Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is known for its durability and fire-resistant properties. The substance has been used in a wide variety of building materials, including insulation products, siding, cements, flooring, and roofing, to name a few.
When asbestos-containing materials become damaged or disturbed, toxic asbestos fibers can be released into the air. If these microscopic fibers are inhaled or ingested, there are several different kinds of diseases that can develop. These diseases include lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma, which all have a latency period ranging from 10 to 50 years.
This latency period can have a significant impact on patients diagnosed with asbestos cancer. For example, when mesothelioma symptoms and other signs of disease take several decades to appear, the disease is usually already in its latest stages of development. As a result, many patients only have the option of palliative mesothelioma treatment options rather than curative.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. The disease occurs when the fibers of asbestos become lodged in the mesothelial lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), heart (pericardial mesothelioma), or abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma).
In most instances, this disease takes anywhere between 20 and 50 years to develop. In addition to having difficulty with breathing and swallowing, extreme weight loss is also a side effect of malignant mesothelioma cancer.
Another form of asbestos cancer is asbestosis, which also causes intense scarring of the lungs. This disease typically develops after someone has experienced prolonged exposure to asbestos. The latency period with this disease is usually 10 to 30 years, and symptoms include breathing difficulties and a decrease in the elasticity of the lungs.
Besides mesothelioma and asbestosis, lung cancer is another disease that can develop from exposure to asbestos. However, this disease can also be enhanced by cigarette smoking and other agents. Pleural plaques are indicators or asbestos exposure as well, but these are not fatal. Instead, they are usually taken as early signs of development for other diseases.
Prognosis for these illnesses is commonly poor because patients do not have the availability of curable treatment options. For mesothelioma, the average prognosis for a patient is six months to two years. For asbestosis or lung cancer, the prognosis is usually longer, but the symptoms are much more painful. Hence the reason why more research is needed for finding a cure for these diseases.
Source:http://www.asbestos.com/news/2008/11/26/information-on-mesothelioma-and-other-asbestos-related-illnesses/
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Mesothelioma.com Acknowledges New Mesothelioma Study
A recent study conducted by the Department of Molecular Pathology at the Polytechnic University of Marche in Ancona, Italy may lead to breakthroughs in mesothelioma cancer diagnosis. The study, entitled “Assessment of Biomarkers in Asbestos-Exposed Workers as Indicators of Cancer Risk” was published in June in an issue of Mutation Research.
Researchers involved in the study have discovered that certain indicators known as biomarkers can clearly distinguish mesothelioma cells from normal cells, potentially leading to faster, more conclusive diagnosis of asbestos-related cancer.
119 participants, all who had been previously exposed to asbestos, were analyzed and studied. Researchers discovered biomarkers consistent with asbestos exposure, Participants who had been exposed to higher levels of asbestos exhibited increased biomarkers.
Mesothelioma is conclusively caused by previous exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring toxic mineral that may be found within a variety of construction materials, including insulation and roofing tiles. The latent period associated with mesothelioma cancer is between twenty and fifty years, and upon a mesothelioma diagnosis an individual will most likely surrender to this aggressive disease in less than two years. Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms associated with mesothelioma are similar to those of other asbestos-related ailments, such as asbestosis.
The discovery of biomarkers could lead to earlier and more conclusive mesothelioma diagnosis.
Mesothelioma.com supports continued research and increased funding related to biomarkers and the potential for easier mesothelioma cancer diagnosis.
Mesothelioma.com is the web’s leading resource for mesothelioma-related information, including asbestos exposure and mesothelioma treatment options. Please visit Mesothelioma.com for additional information.
Source:http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=56569&cat=15
Researchers involved in the study have discovered that certain indicators known as biomarkers can clearly distinguish mesothelioma cells from normal cells, potentially leading to faster, more conclusive diagnosis of asbestos-related cancer.
119 participants, all who had been previously exposed to asbestos, were analyzed and studied. Researchers discovered biomarkers consistent with asbestos exposure, Participants who had been exposed to higher levels of asbestos exhibited increased biomarkers.
