefit and should be studied further, the researchers reported in the May 17 issue of The Lancet.
On the other hand, the trial might have been overtaken by events, the researchers said.
The study was designed in the 1990s and was intended to compare active symptom control to symptom control plus vinorelbine and symptom control plus mitomycin (Mutamycin), vinblastine (Velban), and cisplatin (Platinol).
But in 2002, a large randomized trial showed a modest survival improvement for cisplatin and pemetrexed (Alimta), which had the effect of slowing patient recruitment for the trial reported here.
Efforts to include the cisplatin and pemetrexed regimen were unsuccessful, the researchers said. Instead, given the slow accrual, they changed the study design to combine the two chemotherapy arms, although the three-arm randomization was kept to allow for exploratory analyses of each regimen.
Subsequently, a second large randomized trial found a survival benefit for cisplatin and ralitrexed (Tomudex).
The upshot of those two studies is that doublet chemotherapy appears to have a survival benefit of about 2.5 months, according to Nicholas Vogelzang, M.D., of the Nevada Cancer Institute in Las Vegas.
Dr. Vogelzang, who led the cisplatin/pemetrexed study, said the standard of care now is cisplatin and pemetrexed. It is also possible that cisplatin and gemcitabine (Gemzar) will be beneficial, he said, although that has not been well tested. Ralitrexed is no longer available, Dr. Vogelzang noted.
Writing in an accompanying comment article, he dismissed the notion of vinorelbine as a possible therapy.
"I believe that single-agent chemotherapy offers little to patients in the way of palliation or survival, since [active symptom control] plus vinorelbine was statistically indistinguishable from [symptom control] alone," he argued.
Indeed, in the current study, the researchers found:
- Compared with active symptom control alone, there was a small and non-significant survival benefit for added chemotherapy. The hazard ratio was 0.89, with a 95% confidence interval from 0.72 to 1.10.
- Median survival was 7.6 months for symptom control alone and 8.5 months when chemotherapy was added.
- Exploratory analyses suggested active symptom control plus vinorelbine might have an advantage, although it was also non-significant. The hazard ratio was 0.80 with a median survival of 9.5 months.
- There was no evidence of a survival benefit in the cisplatin arm, which had a hazard ratio of 0.99 compared with symptom control alone.
Medpagetoday Medical News
Boston Mesothelioma cancer lawyers stress importance of filing compensation claims quickly
The fact is that the statute binds mesothelioma cancer patients and their families with a limited amount of time for filing compensation claims. This time limit varies from state to state. Time constraints and the need of medical attention for the patients diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer burdens family members. Armed with this knowledge, the asbestos attorney take care of the legal obligations relieving the patient and family members to attend to medication and hospitalization.
Mesothelioma lawsuits lawyers help people recover damages, losses and recover compensation. These attorneys not only educate the public about mesothelioma cancer and the adverse affects of asbestos in people’s health, but also guide them through the legalities of the mesothelioma cancers cases, offering first free consultations and offering their services on contingency fee basis.
Caymanmama.com - Law News
Monday, May 12, 2008
Nicholas woman files asbestos suit for late husband
12 May 2008
A Nicholas County woman has filed an asbestos suit against 50 companies, on behalf of her husband, who died of malignant mesothelioma.
Betty Bailes filed the suit April 15 in Kanawha Circuit Court on behalf of her husband, George Bailes.
According to the suit, George Bailes lived in Nicholas County, but worked in Kanawha County, where he was exposed to asbestos. Due to his exposure, he was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, which ultimately resulted in his death.
The suit states the companies knew about the dangers of asbestos but failed to warn their employees or take the proper safety precautions to prevent workers from being exposed to the asbestos.
The suit specifically names Union Carbide Corporation and T.H. Agriculture and Nutrition as defendants.
In the nine-count suit, Betty Bailes seeks compensatory and exemplary damages.
Attorney James M. Barber is representing Bailes. The case will be assigned to a visiting judge.
News Found at: http://www.wvrecord.com
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Missing records a loss to asbestos research
The details were collected in the 1980s for one of the world's most comprehensive surveys on mesothelioma, the fatal lung condition which killed the asbestos crusader Bernie Banton last year.
