Posts Tagged abdominal cavity

Mesothelioma Malignancy: Occupational Hazards, Symptoms and Solutions

Posted by in Uncategorized on March 13th, 2010

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was widely used in construction, manufacturing and industry. Though its use has largely been limited since the 1980’s, many products and buildings utilizing the insulating properties of asbestos are still in use today and may be aerosolized through use, removal or demolition. In addition, those involved in manufacturing, construction and industries which employed large scale use of asbestos are only now seeing the results of acute or chronic asbestos exposure including the development of asbestosis or the much more serious malignant condition of mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer that develops in the pleural (lung) cavity lining, the peritoneal (abdominal) cavity lining or the pericardial (heart) cavity lining, usually due to asbestos exposure. All are difficult to treat, requiring possible surgery, radiation and chemotherapy and even with treatment; all have a poor prognosis, often resulting in death. Because of the seriousness of these disorders, recognizing risks factors of exposure and symptoms is vital and seeking diagnosis, advice and treatment immediately is absolutely essential.

RISKS
Occupational risk factors for the development of asbestos related mesothelioma include being or having been employed in any of the following occupations which utilized asbestos in production of materials or insulation:

-Construction – including both residential and commercial widely used asbestos in materials

-Metal Works – including steel, aluminum, iron workers along with power plant and railroad workers

-Mining – including asbestos mining but also talc, vermiculite and dolomite

-Pipe Fitting – including power plants and oil refineries along with pipe fitting for other high heat processes

-Ship Building – particularly during WWII and Korean War but also including ship crew members who may have been exposed to asbestos in confined conditions

-Factory Work – manufacture of construction materials of all types

-Auto Work – auto manufacturing and repair, particularly brake parts and engine gaskets containing asbestos

-Demolition – including those involved in or near intentional or unintentional demolition of buildings constructed with asbestos, along with asbestos removal projects

SYMPTOMS
Unfortunately for many, mesothelioma may take years to develop and not be recognized as related to work hazards. Symptoms of mesothelioma may include:

-Pleural Mesothelioma – dry raspy cough, coughing up blood, trouble swallowing, fever, night sweats, weight loss, fatigue, painful chest, difficulty breathing, lumps under the skin of the chest

-Peritoneal Mesothelioma – swollen or painful abdomen, changes in bowel habits, nausea orr vomiting, anemia, fatigue, fever or night sweats, weight loss, lumps under abdominal skin

-Pericardial Mesothelioma – heart palpitations, chest pain, trouble breathing, fever or night sweats, fatigue

Anyone who is suffering from symptoms of mesothelioma or other asbestos related disease should seek medical help immediately. The sooner diagnosis is obtained and treatment is started, the better chance for a hopeful outcome. Unfortunately, some may feel the cost of medical treatment is too high and avoid seeking help. In any case of asbestos-related disease, particularly one as serious as mesothelioma, legal advice should be obtained along with medical advice. A consultation with a lawyer will provide the best possibility of getting appropriate treatment as soon as possible and may even save a life.

Getting a diagnosis of mesothelioma can be a shocking experience for both the patient and family members alike. Support organizations such as the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation can be a good source of information regarding diagnosis, medical issues and treatment options. Additionally, they may provide comfort and support through the use of chat rooms, message boards and forums which may be of benefit to family members and patients.

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Mesothelioma disease

Posted by in Uncategorized on January 9th, 2010

The nearly everyone dangerous form of mesothelioma is the mean form. Accepted in the same way as mean mesothelioma, the primary causal feature is asbestos infection. According to the US countrywide plague Institute, “Malignant mesothelioma is a disease in the sphere of which plague (malignant) cells are found in the sphere of the sac lining the chest (the pleura), the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum) or else the lining around the affection (the pericardium).”