Mesothelioma is conclusively caused by previous exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring toxic mineral that may be found within a variety of construction materials, including insulation and roofing tiles. The latent period associated with mesothelioma cancer is between twenty and fifty years, and upon a mesothelioma diagnosis an individual will most likely surrender to this aggressive disease in less than two years. Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms associated with mesothelioma are similar to those of other asbestos-related ailments, such as asbestosis.
The discovery of biomarkers could lead to earlier and more conclusive mesothelioma diagnosis.
Mesothelioma.com supports continued research and increased funding related to biomarkers and the potential for easier mesothelioma cancer diagnosis.
Mesothelioma.com is the web’s leading resource for mesothelioma-related information, including asbestos exposure and mesothelioma treatment options. Please visit Mesothelioma.com for additional information.
Source:http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=56569&cat=15
Call to increase awareness of lung cancer
LUNG CANCER, a cancer with one of the lowest five-year survival rates, is under-reported by the media compared to other major cancers, research by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) suggests.
In a quantitative analysis of articles published in the national press and national magazines from 2004 to 2006, breast cancer was referred to in more than 5,000 stories, while prostate cancer was mentioned on 1,325 occasions. But lung cancer, which kills almost 1,600 people in the State annually, was cited in 1,664 articles. The ICS research also found that press coverage of breast cancer almost doubled in the three-year study period, while media interest in lung cancer increased by just 38 per cent.
Noting that lung cancer appears to receive more attention than prostate cancer, Norma Cronin, health promotion manager of the ICS, said "coverage is scant when references to lung cancer in the context of smoking issues are removed".
"The vast majority of lung cancer coverage in the print media is overshadowed and defined by tobacco-related issues, and does not focus on explaining sign and symptoms of lung cancer to promote early detection."
Prof Thomas Lynch, director of the Centre for Thoracic Cancers at the Massachusetts Hospital, Boston, who is in the Republic to speak to healthcare professionals about targeted therapies for lung cancer, said: "This research shows that lung cancer related media coverage in Ireland is seriously disproportionate to the incidence of and mortality from the disease, and supports the long-held theory, evident in other countries, that there is a lack of interest in the media in lung cancer."
Stephen McMahon, chairman of the Irish Patients Association, called on the media to bring more attention to lung cancer.
"They have the power to increase awareness and educate people about lung cancer, and become a 'voice' for a group that has been clearly overlooked for many years," he said.
One reason for the poor public profile of lung cancer is thought to be its strong link with smoking and a widely held view that the cancer is "self-inflicted" as a result. Other possible reasons include the fact that lung cancer occurs primarily in those from lower socio-economic groups and the disease's low profile among celebrity driven charities.
The latest figures from the National Cancer Registry show that 1,842 people where diagnosed with lung cancer in the Republic in 2005, while the Central Statistics Office recorded 1,627 annual deaths from the disease. Most lung cancers are caused by smoking, but about 5 per cent of cases are linked to radon, an inert gas that has been discovered in high concentrations beneath certain buildings in small pockets around the country. Asbestos exposure has also been linked with lung cancer; certain types of asbestos fibre cause mesothelioma, a rare cancer affecting the lining around the lung.
Lung cancer rates are rising in women, reflecting the increasing numbers of females who smoke.
Sourec:http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0814/1218477549638.html
In a quantitative analysis of articles published in the national press and national magazines from 2004 to 2006, breast cancer was referred to in more than 5,000 stories, while prostate cancer was mentioned on 1,325 occasions. But lung cancer, which kills almost 1,600 people in the State annually, was cited in 1,664 articles. The ICS research also found that press coverage of breast cancer almost doubled in the three-year study period, while media interest in lung cancer increased by just 38 per cent.
Noting that lung cancer appears to receive more attention than prostate cancer, Norma Cronin, health promotion manager of the ICS, said "coverage is scant when references to lung cancer in the context of smoking issues are removed".