The records were recently requested by a Sydney geologist for a well-publicised study to determine the number of Australians exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos at little-known, naturally occurring asbestos "hot spots".
Marc Hendrickx, from Macquarie University, said the records from the Mesothelioma Surveillance Program were essential for the study. However, the Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council says they cannot be found.
"It is certainly not our policy to discard records such as these," the director, Julie Hill, wrote in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.
"We regret the potential loss of these important records to the research community and are still attempting to locate them," she said.
More than 600 new cases of so-called "meso" are diagnosed every year, mostly in people directly exposed to the dangerous substance.
However, about 10 per cent of cases occur in people with no known exposure and some are believed to be caused by hidden deposits of naturally occurring asbestos, a pattern Mr Hendrickx planned to map to show potentially dangerous areas.
Source:http://www.smh.com.au
Electrician’s death due to lethal fibres
On leaving school in the mid-1950s at the age of 15, Graham Sidebottom, 67, of Teddar Road, in Acomb, York, followed in the footsteps of his father and worked as an apprentice electrician at the British Rail carriageworks, in Holgate Road.
Mr Sidebottom, who worked there until 1992, died in May last year. The inquest was told his death was caused by malignant mesothelioma.
In a statement signed by Mr Sidebottom in January last year, he said: "My doctors feel I do have mesothelioma, particularly because of my exposure to asbestos dust and fibres during the course of my employment with British Rail."
In the statement, Mr Sidebottom, who had been smoking up until a few weeks before his death, said he had recollections as a young man of screwing up the asbestos into balls and throwing it "just for fun".
He said that while he was never told to wear a mask to do his job, no one knew how dangerous asbestos was.
He said he worked like this until about 1967, but from about 1971 exposure to asbestos dust had reduced.
York coroner Donald Coverdale said: "The statement Mr Sidebottom gave to his solicitor contains all the information I require and of course that does confirm exposure to asbestos while working at British Rail carriageworks for a considerable number of years. It's apparent from his statement he didn't have any protection in the form of a face mask."
Mr Coverdale said he had no doubt asbestos would have been thoroughly ingrained in Mr Sidebottom's clothes.
Mr Coverdale said: "There's only one verdict - that's that he has died from the industrial disease of mesothelioma." Speaking after the inquest, Mr Sidebottom's widow, Joyce Sidebottom, 62, said: "It's an awful way to die."
Mr Sidebottom died on May 2, 2007, at St Leonard's Hospice, in Tadcaster Road, York.
Kim Daniells, chairwoman of the York Asbestos Support Group, said: "The only known cause of malignant mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. The number of deaths from this condition continues to rise as a result of the working practises that were in place in the latter half of the 20th century.
"This further tragic death is just one in a long line of those that we're seeing of former employees at the carriageworks and from industry across the UK generally."
She said if anybody was worried about previous exposure to asbestos, or would like advice about asbestos diseases, or wanted support, they could contact the support group on 07787 120317.
Source:http://www.yorkpress.co.uk
Thursday, May 1, 2008
The Four Stages of Mesothelioma
The most common system used for measuring mesothelioma staging is the Butchart Staging System. This staging procedure is only used for pleural mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lungs) because it is by far the most common type of mesothelioma.
A. Stage 1 - Localized Malignant Mesothelioma
Stage I mesothelioma is the initial stage of mesothelioma. Here, the cancerous tumor is found in the pleura (the lung lining), and may also involvesome tumors in the lung, pericardium (the lining of the heart), or the diaphragm.
B. Stage 2 Mesothelioma
In Stage II mesothelioma, in addition to the presence of mesothelioma in the pleura, mesothelioma has spread to the chest wall, esophagus, or heart. Also, mesotheliomamay have spread to the lymph nodes in the chest.
C. Stage 3 Mesothelioma
In Stage III, mesothelioma has invaded the diaphragm into the peritoneum (the lining of the heart), and may involve lymph nodes outside of the chest.
