Mesothelioma on wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma

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Mesothelioma (or, more precisely, malignant mesothelioma) is a rare form of cancer that develops from cells of the mesothelium, the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. Mesothelioma is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos.^[1] The most common anatomical site for mesothelioma is the pleura (the outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it can also arise in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the pericardium (the sac that surrounds the heart),^[2] or the tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testis).
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked in jobs such as miners where they inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers, or were exposed to airborne asbestos dust and fibers in other ways. Washing clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos also creates a risk for developing mesothelioma.^[3]
Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall), chest wall pain and constitutional signs such as unexplained weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected based on chest X-ray and CT scan findings, but must be confirmed either by examining serous effusion cytology or with a biopsy (removing a sample of the suspicious tissue). A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to acquire biopsy material, and allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (a procedure called pleurodesis), preventing more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, mesothelioma carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing."

Mesothelioma : $208 Million Awarded in California Mesothelioma Case

http://www.asbestos.net/news/208-million-awarded-in-california-mesothelioma-case.html

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Friday, May 7th, 2010

A former Los Angeles Department of Water and Power employee was just awarded $208 million in compensatory and punitive damages from a mesothelioma settlement. The California jury determined that Rhoda Evans, and her husband, Bobby Evans, should be awarded the sum from CertainTeed Corporation and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power after Rhoda developed mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. It can often take 15-40 years to develop and often starts in the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) or the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). Victims typically average only one year of life following a diagnosis.

Mrs. Evans suffered what is commonly referred to as secondary asbestos exposure from asbestos fibers brought home on her husband’s work clothing. Mr. Evans worked for the Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power where part of his work duties included cutting CertainTeed water pipes made of asbestos cement. The cutting process released microscopic asbestos fibers into the air which then attached to Mr. Evans clothes. It is believe that Rhoda Evans was exposed because she often washed her husband’s clothes which again released the fibers into the air where she could inhale them.

Secondary exposure of this nature illustrates the dangers associated with asbestos. Mrs. Evans didn’t even work with asbestos products on a daily basis yet is now dying from the toxic fibers her husband unknowingly brought home. Because many of the asbestos manufacturers were aware of the potential hazards yet hid the information from the public, the area of mesothelioma law has evolved to help compensate victims. In this particular case, the jury awarded $200 million in punitive damages and $8 million in compensatory damages. CertainTeed has been assigned to 70% and the L.A. Dept. of Water and Power to 30% of the liability. The large sum awarded is subject to change as the judge will review arguments from both sides regarding the validity of the verdict, but it should remain a substantial sum."

Mesothelioma Cancer Alert

http://www.maacenter.org/news/mesothelioma-cancer-alert-philippine-senate-considers-asbestos-ban.html

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Mesothelioma Cancer Alert: Philippine senate considers asbestos ban

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

A large number of special interest groups are hoping to convince the Philippine Senate to pass a bill that would ban asbestos. Groups in support of the ban include the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), the Associated Labor Unions (ALU) and the Building and Woodworkers International (BWI).

"Asbestos is a danger to everyone because asbestos fibers penetrate deep into the lungs once inhaled, causing incurable and fatal asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer," says Rafael Mapalo, TUCP deputy spokesperson. "There is no safe level of exposure and the most effective way to protect people from asbestos exposure is to ban the substance," he added.

The proposed ban of asbestos would tie into Senate Bill 741. This bill includes amendments that would help to protect people in the Philippines from being exposed to the carcinogenic material, as well as providing aid to finance early detection programs to help those who are at risk for developing asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma cancer.

"Workers, their families and the public are exposed to asbestos in workplaces, buildings and materials containing asbestos," says Gerard Seno, ALU National Vice President. "By banning its use the government will be protecting Filipinos from the health and safety hazards of asbestos exposure."

"A recent study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reconfirmed the cancer-causing effects of asbestos, leaving the prevailing medical evidence against asbestos irrefutable," said Apolinar Tolentino, Officer in Charge of the BWI Asia Pacific Regional Office. "The more asbestos ban is delayed, the more workers, their families and the public are at risk.""

Surviving Mesothelioma : a patient's guide

http://www.survivingmesothelioma.com

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In June 1997, Paul Kraus was diagnosed with mesothelioma and given only a few months to live. He and his family were stunned by the shocking diagnosis, but they were not ready to give up. They researched different therapies for this cancer and learned about chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and various complementary and alternative treatments. From this knowledge, Mr. Kraus worked with his doctors to create his own regimen to heal his mesothelioma and twelve years later he is alive and enjoys a good quality of life.

In his book Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient's Guide, Mr. Kraus offers practical advice on what he did to beat the odds so that others can too. Today, "Surviving Mesothelioma" is the best-selling mesothelioma book in the world. Dr. Bernie Siegel said, "Paul Kraus' book has all the information a cancer patient needs to have in order to learn what survival behavior is about." Read more testimonials"

Mesothelioma Lawyers

http://www.survivingmesothelioma.com/choosing-lawyer.cfm

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Mesothelioma Lawyers - Important Information for Patients

By Michael Horwin, MA, JD*

Deciding to pursue legal recourse and selecting an attorney to represent you in a mesothelioma or asbestos lawsuit are important decisions that should be made carefully. I have seen some families receive $500,000 and others be awarded nearly $30 million. I have seen some lawyers reject a case only to have another firm accept it and make a big success of it. And I have seen some families wait nearly three years to receive their first check while others received large checks within three months of filing a claim. The main reasons for these differences are the facts of the patient's situation and the law firm chosen.