"The vast majority of lung cancer coverage in the print media is overshadowed and defined by tobacco-related issues, and does not focus on explaining sign and symptoms of lung cancer to promote early detection."
Prof Thomas Lynch, director of the Centre for Thoracic Cancers at the Massachusetts Hospital, Boston, who is in the Republic to speak to healthcare professionals about targeted therapies for lung cancer, said: "This research shows that lung cancer related media coverage in Ireland is seriously disproportionate to the incidence of and mortality from the disease, and supports the long-held theory, evident in other countries, that there is a lack of interest in the media in lung cancer."
Stephen McMahon, chairman of the Irish Patients Association, called on the media to bring more attention to lung cancer.
"They have the power to increase awareness and educate people about lung cancer, and become a 'voice' for a group that has been clearly overlooked for many years," he said.
One reason for the poor public profile of lung cancer is thought to be its strong link with smoking and a widely held view that the cancer is "self-inflicted" as a result. Other possible reasons include the fact that lung cancer occurs primarily in those from lower socio-economic groups and the disease's low profile among celebrity driven charities.
The latest figures from the National Cancer Registry show that 1,842 people where diagnosed with lung cancer in the Republic in 2005, while the Central Statistics Office recorded 1,627 annual deaths from the disease. Most lung cancers are caused by smoking, but about 5 per cent of cases are linked to radon, an inert gas that has been discovered in high concentrations beneath certain buildings in small pockets around the country. Asbestos exposure has also been linked with lung cancer; certain types of asbestos fibre cause mesothelioma, a rare cancer affecting the lining around the lung.
Lung cancer rates are rising in women, reflecting the increasing numbers of females who smoke.
Sourec:http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0814/1218477549638.html
New Study May Improve Early Diagnosis of Mesothelioma
Diagnosing mesothelioma is one of the most pressing problems facing medical researchers and practitioners involved in fighting this aggressive cancer. Fortunately, the results of a new study may help provide medical practitioners with a new method of monitoring the health of those exposed to asbestos, allowing for earlier diagnosis.
The study, titled “Assessment of Biomarkers in Asbestos-Exposed Workers as Indicators of Cancer Risk,” appeared in a June 2008 issue of Mutation Research, and was carried out by several researchers at the Department of Molecular Pathology and Innovative Therapies, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche in Ancona, Italy.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that typically affects the mesothelial lining of the lungs, but can also affect the lining of the heart, abdominal cavity, or testicles. Due to a long latency period and the asymptomatic nature of the disease, mesothelioma is very difficult to diagnose early. By the time noticeable symptoms appear, the cancer has often progressed to a point where mesothelioma treatment is ineffective.
In addition, this cancer is highly resistant to current treatments. For this reason, effective and early diagnosis is a vital aspect of current research.
In an effort to find ways of solving these problems, researchers have examined what are known as “biomarkers” in relation to mesothelioma. Biomarkers are biological “tags” that distinguish mesothelioma cells from normal, healthy cells.
By determining mesothelioma biomarkers, researchers may be able to devise a method of earlier diagnosis. The research is promising and may afford those with mesothelioma a better chance at fighting the cancer.
The researchers of this study examined 119 people with a history of asbestos exposure. The participants were interviewed and their cells were analyzed for specific biomarkers relating to asbestos exposure.
Researchers found several biomarkers, and also discovered the amount of biomarkers present correlated with cumulative asbestos exposure. In essence, participants with more cumulative asbestos exposure exhibited higher levels of biomarkers.
The discovery of these biomarkers means that people who have been exposed to asbestos could be regularly monitored for signs of disease. With advancements such as these, it may soon be possible to diagnose mesothelioma earlier in those with known asbestos exposure.
Source:http://news.asbestos.com/2008/08/13/new-study-may-improve-early-diagnosis-of-mesothelioma/
The study, titled “Assessment of Biomarkers in Asbestos-Exposed Workers as Indicators of Cancer Risk,” appeared in a June 2008 issue of Mutation Research, and was carried out by several researchers at the Department of Molecular Pathology and Innovative Therapies, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche in Ancona, Italy.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that typically affects the mesothelial lining of the lungs, but can also affect the lining of the heart, abdominal cavity, or testicles. Due to a long latency period and the asymptomatic nature of the disease, mesothelioma is very difficult to diagnose early. By the time noticeable symptoms appear, the cancer has often progressed to a point where mesothelioma treatment is ineffective.