D. Stage 4 Mesothelioma
In Stage IV, mesothelioma has metastasized, spreading through the bloodstream to other organs of the body.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Support Group Launched for Asbestos Victims
Members of the Northern TUC marked Workers' Memorial Day in Gateshead by launching the North East Asbestos Support Group.
They were joined by other union leaders, health professionals and also by Chris Knighton, whose husband Mick died from mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung caused by exposure to asbestos.
He was diagnosed aged 59 in August 2000 and died the following March 2001, having served in the Royal Navy as a young man when asbestos products were widely used.
Mrs Knighton, of Wallsend, North Tyneside, then launched the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund, which has so far raised more than pounds 350,000.
Yesterday's meeting took place at the Springfield Hotel, Gate shead, and was followed by the 100 attendees walking to Saltwell Park for a memorial ceremony and wreath-laying at the Rose Garden Park. Kevin Rowan, Northern TUC regional secretary, said: "Workers Memorial Day is an opportunity for us to highlight the ongoing challenges that we face in the region regarding the health, safety and wellbeing of working people.
"There are still far too many workers each year being killed, maimed or disabled because of their occupation.
"Much more effort must be concentrated on occupational health and wellbeing actions in order to ensure that workplaces are a source of health, not a cause of ill-health."
Source: The Journal - Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Malignant mesothelioma with unexpected contralateral mediastinal shift: a case report
She underwent further investigations which revealed pleural mesothelioma, rather than the expected metastatic breast cancer. When she represented with breathlessness a few months later, a chest radiograph again demonstrated contralateral mediastinal shift.
A thoracic ultrasound on this occasion revealed only a small loculated pleural effusion and, unexpectedly, a large volume of malignant tissue, thereby explaining the chest radiograph appearances.
Conclusions: This case illustrates mediastinal shift away from the affected side which was caused by mesothelioma tissue itself, rather than by a pleural effusion which is the more usual cause of contralateral mediastinal shift in mesothelioma.
This article was published at 7thspace.com on 28 April 2008, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center: Earth Day
Among the more pressing issues facing us today is the danger that asbestos exposure poses. Asbestos is a natural mineral, but is often released into the air through the environmentally unfriendly methods of strip mining for other natural resources. While mining for coal, vermiculite, and other minerals, asbestos affects miners and those in neighboring towns. It is indeed a double edged sword when these people are affected not only by the contamination of water supply by strip mining, but also in the air, where dangerous asbestos fibers can be inhaled.
The relationship between the two can easily be overlooked, but upon further examination it is clear the two are closely connected. Among those companies commonly associated with polluting, many have at least some asbestos exposure history among their employees. It is a clear and present danger when corporate interests collide with those of the people. In each case, either our environment or our population is paying the consequences.
Like the risk of environmental contamination, the risk of asbestos exposure is a real human problem. We call on lawmakers to remember the risk of asbestos contamination when introducing further environmental legislation. Like environmental conservation, asbestos exposures are not a problem of the past. We must continue to find new ways to prevent harmful exposures. Additionally, we must continue to fund research for health complications caused by asbestos exposure, such as the cancer mesothelioma.
As we celebrate our accomplishments in the advancement of conservation and a decreased risk of asbestos exposure, let us too find new solutions so that we may finally eliminate these detriments to our earth and humanity.
The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center has long been recognized as the web’s leading information resource on asbestos, asbestos related disease, and mesothelioma treatment. Hundreds of pages of up to date content feature important information pertaining to asbestos exposure, top physicians, and ongoing clinical trials, as well as breakthroughs in the treatment of asbestos related disease.
This article was originally published at transworldnews on April 22, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Asbestos 'will kill 10% of carpenters'
They will be among 30,000 Australians who will die from mesothelioma between 2000 and 2050.
Cancer research specialist Professor Julian Peto made the findings during research into the lifetime occupations of 600 mesothelioma patients and an analysis of international trends in mesothelioma mortality.
Prof Peto said the cause of mesothelioma was not restricted to the deadly blue asbestos, also known as crocidolite, but to brown asbestos (amosite) which was used in building products in Australia and Britain until the 1980s.
