Mesothelioma Asbestos

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that begins in the tissue that surrounds and protects various organs in the body, including the lungs, heart and stomach. This tissue is called mesothelium; it produces a protective fluid that allows the organs to move around freely. Diseased mesothelium develops tumors that are often malignant and cancerous.

The only apparent cause for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. When a person inhales asbestos fibers, the fibers collect and deposit in the mesothelium. Over time, these deposits can cause scar tissue, which leads to the development of another asbestos-related disease called asbestosis. When the fibers cause tumors instead of scar tissue, mesothelioma occurs.

While rare - less than 5,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year - a mesothelioma diagnosis is a fatal one. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer, treated in the same ways as other cancers, with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and gene therapy. However, because the disease is often discovered in later stages, the survival rate for mesothelioma patients is usually one year. About half of all patients treated for mesothelioma will survive two or more years. The severity of mesothelioma is determined by a variety of stage systems, which vary based on a number of factors, including the location of the tumors and their ability to be removed.

There are three types of mesothelioma, all related to asbestos exposure. The type of mesothelioma that develops is determined by the area of the body that the asbestos settles in once it is absorbed into the body. The first type, pleural mesothelioma, refers to a cancer of the lining of the lung, or the pleura. This occurs when asbestos is inhaled and deposited into the lung tissue. Roughly three-quarters of all cases begin in the lining of the chest cavity. The second type of mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma, begins in the lining of the abdominal cavity. This occurs when asbestos is ingested; the fibers travel through the body to the abdomen and remain there, forming cancerous tumors. Roughly 10 to 20 percent of documented mesothelioma cases begin in the abdominal cavity. The least common type of mesothelioma, which affects 5 to 15 percent of all mesothelioma patients, is called pericardial mesothelioma. This form develops in the lining of the heart.

All forms of mesothelioma have a latency period of as many as 40 years. Because asbestos use was widespread in building materials from the mid 1940s through the late 1970s, the number of cases mesothelioma being reported will likely rise in the upcoming decade. People who worked in high-risk occupations, such as construction or industrial fields, between the 1940s and 1970s are at an increased risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses. Additionally, anyone who lived or worked in a building made with asbestos products or came into close contact with the clothing of industrial workers, is also at risk for developing mesothelioma and other illnesses caused by asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma Breaking News

"Widow Files Lawsuit Against 33 Corporations"

Texas woman Lois Robinson has filed an asbestos lawsuit against 33 corporations on behalf of her deceased husband, Warren Robinson.

Lois claims that his asbestos-relate...

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"Big Tex Contaminated Soil"

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin a huge asbestos removal task at the 7.5-acre Big Tex site near San Antonio, Texas, where more than 100,000 tons of asbe...

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"New York Government Building Asbestos Scare"

The Oneida County Office Building in Utica, New York is the location of a recent asbestos scare, and the United Public Service Employees Union that represents the workers there has requested further testing for asbest...

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Mesothelioma Asbestos

Mesothelioma Breaking News

"Widow Files Lawsuit Against 33 Corporations"

"Big Tex Contaminated Soil"

"New York Government Building Asbestos Scare"

Other Areas of Law