In addition, this cancer is highly resistant to current treatments. For this reason, effective and early diagnosis is a vital aspect of current research.
In an effort to find ways of solving these problems, researchers have examined what are known as “biomarkers” in relation to mesothelioma. Biomarkers are biological “tags” that distinguish mesothelioma cells from normal, healthy cells.
By determining mesothelioma biomarkers, researchers may be able to devise a method of earlier diagnosis. The research is promising and may afford those with mesothelioma a better chance at fighting the cancer.
The researchers of this study examined 119 people with a history of asbestos exposure. The participants were interviewed and their cells were analyzed for specific biomarkers relating to asbestos exposure.
Researchers found several biomarkers, and also discovered the amount of biomarkers present correlated with cumulative asbestos exposure. In essence, participants with more cumulative asbestos exposure exhibited higher levels of biomarkers.
The discovery of these biomarkers means that people who have been exposed to asbestos could be regularly monitored for signs of disease. With advancements such as these, it may soon be possible to diagnose mesothelioma earlier in those with known asbestos exposure.
Source:http://news.asbestos.com/2008/08/13/new-study-may-improve-early-diagnosis-of-mesothelioma/
Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center Supports Maximum Sentence For Former Teacher’s Violation Of EPA Regulations
Former school teacher Randal J. Ecker, age 60, has plead guilty to one count of violating federal regulations after failing to alert the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before procuring five of his special-education pupils to pull up asbestos-containing tiles “as part of a renovation project.”
Both Ecker and members of the school board in Bridger, Montana, were reportedly aware that old floor tiles in the high school contained high levels of asbestos. Ecker “kept the project secret” from the school board as well as the EPA. He also failed to alert the neighborhood landfill that the debris contained asbestos.
Ecker now faces a potential two-year prison sentence, the maximum under the law, and will be ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. The Bridger, Montana school district settled a law suit brought forth by the five special education students and their families. Each received a lump sum of $251,000 in restitution.
Exposure to asbestos has been connected to the eventual onset of pleural mesothelioma, a fatal type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs. Mesothelioma presently has no known cure and a survival rate of less than one percent. Upon exposure to asbestos it may take up to fifty years for mesothelioma symptoms to manifest, causing anxiety for the young students and their parents.
The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center commends the strict penalties put in place as a result of EPA’s Clean Air Act and recommends the maximum sentence under the law for all offenders involved in asbestos-related crimes.
The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center is the web’s foremost resource for information related to asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, mesothelioma treatment methods, and more. For further information, please visit the Mesothelioma & Asbestos Center website at http://www.maacenter.org/.
Source:http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=54785&cat=10
Both Ecker and members of the school board in Bridger, Montana, were reportedly aware that old floor tiles in the high school contained high levels of asbestos. Ecker “kept the project secret” from the school board as well as the EPA. He also failed to alert the neighborhood landfill that the debris contained asbestos.
Ecker now faces a potential two-year prison sentence, the maximum under the law, and will be ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. The Bridger, Montana school district settled a law suit brought forth by the five special education students and their families. Each received a lump sum of $251,000 in restitution.
Exposure to asbestos has been connected to the eventual onset of pleural mesothelioma, a fatal type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs. Mesothelioma presently has no known cure and a survival rate of less than one percent. Upon exposure to asbestos it may take up to fifty years for mesothelioma symptoms to manifest, causing anxiety for the young students and their parents.
The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center commends the strict penalties put in place as a result of EPA’s Clean Air Act and recommends the maximum sentence under the law for all offenders involved in asbestos-related crimes.
The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center is the web’s foremost resource for information related to asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, mesothelioma treatment methods, and more. For further information, please visit the Mesothelioma & Asbestos Center website at http://www.maacenter.org/.
Source:http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=54785&cat=10
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Mesothelioma and Active Symptom Control
Incorporating chemotherapy in a regimen of symptom-relieving treatments (such as steroid medications) doesn’t significantly improve survival or quality of life in mesothelioma patients, according to a study published in the May 17 issue of The Lancet. However, one chemotherapy drug—vinorelbine—is promising enough to warrant further study, the authors say.
Because mesothelioma attacks the lining of the lung, it is one of the trickiest cancers to treat. Surgery is complicated because it requires either stripping the lung lining or removing the whole lung, radiation is risky because it can damage healthy lung tissue, and chemotherapy isn’t very effective against this type of cancer, says one of the lead study authors, Richard Stephens, a research scientist with the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit in London, England.
When Stephens and colleagues designed this study back in the late 1990s, most treatments were aimed at simply controlling symptoms (an approach known as active symptom control, or ASC) with regular evaluations, palliative radiation, and steroid drugs. A variety of new chemotherapy drugs have been developed since then, yet even they haven’t shown much promise against the disease. “In mesothelioma even the most active drugs only result in tumor responses in about 20 percent of patients,” Stephens says.
As part of the continuing effort to find more effective treatments, Stephens and his colleagues investigated whether combining ASC with one of two different chemotherapy regimens might lengthen survival or improve symptoms. To that end, they recruited 409 mesothelioma patients (average age, 65) from treatment centers in the United Kingdom and Australia between 2001 and 2006. Some of the patients had been treated with surgery, but none had had previous chemotherapy.
Patients were randomly divided into three groups and given either ASC alone; ASC plus a combination of the chemotherapy drugs mitomycin, vinblastine, and cisplatin (MVP); or ASC plus the chemotherapy drug, vinorelbine.
When they analyzed the data, the researchers didn’t note any real symptom improvement in patients receiving chemotherapy as opposed to those getting ASC alone. There was, however, a small increase in survival in one of the chemotherapy groups. Patients taking ASC plus vinorelbine lived, on average, two months longer (9.5 months compared to 7.6 months) than those in the ASC group. The patients on vinorelbine also experienced a longer period without their cancer progressing.
Even though chemotherapy caused side effects, and it only offered a slight survival advantage, the results were still important considering that this is a disease for which there are currently very few treatment options, Stephens says. “Whilst the use of vinorelbine perhaps only extended survival by a couple of months, this is a start and we need to see how we can build on this.”
Future studies should identify which patients benefit most from treatment—and how much they benefit—so that doctors can better target treatments, Stephens says. Another research prerogative is to test out different drug combinations; for example, adding vinorelbine to other chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin or pemetrexed.
Though it did not yield overwhelmingly positive results, this study and others like it can help doctors and patients make better treatment decisions. “You cannot completely change things overnight with one trial,” Stephens says. “We have to learn and build on what we know, and by doing so eventually we can make progress.”
source:http://www.survivingmesothelioma.com/news/view.asp?ID=0016
Because mesothelioma attacks the lining of the lung, it is one of the trickiest cancers to treat. Surgery is complicated because it requires either stripping the lung lining or removing the whole lung, radiation is risky because it can damage healthy lung tissue, and chemotherapy isn’t very effective against this type of cancer, says one of the lead study authors, Richard Stephens, a research scientist with the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit in London, England.
When Stephens and colleagues designed this study back in the late 1990s, most treatments were aimed at simply controlling symptoms (an approach known as active symptom control, or ASC) with regular evaluations, palliative radiation, and steroid drugs. A variety of new chemotherapy drugs have been developed since then, yet even they haven’t shown much promise against the disease. “In mesothelioma even the most active drugs only result in tumor responses in about 20 percent of patients,” Stephens says.
As part of the continuing effort to find more effective treatments, Stephens and his colleagues investigated whether combining ASC with one of two different chemotherapy regimens might lengthen survival or improve symptoms. To that end, they recruited 409 mesothelioma patients (average age, 65) from treatment centers in the United Kingdom and Australia between 2001 and 2006. Some of the patients had been treated with surgery, but none had had previous chemotherapy.
Patients were randomly divided into three groups and given either ASC alone; ASC plus a combination of the chemotherapy drugs mitomycin, vinblastine, and cisplatin (MVP); or ASC plus the chemotherapy drug, vinorelbine.
When they analyzed the data, the researchers didn’t note any real symptom improvement in patients receiving chemotherapy as opposed to those getting ASC alone. There was, however, a small increase in survival in one of the chemotherapy groups. Patients taking ASC plus vinorelbine lived, on average, two months longer (9.5 months compared to 7.6 months) than those in the ASC group. The patients on vinorelbine also experienced a longer period without their cancer progressing.
Even though chemotherapy caused side effects, and it only offered a slight survival advantage, the results were still important considering that this is a disease for which there are currently very few treatment options, Stephens says. “Whilst the use of vinorelbine perhaps only extended survival by a couple of months, this is a start and we need to see how we can build on this.”
Future studies should identify which patients benefit most from treatment—and how much they benefit—so that doctors can better target treatments, Stephens says. Another research prerogative is to test out different drug combinations; for example, adding vinorelbine to other chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin or pemetrexed.
Though it did not yield overwhelmingly positive results, this study and others like it can help doctors and patients make better treatment decisions. “You cannot completely change things overnight with one trial,” Stephens says. “We have to learn and build on what we know, and by doing so eventually we can make progress.”
source:http://www.survivingmesothelioma.com/news/view.asp?ID=0016
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Mesothelioma Research: Search For Hope
Mesothelioma research refers to the studies for discovering new facts or information about mesothelioma cancers. Mesothelioma is a life threatening cancerous disease. It affects the lining of abdominal organs and lungs. Only known reason of this disease is exposure to asbestos particles. Diagnosis of mesothelioma is a difficult process. This is mainly because asbestos particles may lie dormant in the body for up to 50 years before appearance of symptoms. Average survival time of mesothelioma patients is 1-2 years. Mesothelioma research is important considering the increasing number of mesothelioma patients every year.
Key Points of Mesothelioma Research
Most of the mesothelioma research going on today is focused towards the effects of asbestos particles on human cells. Scientists undertaking mesothelioma research are studying the process through which asbestos corrupts the healthy cells of the body. Ongoing research about mesothelioma provides a ray of hope that sometime in the future it may become possible to prevent the damaging effects of asbestos particles on human cells.
During the course of mesothelioma research, experts are also performing clinical trials on the mesothelioma patients. They are conducting clinical trials on the patients who are diagnosed for mesothelioma cancers on early stages as well as later stages. Doctors emphasize on trials on both types of patients because both of them equally require relief from mesothelioma cancers. Ongoing mesothelioma research and newer information every day provides hope to mesothelioma victims that any trial can result into the discovery of an effective treatment for mesothelioma cancers.
Sponsors of Mesothelioma Research
Many organizations including the companies responsible for the exposure to asbestos particles are sponsoring mesothelioma research. It is the moral duty of those companies because many people are on brink of death because of their negligence. Law firms are also keeping a close watch on mesothelioma research because many patients are adopting legal course for seeking mesothelioma compensation. A mesothelioma law firm has better chances for getting compensation for its client if they better information about this dangerous disease.
source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20080224_mesothelioma_applied_research_foundation.htm
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Frequency of Mesothelioma Rising
If you work on a construction site and fall from an unstable high platform, breaking a leg, the situation is pretty clear. Your injury is clear and probably the negligence of your employer in not providing a safer platform is clear.
But mesothelioma is a long-delayed disease. The reason there are more cases of mesothelioma and more legal claims being filed about it is that the people who were exposed to asbestos years ago are only now being hit with the results.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a term for several naturally-occurring minerals. The ancient Greeks named it, using their word meaning inextinguishable, and that is where our word asbestos comes from. It’s “inextinguishable” because:
· It’s resistant to heat and electricity
· It’s resistant to chemical damage
· It has tensile strength, being of a fibrous nature
· It blocks sound
These qualities make it excellent for building construction, and from the late 19th century until the 1970s, it was used for insulation and as a fire retardant, in vehicle manufacture, appliances, and buildings.