Brown asbestos was a major component in most asbestos cement sheeting and roofing used in the building industry.
"I think that is one of the things that's largely been missed in much of the discussion on mesothelioma," Prof Peto said.
"The use of these products was completely uncontrolled.
"Carpenters would chop it up with power saws without much concern at all.
"And this was after we became aware of the dangers of blue asbestos."
Prof Peto's research also revealed that Australia and the UK have the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world, with 600 cases per year in Australia and almost 2,000 in Britain, and figures are rising.
He said that 10 per cent of Australian carpenters born before 1950 were likely to die of asbestos-related cancers.
The rate for Australia and the UK is more than five times that of the United States, mainly because of different construction methods, Prof Peto said.
Prof Peto's research also questions why it was once believed that asbestos exposure below a certain threshold would be safe.
The professor was due to deliver the Miegunyah Public Lecture at Melbourne University on Tuesday night.
This article was published at theage.com on April 22, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Comprehensive Approach to Peritoneal Mesothelioma Described
Peritoneal mesothelioma is much less common than pleural mesothelioma, making up less than 20% of all cases. The latency period for abdominal mesothelioma appears to be 20-30 years, which is shorter than the latent period for pleural mesothelioma. Controlled trials of various treatment options are not available for peritoneal mesothelioma due to the relative rarity of this disease. The most common treatment strategy for peritoneal mesothelioma involves a multimodality approach with surgical debulking followed by systemic and/or intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The role of radiation therapy is not well documented.
Researchers involved in the current study treated 27 patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. The regimen reported involved surgical debulking followed by four intraperitoneal courses of cisplatin alternated with four intraperitoneal courses of doxorubicin, four doses of intraperitoneal gamma interferon, a second laparotomy with resection of residual disease plus intraoperative hyperthermic administration of intraperitoneal mitomycin, and cisplatin followed by whole abdominal radiation therapy. These authors reported a median survival of 70 months and a three-year survival of 67%. They also reported that seven patients were alive without evidence of disease at a median of 17 months. These researchers concluded that intensive multimodality therapy was effective for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma.
Source:CancerConsultants.com
Friday, February 22, 2008
Widow fears killer disease
Barbara Eason and hubby Michael were planning their ruby wedding anniversary and looking forward to a long and happy retirement together.
But their dreams were shattered when the 62 year old was diagnosed with deadly mesothelioma. He died just three months later.
The former mechanic, of Darnton Road, Ashton was exposed to asbestos while working in a power station and chemical company over a seven-year period in the 1960s and 70s.
He started with a troublesome cough in December 2004 and soon began having difficulty breathing. A biopsy was carried out and it was revealed to be mesothelioma — which is caused by previous exposure to asbestos in almost all cases.
Barbara, 63, spoke out to highlight a campaign by the Health and Safety Executive on the hidden killer.
She said: "Asbestos is still the most lethal workplace killer today. Young plumbers and electricians know it’s dangerous but just don’t believe they are personally at risk.
"Michael used to climb over the pipes which were lagged with asbestos. He also had to strip it away to carry out maintenance, but was never given a mask."
Families of those who work with asbestos can also be infected if asbestos particles are brought home on clothes.
"I used to wash his work gear every week and could easily have inhaled the dust," added Barbara.
"It’s a terrible disease. It took hold of him so fast. The pain was unbearable, he said it was like a rat gnawing at his chest. His weight plummeted. At the end he looked like a concentration camp victim. It may sound shocking but that’s the only way to describe it.
"He never smoked in his life and was quite health conscious. He used to have a glass of red wine a day because it was good for his heart. Little did we know of the hidden killer already inside him."
Judith Hackitt, HSE chief, said: "Every week twenty tradesmen die simply because they have breathed in asbestos fibres during the course of their work.
"The problem today is that we associate it with a problem that’s been and gone because asbestos is now banned. The younger generation entering the workforce may think this does not apply to them, but it does."
This article was originally published at tamesideadvertiser by Adam Derbyshire on February 20, 2008