Mesothelioma can be located classified into three types – pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma refers to a plague of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma refers to a plague of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum) lining, and pericardial mesothelioma is a plague with the aim of occurs in the sphere of the lining with the aim of surrounds the affection (pericardium). The subtypes of mesothelioma are of three main types, single very aggressive, single smallest amount aggressive, and single false concerning the two extremes.

Mean mesothelioma can be located diagnosed through several imaging techniques. These imaging techniques enable physicians to assess mesothelioma. Time was mesothelioma is so-called, patients are advised to undergo several tests, like X-ray, Computed Tomography (CT) look at, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, and Positron secretion Tomography (PET) imaging. The general practitioner might additionally like to undertake special mesothelioma tests like thoracoscopy, peritoneoscopy and biopsy.

Learning roughly the stage of mesothelioma is a dangerous feature with the aim of helps physicians to decide the healing table. If the plague is confined to the pleura, mesothelioma is considered restricted. If the plague spreads clear of the pleura and to other parts of the body such in the same way as the lungs, abdominal cavity, lymph nodes and the chest fence, mesothelioma is considered to be located in the sphere of an superior stage.

The oft used and the oldest organism in place of determining the stages of mesothelioma is the Butchart organism. The Butchart organism is based on the size of the primary swelling pile to be had in the sphere of a long-suffering. This organism divides mesothelioma into four stages. The TNM organism, a to some extent superior organism in excess of the Butchart organism, determines staging through variables of swelling in the sphere of pile and the smear, the lymph node involvement and metastasis. However, the hottest organism is accepted in the same way as the Brigham organism, someplace staging is finished in the same way as apiece the propriety and lymph node involvement. In the sphere of ill feeling of such new techniques, a classic diagnosis of mesothelioma still remains on the cards through fluid diagnosis and tissue biopsy.

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Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma Cancer Risks

Posted by in Uncategorized on January 8th, 2010

Covering our internal organs, the mesothelium is a protective tissue that lubricates and protects our internal organs thus allowing our lungs to breathe and our heart to contract or expand without any discomfort for us. The mesothelium tissue covering our lungs is known as the pleura. The mesothelium membrane located in our abdominal cavity is called the peritoneum, and the mesothelium membrane covering our heart is known as the pericardium. This fine tissue, the mesothelium enables breathing and heart beating therefore being essential to our survival.

This article focuses on a specific disease affecting the mesothelium – the mesothelium cancer known simply as mesothelioma. Though mesothelioma is considered a rare condition, this awful disease affects lots of people from all corners of the world and it is almost entirely caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos was used intensively as a flexible and very resistant material for constructions until recently because it has valuable properties but its effect on human health is devastating. Almost all cases of mesothelium cancer are linked to an exposure to this material and today almost all countries ban the use of asbestos due to its risks for human health. Almost all mesothelioma patients have a long asbestos exposure history at their workplace.

Because only a very long exposure to asbestos leads to the mesothelium cancer most people suffering from this condition are older people of over 60 or 65 years of age and mostly men suffer from this disease. Fortunately there are fewer cases of mesothelioma every year in the Unites States of America but Europe and other parts of the world register an increasing number of asbestos related mesothelium cancer cases. In 2005 European countries banned the use of asbestos in any sector of the economy and hopefully fewer and fewer people will be diagnosed with this cancer over the next few years in Europe.

Still, if you can think of times when you were working with asbestos or you were exposed in any way to this material, you should seek expert medical advice as chances are a mesothelium cancer may be developing in your body and discovering this condition in time is the only way to overcome this life threatening disease. You should keep in mind that mesothelioma is very quiet in its initial stages and you might easily ignore its early symptoms. This is why you should take your time now and remember all your past asbestos contact at the workplace. If you think you were exposed to asbestos for a longer period of time, even if that happened a long time ago, you need to talk to your physician as soon as possible.

Find out more about mesothelioma and how to detect this disease in its early stages. Visit our comprehensive online mesothelioma guide and find out everything you need to know about mesothelioma.