The Facts of Your Situation

Some mesothelioma patients know they worked around asbestos, but many do not know how they were exposed or how often. In fact, many people are not sure if they were ever near this carcinogen. Unfortunately, there have been thousands of products that contained asbestos - cigarette filters, hair dryers, brakes, basement and roof materials, pipes, boilers, insulation, and many other products found throughout the home and at work. If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma it is more than likely that you were exposed to asbestos multiple times in your life and that this happened decades before your diagnosis.

In general, the value of your case depends on how many asbestos containing products you were exposed to, the number of identifiable defendants that still exist (many have declared bankruptcy), your age and earning capacity. And the speed of your case can depend on a number of variables including the state where you worked and lived when you were exposed to asbestos.

The Law Firm You Choose

When you have been given the news about this terrible disease, you may not feel that you have the time to deal with the legal questions - Should I talk to a lawyer? Should I file a claim? However, you should not wait too long to learn about your legal rights for at least three reasons:

1. Statutes of Limitations - There are statute of limitations which means you only have a limited time to file your case after diagnosis. The statute of limitations time period is set by individual states and varies. The clock usually starts ticking on the day of diagnosis.
   
   
2. Financial Pressure - A mesothelioma diagnosis can bring financial stress, less income, more expenses, and treatments that are not covered by insurance. Knowing that money may be on the way from filing a claim can bring financial relief.
   
   
3. Lawyers Can be Excellent Resources - The more experienced mesothelioma lawyers and law firms can often be excellent sources of information about various doctors and treatment options available for this disease.

But, picking a lawyer is serious business and you should not use TV ads as the reason to hire an attorney. Actual credentials are what counts. For example, what type of accomplishments has the law firm achieved? How committed are they to mesothelioma/asbestos cases? Are these cases a substantial part of their practice or just a small piece? How many other cases like yours have they handled?

Also, make sure you understand the fees being charges. Contingency is the term that means that the lawyer gets paid only after they collect money for you. The amount of the contingency fee that your lawyer can charge varies and is usually between 33% and 40%. It is important to discuss fees openly, ask what services they cover, how they are calculated, and whether there will be any extra charges.

Finally, for something as important as a mesothelioma lawsuit, your attorney should not only be experienced, skilled, and dedicated, but also a trusted partner who understands that your health needs always take precedence. The best lawyers are those that are not only expert at what they do, but are also caring, supportive, thoughtful and compassionate."

Parents of mesothelioma victim pushed hard for Supreme Court precedent

http://www.mesotheliomanews.com/2009/09/28/parents-of-mesothelioma-victim-pushed/

"Tennessean Amanda Nicole Satterfield died of mesothelioma on January 1, 2005 at the age of 25. Her father Doug worked for Alcoa from 1973 until 2006. He did not know that he was working with the toxic substance asbestos. His wife Donna gave birth to Amanda in 1979; she was three months premature. When Doug showed up to visit his baby in the hospital, he had asbestos dust on his hair and clothing, exposing her fragile body to the toxin that would cause her mesothelioma and eventual death a quarter of a century later.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had instituted regulations in 1972 that prohibited employees who were exposed to asbestos from bringing their contaminated clothing home to be laundered. Alcoa ignored this regulation. Doug did not know that he was working with asbestos at that time, and the company never advised him about it.

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Mesothelioma Disappears With No Treatment

http://www.survivingmesothelioma.com/news/view.asp?ID=0070

"In September 2002, a 61-year-old Australian woman was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Two years later, she was cancer-free without any treatment. Although her doctor still doesn’t know exactly what caused her cancer to regress, he is hopeful that cases like hers will one day lead to a better understanding of mesothelioma, as well as to new and more effective treatments for the disease. "

The most comprehensive Mesothelioma Website

http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/

"MESOTHELIOMA
For those diagnosed with mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura) or the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum), finding a credible source of information about the disease itself and the medical options available, is of the highest priority. After years of research and synthesis of information, we have assembled a web site and packet for patients and their loved ones. We hope you find this web site helpful.
A mesothelioma diagnosis can be overwhelming, and we are here to answer any questions you might have, and to help you take the steps necessary to find the options that are best suited to your individual needs."

Blog and news on mesothelioma

Interesting sites on the internet : http://mesothelioma.blogspot.com/
http://www.asbestos.com/news/2009/09/17/mesothelioma-awareness-day-observed-september-26/
http://asbestoshub.com/2009/09/14/mesothelioma-mortality-in-the-us/
Mesothelioma Diagnosis Guidelines Revealed by Panel : http://www.bloggernews.net/122275
Mesothelioma Awareness Day Spreads : http://ohsonline.com/Articles/2009/09/16/Mesothelioma-Day-Spreads.aspx

Signs and symptoms Mesothelioma

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma

"Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.
Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:
Chest wall pain
Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
Shortness of breath
Fatigue or anemia
Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)
In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The individual may develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.
Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:
Abdominal pain
Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
A mass in the abdomen
Problems with bowel function
Weight loss
In severe cases of the disease, the following signs and symptoms may be present:
Blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
Jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
Low blood sugar level
Pleural effusion
Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
Severe ascites
A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs."