Smoking and Mesothelioma

If I Smoked Cigarettes, Can I Still File A Claim Against The Asbestos Companies?Asbestos alone can cause lung cancer. If you smoked in the past or are presently smoking, and have been diagnosed with lung cancer, asbestos may also be a cause of your cancer. For smokers, asbestos and tobacco act together, greatly increasing the risk of lung cancer. The combination of smoking and asbestos can increase the risk factor of lung cancer.Smoking does not cause mesothelioma or asbestosis. Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis, it was caused by your asbestos exposure, and has no relationship to your smoking.Mesothelioma Was PreventableScores of corporations that manufactured and profited from the sale of asbestos-containing products knew the health hazards as early as the 1920's. If you worked in a high-risk industry and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or you have lost someone to an asbestos-related illness, it is your right to seek compensation from those responsible for your situation.

Three Types of Mesothelioma and their Symptoms

Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma

The most common type of mesothelioma is called pleural mesothelioma. In fact, of the reported mesothelioma cases, approximately 75% are classified as pleural mesothelioma. This form of mesothelioma attacks the lungs and respiratory areas of the body.
Stated differently, pleural mesothelioma attacks the cells and the lining (known as the pleura) of the lungs and ribs.
There are essentially three types of mesothelioma: pleural (affects the lungs), peritoneal (affects the abdomen), and pericardial (affects the heart). Although the symptoms for all three types of mesothelioma overlap, there are, however, some differences.
Plural mesothelioma causes shortness of breath and/or chronic coughing that can easily be associated with symptoms from allergies, the flu, or from a common cold.
In many cases pleural mesothelioma is discovered by accident when patients see their doctors about cold-related or flu-related symptoms.
Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining around the stomach and intestines and can be just as dangerous and deadly as pleural mesothelioma
Other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:

chronic coughing that worsens over time
shortness of breath
coughing up blood
fatigue
wheezing
lung infection
swollen lymph nodes
loss of appetite
weight loss
chest pain

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until between twenty and fifty years after exposure, which explains why so many new cases of this form of cancer are currently being reported. Many people who haven't been in contact with asbestos for decades are now showing symptoms of this dreadful disease.
Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Another type of mesothelioma cancer is called peritoneal mesothelioma. Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for 20% of all mesothelioma cases. This type of mesothelioma affects the lining around the stomach and intestines and can be just as dangerous and deadly as pleural mesothelioma.
Of the reported mesothelioma cases, approximately 75% are classified as pleural mesothelioma.
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include:

pain or swelling in the abdomen
weight loss
bowel obstruction
blockage in the small / large intestine
anemia
fever

Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma is the most infrequent form of this rare asbestos-linked cancer. Individuals with this form of malignant mesothelioma have cancerous growths in tissues surrounding the heart.
In many cases pleural mesothelioma is discovered by accident when patients see their doctors about cold-related or flu-related symptoms.
Due to the rarity of this cancer, moreover, pericardial mesothelioma has not been definitely associated with asbestos exposure, although strong links between asbestos and pericardial mesothelioma have been made.
The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma include the following:

chest pain
labored breathing
cough
palpitations
shortness of breath
hoarseness
difficulty swallowing
coughing up blood

For those who are exposed to asbestos or have been exposed have a risk of obtaining mesothelioma, it is important that mesothelioma is diagnosed in its early stages so that it can be treated quickly and aggressively. The earlier it is discovered, the more likely the treatment will be successful.