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Mesothelium and Mesothelioma – Some Interesting Facts

Posted by in Uncategorized on December 15th, 2009

Anyone who has mesothelioma or knows someone who has mesothelioma knows the pain and suffering one has to endure from this deadly disease. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer which is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. Even though this disease is quite rare, it is very serious and in most cases has a lethal outcome. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways.

The term mesothelioma comes from mesothelium, which is a protection covering which shield and coats most of the internal organs of the body such as the heart and lung.

Types of Mesothelium

There are two types of mesothelium: visceral mesothelium and parietal mesothelium.

Visceral Mesothelium: Visceral mesothelium is the mesothelial tissue that closely surrounds the organ in the abdominal cavity.

Parietal Mesothlium: The parietal mesothelium is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and the walls of the chest cavity.

What Is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer which malignant cells are found in the lining of the chest or Abdomen. This deadly disease can cause abnormal growth and division of the mesothelium cells by invading and damaging the adjusting tissue and organs. The cancer cell can also spread from their original location to other parts of the body. A combination of smoking with asbestos exposure significantly increases a persons’ risk of developing mesothelioma. However mesothelioma has also been reported in some people who have not been exposed to asbestos.

Who Is At Risk For Developing Mesothelioma?

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. The heavier the exposure to asbestos the higher your chances are of developing mesothelioma, plus the length of exposure time also increases your risk. However research show that some individual with only a brief amount of exposure have also developed mesothelioma; Likewise not everyone who is heavily exposed to asbestos developed mesothelioma. Smoking combined with asbestos exposure can increase your risk of developing cancer of the air passage in the lung.

There have also been reports of family members and those who come in contact with asbestos workers are also at risk for developing mesothelioma or other asbestos related disease. Family members can reduce their chances of exposure to asbestos fibers if asbestos workers shower and change before leaving the workplace.

What Are Some Of The Signs And Symptoms Of Mesothelioma?

The symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Some of the signs and symptoms include: weight loss, shortness of breath, fatigue, acute pain in the abdominal region and chest area, abdominal swelling, anemia, just to name a few.

Is Mesothelioma A Death Sentence?

About twenty years ago the answer would be yes, but this is no longer the case today. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma it is critical that you seek immediate medical treatment.

What Are Some Of The Treatments Used For Mesothelioma?

It depends on the stage of the disease, the location of the cancer and the patient’s overall health and age. Some of the mesothelioma treatments include: conventional therapies, surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and or a combination of treatment and medications.

Mesothelium and Mesothelioma – Some Interesting Facts

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Treatment for Mesothelioma Lung Cancer

Posted by in Uncategorized on December 6th, 2009

Patients easily breathe in asbestos due to its minute particles size. These particles then become embedded deep inside the lungs where they cause either scarring (asbestosis) or lung cancer. If these fibers travel from the lung into the blood stream, they may enter other parts of the body such as the peritoneum and the lining covering the abdominal cavity, and may result in abdominal mesothelioma.

Life threatening mesothelioma affects various sections of the serous membrane including the pleura (lung cavity), the peritoneum (abdominal cavity), the pericardium (heart sac), and very rarely the lining around the testicles. The disease is categorized based on the serous membrane affected by the disease (pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial mesothelioma) and are divided into three types based on cell type or histology that reveals the microscopic structure of organic tissues. These are:

* Epithelioid Mesothelioma
* Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma
* Biphasic Mesothelioma

Diagnosis

When an X-ray or CT scan shows signs of mesothelioma, a biopsy needs to be undertaken. This helps doctors to determine the extent of the malignancy. The intensity of the disease can be evaluated by finding out the stage of the disease, the location and sizes of the tumors along with a medical history of the patient. When the disease is in its advanced stage, treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation, or surgical treatment is ineffective if administered alone. A collective approach that includes two to three therapies together, such as using chemotherapy before surgery has shown tremendous benefit to the patients. To date, new medicines have also been introduced to target the genetic material directly.