Asbestos fibers
Even the ancient Greeks knew that these tiny air-borne fibers are dangerous, as they noticed that slaves who used it in making cloth developed breathing problems. In the U.S., asbestos fibers were breathed in for the entire working lives of construction workers who are now aged 50 or 60 or older. In other industries too, people breathed this contaminated air, so that the fibers became lodged in the lungs. They are still there, causing cancerous tumors of the lining around the lungs and chest cavity, known as the pleura. Asbestosis is less severe, being an inflammation of the lungs; mesothelioma is cancer in the lungs.
The cancer may also spread to other parts of the body. The name Mesothelioma means cancer of a mesothelium (a lining around body organs) and can occur in any of the body’s mesothelia, such as in the abdominal cavity, the testicles, or the heart.
Mesothelioma symptoms
Anywhere from 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos fibers, symptoms start appearing:
· Coughing
· Chest pain
· Shortness of breath
· Fatigue
· Fluid build-up around the lungs
· Blood when you cough
There may be many small tumors, in locations where the body has been trying for decades to rid itself of the fibers, and failing, because asbestos is “inextinguishable” – it kills off the special cells sent to dispose of its fibers.
In severe cases, one or both lungs may collapse, which is a life-threatening event, as breathing is not possible in a collapsed lung.
On February 5, 2008, the Vancouver Sun reported on a survey done by the British Colombia and Yukon Building and Construction Trades Council. The survey had found that 51% of work-related deaths in 2007 were caused by occupational diseases, most of which were asbestos-related. The executive director of the Construction Trades Council predicts 1,500 asbestos-related deaths in B.C. in the next five years.
Meanwhile Asarco LLC, a large mining company in Texas, is in bankruptcy and struggling to deal with claims from individuals, states, and the federal government. Many of the claims relate to asbestos injuries.
If you suspect you are suffering from asbestos-related symptoms, be sure and see your doctor about it. It could be either asbestosis or mesothelioma. You might also contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn more about your legal options.
source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20080221_diagnosed_with_mesothelioma.htm
But mesothelioma is a long-delayed disease. The reason there are more cases of mesothelioma and more legal claims being filed about it is that the people who were exposed to asbestos years ago are only now being hit with the results.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a term for several naturally-occurring minerals. The ancient Greeks named it, using their word meaning inextinguishable, and that is where our word asbestos comes from. It’s “inextinguishable” because:
· It’s resistant to heat and electricity
· It’s resistant to chemical damage
· It has tensile strength, being of a fibrous nature
· It blocks sound
These qualities make it excellent for building construction, and from the late 19th century until the 1970s, it was used for insulation and as a fire retardant, in vehicle manufacture, appliances, and buildings.
Asbestos fibers
Even the ancient Greeks knew that these tiny air-borne fibers are dangerous, as they noticed that slaves who used it in making cloth developed breathing problems. In the U.S., asbestos fibers were breathed in for the entire working lives of construction workers who are now aged 50 or 60 or older. In other industries too, people breathed this contaminated air, so that the fibers became lodged in the lungs. They are still there, causing cancerous tumors of the lining around the lungs and chest cavity, known as the pleura. Asbestosis is less severe, being an inflammation of the lungs; mesothelioma is cancer in the lungs.
The cancer may also spread to other parts of the body. The name Mesothelioma means cancer of a mesothelium (a lining around body organs) and can occur in any of the body’s mesothelia, such as in the abdominal cavity, the testicles, or the heart.
Mesothelioma symptoms
Anywhere from 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos fibers, symptoms start appearing:
· Coughing
· Chest pain
· Shortness of breath
· Fatigue
· Fluid build-up around the lungs
· Blood when you cough
There may be many small tumors, in locations where the body has been trying for decades to rid itself of the fibers, and failing, because asbestos is “inextinguishable” – it kills off the special cells sent to dispose of its fibers.