Types of Mesothelioma

Asbestos lung cancer is a group of diseases related to asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been mined, processed, and used for over 6,000 years. The two most common diseases related to asbestos lung cancer are asbestosis and mesothelioma, with pleural mesothelioma being the most common form of mesothelioma. Both mesothelioma and asbestosis are associated with the inhalation of asbestos and subsequent inflammation caused by the lodging of asbestos in the lungs.
Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is a type of asbestos lung cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that results from asbestos becoming lodged in the lung lining. However, unlike asbestosis, mesothelioma occurs in the serous lining of the lung, which is the lining surrounding the outside of the lungs. Also unlike asbestosis, mesothelioma is malignant, while asbestosis is benign. Malignant means that the growths in the lung serous membranes related to mesothelioma are cancerous, can grow rapidly and spread to other organs. Asbestosis, on the other hand, does not spread to other organs. When cancer tumors grow and then spread to other organs, this is called metastasis.
Pleural Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma can affect different organs in the body, not just the lungs. When mesothelioma occurs in the lungs, it is called pleural mesothelioma. When this disease occurs in the heart lining it is called pericardial mesothelioma, and when it occurs in the abdomen it is called peritoneal mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure is thought to be the primary cause for these other types of mesothelioma.
The time line between asbestos exposure and the onset of pleural mesothelioma is very long, 30 to 40 years. Pleural mesothelioma can also be detected by x-rays, but the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma has to be confirmed with a biopsy. The treatment of pleural mesothelioma is the same as for other cancers, but the disease is very aggressive and most treatments do not slow the disease’s progression. The life expectancy of those diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma is very short, less than a year.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a disease where exposure to asbestos can cause scarring of the lungs and lead to asbestos lung cancer; however, it is not a type of lung cancer. Asbestos fibers are tiny, yet durable. When they are inhaled, the lungs' natural filtration process is unable to eliminate the fibers from the air, allowing asbestos to enter the very sterile inner reaches of the lung cavities. When these fibers become lodged in the lining of the lung, inflammation begins and eventually leads to scarring of the lung lining.
The time line between when the asbestos enters the lungs and when the scarring begins can be as many as ten years. Eventually, if enough scarring occurs in the lungs, fibrosis develops in the lung lining. Fibrosis is defined as the development of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ. This connective tissue cripples the areas of the lungs that it invades. Thus, over time, large areas of the lung are unable to function because of the fibrosis. Similar to pleural mesothelioma, the total time line between exposure to asbestos and the development of large areas of fibrosis can be as long as 30 or 40 years.
Asbestosis is normally detected with an x-ray showing the large fibrous growths in the lungs. The initial symptom is difficulty in breathing. There is no cure for asbestosis and eventually the fibrous tissue can spread completely throughout the lungs and make it impossible to breath. Congestive heart failure is a common cause of death related to asbestosis. The heart becomes overworked in its attempt to push enough blood through the lungs to carry sufficient oxygen to the rest of the body.

Mesothelioma Lawyer Legal Guide

Mesothelioma Lawyer Legal Guide

When you are faced with something as devastating as a Mesothelioma diagnosis, you have a right to seek answers about why you weren't forewarned of the dangers of asbestos, and you have the right to seek reparations for you and your family. If you are a grieving family member or executor of the will of a person who has died from asbestos-related disease or mesothelioma, you may be eligible to file a claim as well.Legal details are understandably the last thing that someone wants to confront after the initial shock of an asbestos-related illness. However, taking advantage of your legal rights can create the necessary funds to finance aggressive treatment, pay off huge medical bills incurred during diagnosis, and provide financial security for your family for years to come.Proving the link between one's illness and their asbestos exposure is a difficult and time-consuming responsibility. This is why the guidance of an experienced Mesothelioma lawyer is critical in helping victims and their families seek and receive financial compensation for their profound suffering. A good Mesothelioma attorney understands the unique complexities involved in this kind of lawsuit, including asbestos product identification, specific asbestos-related medical issues, and specific time constraints that narrow the window of opportunity to file a claim. It's important to find the right Mesothelioma lawyer before your state's statutes of limitations expire, leaving you and your family grieving and empty-handed.

Health Effects of Asbestos

Health Effects of Asbestos

Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems. If ingested, asbestos may cause cancer of the digestive system. It also may act as a skin irritant, causing itching and/or a rash. However, the biggest danger results from inhalation.
Three distinct diseases have been linked to asbestos exposure:
Asbestosis is a scarring of the lung tissue, which eventually reduces lung capacity. A dose/response relationship has been established, meaning the greater the exposure, the more likely this disease will develop. Asbestosis has a 15-30 year latency period and death usually results from complications associated with the disease as it slowly shuts off the normal oxygen supply to the body.
Lung cancer has also been shown to have a dose/response relationship, although no "safe level" has really been determined. However, the risk of disease is increased substantially for a cigarette smoker working with asbestos, up to 90 times greater for a smoker than a non-smoker. The latency period between exposure and the onset of the cancer may be up to 20 years or more.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) or the abdominal lining (peritoneal mesothelioma). There is no dose/response relationship and no apparent relationship to smoking. Although relatively rare, it is almost always fatal. The latency period between exposure and cancer occurrence may be up to 20 years or more.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

Health Effects of Asbestos

Health Effects of Asbestos

Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems. If ingested, asbestos may cause cancer of the digestive system. It also may act as a skin irritant, causing itching and/or a rash. However, the biggest danger results from inhalation.
Three distinct diseases have been linked to asbestos exposure:
Asbestosis is a scarring of the lung tissue, which eventually reduces lung capacity. A dose/response relationship has been established, meaning the greater the exposure, the more likely this disease will develop. Asbestosis has a 15-30 year latency period and death usually results from complications associated with the disease as it slowly shuts off the normal oxygen supply to the body.
Lung cancer has also been shown to have a dose/response relationship, although no "safe level" has really been determined. However, the risk of disease is increased substantially for a cigarette smoker working with asbestos, up to 90 times greater for a smoker than a non-smoker. The latency period between exposure and the onset of the cancer may be up to 20 years or more.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) or the abdominal lining (peritoneal mesothelioma). There is no dose/response relationship and no apparent relationship to smoking. Although relatively rare, it is almost always fatal. The latency period between exposure and cancer occurrence may be up to 20 years or more.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

Mesothelioma Lawyers

Some lawyers specialize in mesothelioma-related cases. Corporate negligence has caused many people to be exposed to asbestos, and tragically some people have developed malignant mesothelioma. These people have legal rights and there are many lawyers working hard to help these folks get some kind of compensation.

What is mesothelioma?

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon, but no longer rare, cancer that is difficult to diagnose and poorly responsive to therapy. Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. Virtually all cases of malignant mesothelioma are attributable to asbestos exposure.
What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?The main risk factor for mesothelioma is contact with asbestos. In the past, asbestos was used for insulation because it does not conduct heat well and doesn’t easily melt or burn. It was also used in other products such as floor tiles, door gaskets, roofing, and patching compounds.
If asbestos fibers are breathed in, they travel to the ends of the small air passages and reach the lining of the lungs. There they can damage the mesothelial cells or the lining of the lung cells. If swallowed, these fibers can also reach the lining of the abdominal cavity where they play a part in causing a cancer called peritoneal mesothelioma. As the link between asbestos and cancer has become well known, use of this material has decreased. All use stopped after 1989.
The following may increase chances of developing mesothelioma:
Radiation - There have been a few published reports of pleural and peritoneal mesotheliomas that developed following exposure to thorium dioxide (Thorotrast).
Zeolite - This is a silicate mineral, chemically related to asbestos, common in the soil of the Anatoli region of Turkey. Many cases of mesothelioma have been described in this region and may have been caused by this mineral.
Tobacco Smoking - the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure also greatly increases the risk of lung cancer.
SV40 Virus - Some recent studies have raised the possibility that infection with simian virus 40 (SV40) might increase a person's risk of developing mesothelioma.
What are some ways to try to prevent mesothelioma?
Avoid exposure to asbestos
Eat Healthy
Exercise
What are some ways to detect mesothelioma?
Chest X-Ray
CT Scan
MRI
Thoracoscopy - A thoracoscope (telescope-like instrument connected to a video camera) is inserted through a small incision into the chest. Your doctor can see the tumor through the thoracoscope, and can use special forceps to take a tissue biopsy
Bronchoscopy - In this procedure a flexible lighted tube is inserted through your mouth, down the trachea, and into the bronchi to see if there are other masses in the airway. Small samples of abnormal-appearing tissue can be removed for testing.
Mediastinoscopy - A lighted tube is inserted under the sternum (chest bone) at the level of the neck and moved down into the chest allowing the surgeon to view the lymph nodes in this area and remove samples to check for cancer.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

What Causes Mesothelioma?

What causes mesothelioma?

Asbestos exposure is the main cause of mesothelioma. After these fibers are breathed in, they travel to the ends of small air passages and reach the pleura where they cause physical damage to mesothelial cells that may result in cancer. In addition, they also cause injury to lung cells that can result in lung cancer and/or asbestosis (replacement of lung tissue by scar tissue). If swallowed, these fibers can reach the abdominal cavity where they have a role in causing peritoneal mesothelioma.
Exposure to asbestos, though mostly occupational, can also be environmental, or familial by household contamination, through the work clothes of an asbestos worker for instance.
Beginning 15 years after the onset of exposure, about 6% of asbestos workers die of mesothelioma. In one study of asbestos insulation workers, the death rate from mesothelioma was 344 times higher than in the general population. (Selifoff IJ et al. Relation between exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma. NEJM)