Treatment Options

Although there is no complete cure for this disease, some conventional as well as innovative methods for treatment are now being administered to treat abdominal mesothelioma. The most common method of treating this disease is by using a combination of treatment options such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. The usage of a combination of treatment methods or multiple treatment methods is referred to as the multimodality approach. New treatment options are being considered, currently under clinical assessment. A clinical trial involves a research study performed by doctors and then tested on patients. The common mesothelioma treatment options are:

* Surgery: Various surgical treatments are used on patients with malignant mesothelioma such as:
o Wide Local Excision: This involves surgery on a particular area of the body in order to remove the tumor.
o Pleurectomy: this involves removing a section of the covering of the lungs, the lining of the chest and part of the outside surface of the lungs that affected by the disease.
o Extrapleural Pneumonectomy: involves the removal of one whole lung and part of the lining of the chest as well as the diaphragm and the lining of the sac around the heart affected by the disease.
o Pleurodesis: is a kind of surgical procedure using chemicals or drugs to make a scar in the area between the layers of the pleura or the membrane covering the chest cavity. This procedure helps to drain out the fluid collected with the help of catheter or chest tube and the chemical or drug placed into the space. The scarring is able to control the collection of fluid in the pleural cavity.

Chemotherapy and Radiation

Chemotherapy or radiation therapy is administered on the patients after surgery to kill all cancer cells that might have been left behind. The treatment given after surgery to increase the effectiveness of the treatment and improve the chances of a cure is called adjuvant therapy.

Radiation treatment is usually combined with surgery where the radiation treatment uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells, restrict their growth and trim down the tumors. There are two types of radiation therapy. The first involves external radiation therapy where radiation is administered from outside the body and is aimed toward the area of the cancer inside the body. The other is internal radiation therapy that is administered by inserting radioactive substances in sealed in needles, seeds, wires or catheters inside the body.

During chemotherapy, the patient is given chemicals that stop the growth of the cancer cells by killing or stopping them from multiplying. In the case of systemic chemotherapy, the chemical or drug is either administered through the mouth in a pill form or injected into a vein or muscle where they enter the bloodstream and attack these cancer cells. For regional chemotherapy, the chemotherapy is placed directly into the spinal column, an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen where the drugs attack the cancer cells in these specific areas.

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Best Mesothelioma Physicians in United States

Posted by in Uncategorized on October 30th, 2009

Mesothelioma is a very rare form of cancer that affects the mesothelium (a membrane surrounding the chest cavity, the cavity around the heart as well as the abdominal cavity). Mesothelium is responsible for protecting various body organs; therefore, if the disease is benign, then the tumor on the mesothelium can be surgically removed. However, the tumor can be cancerous if it is formed by over exposure to asbestos. This form of cancer affects over 3,000 Americans annually, and doctors estimate a death ratio of 3 men to one woman being affected by the disease.

If I Feel I have been exposed to Asbestos, Should I consult with a Mesothelioma Physician Immediately?

As symptoms associated with the disease are common, most of the time it is ignored until it has already reached the advanced stage. Individuals who have been exposed to asbestos in the past or present, or have utilized products made from asbestos, must consult immediately with a mesothelioma physician to check if they have been affected by the exposure. Consulting with a mesothelioma physician is important as most of the symptoms start appearing after decades of exposure to asbestos, and the latency period of the disease is between 15 to 40 years.

Usually, patients suffering from common symptoms like lung or abdominal problems visit a regular physician or their family doctors. However, if you been exposed to asbestos in the past or present, or have utilized products made from asbestos, you should inform your consulting physician immediately so they can order the necessary tests to determine if you have been affected by the exposure. This is important as symptoms associated with the disease start appearing after decades of exposure to asbestos as the latency period of the disease is between 15 to 40 years. An early diagnosis is critical as the disease spreads very fast and obtaining the proper treatment is very important.
Once there is an indication that symptoms are associated with mesothelioma, your physician will immediately refer you to a mesothelioma physician who will then order a biopsy to determine a mesothelioma diagnosis and mesothelioma treatment procedures.