In severe cases, one or both lungs may collapse, which is a life-threatening event, as breathing is not possible in a collapsed lung.
On February 5, 2008, the Vancouver Sun reported on a survey done by the British Colombia and Yukon Building and Construction Trades Council. The survey had found that 51% of work-related deaths in 2007 were caused by occupational diseases, most of which were asbestos-related. The executive director of the Construction Trades Council predicts 1,500 asbestos-related deaths in B.C. in the next five years.
Meanwhile Asarco LLC, a large mining company in Texas, is in bankruptcy and struggling to deal with claims from individuals, states, and the federal government. Many of the claims relate to asbestos injuries.
If you suspect you are suffering from asbestos-related symptoms, be sure and see your doctor about it. It could be either asbestosis or mesothelioma. You might also contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn more about your legal options.
source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20080221_diagnosed_with_mesothelioma.htm
Sunday, February 3, 2008
NICE OKs mesothelioma drug
Pemetrexed Disodium (Alimta) will now be available across the NHS for malignant pleural mesothelioma in certain cases after NICE threw out an appeal.
After a two-and-a-half-year wait because of approval processes NICE has recommended Pemetrexed Disodium for patients who have WHO performance status of 0 (able to carry out all normal activity without restriction) or 1 (restricted in strenuous activity but able to move around and carry out light work), or who are considered to have advanced disease or for whom surgical resection is considered inappropriate.
Mesothelioma is uncurable but the drug can increase life expectancy and reduce symptoms. At present Pemetrexed Disodium is available in certain areas of the country but its prescription is not widespread across the UK.
source:http://www.legal-medical.co.uk/news/11750.html
After a two-and-a-half-year wait because of approval processes NICE has recommended Pemetrexed Disodium for patients who have WHO performance status of 0 (able to carry out all normal activity without restriction) or 1 (restricted in strenuous activity but able to move around and carry out light work), or who are considered to have advanced disease or for whom surgical resection is considered inappropriate.
Mesothelioma is uncurable but the drug can increase life expectancy and reduce symptoms. At present Pemetrexed Disodium is available in certain areas of the country but its prescription is not widespread across the UK.
source:http://www.legal-medical.co.uk/news/11750.html
Sunday, January 27, 2008
First Time Federal Funding for Mesothelioma Research
The Department of Defense (DoD) Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program was
appropriated $50 million in the Defense Appropriations Bill that the
President signed in mid- November. The Mesothelioma Applied Research
Foundation (Meso Foundation) is excited to announce that, for the first
time, mesothelioma will be included as a research priority within the DoD's
Medical Research Program, to begin February 2008. As a candidate research
area within the program, mesothelioma investigators are eligible to compete
for funding through the program's 2008 grant cycle.
"The Meso Foundation has been working with fifteen senators, led by
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), advocating the federal government to respond to
the mesothelioma crisis through a commitment of new federal research
dollars," said Chris Hahn, Executive Director of The Meso Foundation. "Our
advocacy efforts in this area for the past several years finally paid off."
Federal medical research projects must be of clear scientific merit and
have direct relevance to military health. Military relevance is a key
feature of the Investigator-Initiated award, a connection that will not be
difficult for mesothelioma researchers to establish for their grant
applications.
There is a long history of asbestos exposure in military service, and a
significant elevated risk of mesothelioma in the military population. In
fact, approximately one third of mesothelioma cases have been shown to
involve Navy and shipyard exposures. Given the long latency of the disease,
even if exposures are reduced, mesothelioma will continue to affect the
veteran and military population for decades to come.
This funding opportunity can serve as a vital resource to the meso
community and is another crucial step toward advancing the research and
treatment of mesothelioma. The Meso Foundation strongly encourages
mesothelioma investigators to consider submitting applications for funding
in 2008, as the interest and engagement shown by the community will likely
be a factor in whether mesothelioma is included as a candidate in future
years.
source:http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-23-2008/0004741829&EDATE=
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