Top Mesothelioma Physicians in the United States

To find the best mesothelioma physicians in and around the United States, patients can contact health centers, hospitals or cancer centers that specialize in lung diseases. These institutions are involved in conducting regular research related to mesothelioma. In addition, mesothelioma physicians keep themselves abreast with the various developments and trends in the field as well as any new treatments introduced. Usually, these doctors are able to help patients handle their disease very effectively such as ways of reducing mesothelioma pain.

Below is a list of top physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma in the United Sates:

* Robert Cameron, M.D., UCLA Medical Center
* David Jablons, M.D., UCSF Mt. Zion Medical Center
* Thierry Marie Jahan, M.D., University of California at San Francisco
* Mark W. Lischner, M.D., Pulmonary Medicine Associates
* Mark Cullen, M.D., Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine
* Jack A. Elias, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University
* Michael Grey, M.D. Chief of Medicine, The Hospital of Central Connecticut
* Graeme L. Hammond, M.D.
* Michael Kashgarian, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine
* Carrie Redlich, M.D., Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine
* Lary A. Robinson, M.D., H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
* Daniel Miller, M.D., General Thoracic Surgery, Emory University Clinic

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Mesothelioma Chemotherapy-A Basic Overview

Posted by in Uncategorized on October 14th, 2009

Chemotherapy is one of the commonly used conventional treatments for mesothelioma cancer. Chemotherapy is cancer treatment with anti-cancer drugs. There are 2 main ways that anti cancer drugs can be administered:

1- Chemotherapy can be given systematically. In systemic therapy, the anti cancer drugs are swallowed in pill form or injected into a vein. The drug enters the bloodstream and circulates throughout the body to get to the cancer cells wherever they may be and kill them.

2-Chemotherapy can also be administered locally. In this form of delivery, the chemotherapy drugs may be given intrapleurally (directly into the chest cavity) or intraperitoneally (into the abdominal cavity) through a small incision in the chest or abdominal wall. This approach may allow doctors to give higher doses of chemotherapy to the tumor while limiting the side effects to the rest of the body. Chemotherapy drugs given this way may be heated first (hyperthermic chemotherapy), which may help them work better.

Chemotherapy may be given as an addition to surgery; it could be administered before or after the surgery. When it is given before the surgery it is referred to as neoadjuvant therapy and when it is given after surgery it is referred to as adjuvant therapy.

For advanced tumors that are not operable, chemotherapy can be used as the main form of treatment (alone or along with radiation therapy). Chemotherapy may slow the progression of the disease, but it is very unlikely to give a total cure.

Chemotherapy is given in cycles, with each period of treatment followed by a rest period to allow the body time to recover. Chemotherapy cycles generally last about 3 to 4 weeks. Chemotherapy is often not recommended for patients in poor health, but advanced age by itself is not a barrier to getting chemotherapy.

Several chemotherapy drugs have been used to treat mesothelioma. The most commonly used chemo combination to treat mesothelioma is the combination of pemetrexed (Alimta) and cisplatin. Pemetrexed interferes with levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 in the body, so these must also be given to avoid certain side effects.

Other chemotherapy drugs used to treat mesothelioma include:
• gemcitabine
• carboplatin
• methotrexate
• vincristine
• vinblastine
• mitomycin
• doxorubicin
• epirubicin
• cyclophosphamide
• ifosfamide
These drugs are usually given in combinations of 2 or more, but single drugs can be used in people who may not be able to tolerate combinations of drugs. Several other drugs are also being studied to determine their effectiveness in treating mesothelioma.

Side effects of chemotherapy drugs

The mode of action of chemotherapy drugs is to attack rapidly diving cancer cells in the tumor growth, but in doing so they also attack other normal rapidly diving cells of the body like those in the bone marrow, the lining of the mouth and intestines, and in the hair follicles. These cells are also likely to be affected by chemotherapy, which can lead to the development of side effects.

The side effects of chemotherapy depend on the type and dose of drugs you are given and on how long they are used for. These side effects can include:
• hair loss known medically as alopecia
• mouth sores
• loss of appetite also known medically as anorexia
• nausea and vomiting
• increased chance of infections (due to low white blood cell counts)
• easy bruising or bleeding (due to low blood platelet counts)
• fatigue (due to low red blood cell counts)

These side effects are usually temporary and usually disappear once treatment is over. There are often ways to lessen these side effects. For example, there are drugs that can be given to help prevent or reduce nausea and vomiting. Be sure to ask your doctor or nurse about medicines to help reduce side effects, and let him or her know when you do have side effects so they can be managed effectively.

Some of these chemotherapy drugs also have side effects that are peculiar to them. For example, cisplatin can cause nerve damage. This nerve damage can sometimes lead to hearing loss or abnormal sensations in the hands and feet such as pain, burning or tingling sensations, hypersensitivity to cold or heat, or weakness. (This is called peripheral neuropathy.) In most cases this goes away once treatment is stopped, but it may last a long time in some people.

All side effects should be promptly reported to your health team once they are noticed when you are on chemotherapy so that they can be dealt with promptly. Sometimes the dosage of the drugs will have to be reduced or treatment will have to be temporarily stopped or delayed to prevent the side effects from getting worse.

Bello kamorudeen.For more information on Mesothelioma treatment go to http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com

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Mesothelioma Injury Texas

Posted by in Uncategorized on October 8th, 2009

The mesothelium is a protective lining which covers the internal organs. In Mesothelioma, malignant cells are formed on this lining. In most cases, the pleura (the outer lining of the lungs and chest cavity) are affected. However, Mesothelioma on the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) or the pericardium (the sac surrounding the heart) also occurs. Thus, malignant Mesothelioma cancer is in three main categories based on the organ the mesothelium attacks: Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Pleural Mesothelioma and Pericardial Mesothelioma.

In spite of being a rare disease, cases of malignant Mesothelioma currently average 7 to 40 per 1,000,000 people in industrialized, Western nations. Awareness is being built up to prevent exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and the likelihood if being diagnosed increases with age, but this disease can appear in men or women at any age. Approximately a fifth to a third of all Mesothelioma is Peritoneal.
Texas Mesothelioma

Texas is famous for industries like domestic oil and houses companies like Shell, Gulf and Mobil. However, this industry is one of the hardest hit with respect to asbestos usage and its exposure to the workers. Millions of employees have been exposed to the toxic mineral over the last 100 years. Also, Texas has a mix of rural areas as well as large cities and the cases of Mesothelioma have been found in both parts of the state. In 1999, there were 125 reported deaths from Mesothelioma which is quite a large number for a single state. There have been deaths in Texas from asbestosis and other respiratory problems due to asbestos exposure.

Along with the petroleum industries, Texas also has industries like shipyards and ship construction that use asbestos extensively. Until the 1980s, it was used as in insulation for many building materials as well as in the electrical power and chemical industries. Due to these industries, the number of asbestos related illness and deaths is quite high in the area. There were almost 2,800 asbestos-related deaths in Texas between 1979 and 1999 with half of the deaths due to asbestosis and the other half due to Mesothelioma. Areas like Harris County, Jefferson County and Dallas County had the most deaths. This made Texas 7th in terms of Mesothelioma cases in the United States. Though regulations have been set up for use of asbestos and its exposure, there are still cases of this disease due to its late latency period, which is about 30 to 40 years.
Mesothelioma Injury Lawsuits in Texas

Due to the high number of people developing this disease because of the negligence of the companies they worked in, there have been many lawsuits in Texas. Some of these cases have set precedence in the state and the entire country. One such case is that of Pustejovsky versus Rapid-American Corp. in 2000 where the Texas Supreme Court came to the decision that a person affected by asbestos could sue more than once due to the medical complications which might develop to the patients at later stage of their life.

Law firms like Mundy & Singley, L.L.P. have been extensively involved in providing justice for victims in and around Texas. They offer legal assistance to those who have been through the pain and suffering due to the negligence of their employers. Jim S. Adler & Associates are also famous Texas Mesothelioma lawyers who have been handling Mesothelioma lawsuits in Texas over a long period. There are many treatment centers in and around Texas that offer respite to victims. Though there is no cure for this disease currently, aggressive treatment through usage of radiotherapy or chemotherapy is likely to reduce and delay the spread of cancerous tissues. They can also offer better quality of life for the patients.

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Causes of Mesothelioma – An Insight Into the Likely Causes of Mesothelioma

Posted by in Uncategorized on July 2nd, 2009

Mesothelioma is a very aggressive and rare cancer that is difficult to diagnose and that is also highly resistant to treatment. Around 2000-3000 new cases of malignant mesothelioma are seen every year in the US, and these figures are expected to rise over the next decade.

What causes mesothelioma?

There is extensive and undeniable medical evidence that mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. There is no other known cause.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that was widely used in industrial, commercial and domestic products throughout the 20th century. It was particularly popular because of its durability, fire resistant and insulating properties. It was used in several thousand different manufactured asbestos products.
These included construction materials, household appliances and brake linings, the use was so widespread that millions of Americans were unknowingly exposed to the toxic material, which now leads to the development of mesothelioma amongst million of Americans.

Most of the companies that manufactured these asbestos contaminated products were aware of the danger of asbestos, but still preferred to put millions at risk to make huge profits.

However today, as more cases are being diagnosed and they are seeking for legal compensation, these companies are being ordered to pay compensations to patients affected by asbestos.

How does asbestos cause mesothelioma?

Internal organs and body cavities are lined by a thin tissue called mesothelium. This lining lines the lungs {pleura} and it also lines the heart sac {pericardium} and abdominal cavity {peritoneum}.

This mesothelial tissue offers protection and support for the internal organs and body cavities. It also provides lubrication to help organ function properly and be in good health.

Mesothelioma affects this lining of various organs and body cavities, mostly the pleura, pericardium, and peritoneum. Occasionally and rarely, the cancer may affect the lining of the testicles, called the tunica vaginalis.

Although the actual mechanism by which asbestos causes cancer is not known, there are about four different theories to explain this:

1-Asbestos causes irritation and inflammation of mesothelial cells, which results in irreversible scarring, cellular damage, and eventually cancer

2- Asbestos fibers enter cells and disrupt the function of cellular structures that are essential for normal cell division, causing cellular changes that lead to cancer.

3-Asbestos causes the production of free radicals. These molecules damage DNA, and cause cells to mutate and become cancerous.

4-The presence of asbestos causes cells to produce oncoproteins. These molecules cause mesothelial cells to ignore normal cellular division restraints, and this can lead to the development of cancer.

The common underlying pathophysiology in each of these theories is that asbestos cause’s cellular damage mainly by causing the cells of the mesothelium to divide and multiply without restraint causing the formation of tumors. This uncontrolled division causes impairment of the normal function of the body organs and tissues.

Does Mesothelioma have other causes?
Although research and medical evidence has not been able to directly prove any other cause of mesothelioma other than asbestos exposure, it is known however that smoking can aggravate a less serious asbestos related disease, such as asbestosis, and prompt formation of tumors and the onset of the cancer.

Also asbestos exposure and smoking have a synergistic effect that increases the risk of developing lung cancer by as much as 84 times or more. Thus people that have been exposed to asbestos for a prolonged period of time are advised to not to smoke.

Bello Kamorudeen is an health worker and author of several mesothelioma articles.For more information on mesothelioma visit http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com

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