1/30/2009

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer

by Sara Reisness

that affects the lining of the abdomen. It occurs in the tissues lining the abdominal cavity that contain a fluid that enables the organs to move and work properly. It is a cancer, which is associated with asbestos exposure, a mineral belonging to the amphibole group used in making fireproof articles. Asbestos exposure can cause severe health complications.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is sometimes also referred as diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma, as this is the place where the cancer spreads out. Among asbestos related diseases, peritoneal mesothelioma is the most common cancer.

Peritoneal mesothelioma can prove fatal in many circumstances if proper diagnosis and treatment is not done. The latency period is very long [ten to fifty years] and most of the time it is diagnosed when the disease is well spread into the body. Mesothelioma can affect any part and organ of the body if not detected on time.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms
The symptoms may not appear soon after exposure to asbestos. It may take a long latency period and symptoms may be clear after a long time.

• Most of the symptoms resemble that of flu

• Stomach pains and fever

• Abdominal swelling may occur

• Due to swelling of abdomen, extreme pain in the internal organs may take place

• Shortness of breath accompanied by a persistent cough due to build up of fluid between the lining of the lungs and the chest cavity known as pleural effusion.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma origins
Asbestos is the main cause for people developing peritoneal mesothelioma. Asbestos is a material used in shipyards and industries. Asbestos adds to the durability and fire resistance quality and gives strength to products and protects them against corrosion. Inhalation of asbestos can be serious and fatal in many cases. It causes the scar tissues to develop on lower lobes of both lungs, leading to minor cuts and lacerations in tissue. It can impair lung elasticity and the lung’s ability to sufficiently exchange gases.

Diagnosis - Peritoneal mesothelioma
One of the major obstacles in diagnosing peritoneal mesothelioma lies in its symptoms resembling flu with fever and other symptoms. Many patients and doctors are unable to recognize the disease unless the tumors of peritoneal mesothelioma cause severe adnominal swelling and pain.

The diagnosis may be based on X- ray or CT scan. In both these methods of diagnosis, detailed images of the body are taken in which the complete picture of the body becomes clear and the doctor is able to identify where the cancerous cells are located.

Sometimes, an exploratory surgery is also performed based on the doctor’s recommendation. Also, a biopsy is carried out in which a sample of the cells is taken from the affected portion of the body, and it tested under the microscope to check for abnormal growth. A blood test is also done to rule out possibilities of other diseases and ailments.
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1/23/2009

Mesothelioma, your health and legal right.

by Neshah

This story-article will open your eyes to the danger you might presently be living with and not know plus, the legal option open to you as a redress.

John has been sick for months, he has finally been diagnosed to have a rare cancer disease medically know as mesothelioma. He is about being hospitalised for a possible cure of the disease on his lungs, heart and abdominal cavities.

If you come down with mesothelioma, chemotherapy, usually the first option open to doctors as part of cancer analysis will be your first treatment experience, after which you might be subjected to radiation therapy, immuno-augmentative therapy or surgery as the last resort. You sure don’t want John’s condition, do you?

Most victims do not know that they had contracted this very rare cancer. Mesothelioma may silently damage cells of the affected organs for as long as 40 years before health problem symptoms become noticeable. Worse is that symptoms usually happen in retirement when your income, most likely, would have dropped below your expenditure.

From all indications, John is very sick and obviously his well being has been greatly impaired, which must have shortened his life span. His income now barely meets his basic needs due to lost work-hours as a result of mesothelioma. He is in a dilemma regarding how to handle his condition.

But unknown to John, he has a legal right to file for compensation against his former employers. Majority of the articles on mesothelioma, victims and compensation on the internet are unequivocal that anyone who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma having been exposed to asbestos, the chief cause of this rare cancer, is entitled to compensation.

Aside from the inconveniences of illness, their life span has been shortened considerably by the disease contracted in circumstances that did not make the inherent danger of asbestos known to the victim. Using this argument experienced mesothelioma lawyers win claims for their clients, basically pleading the invariable loss of health and active life associated with the rare cancer.

Companies that produced or whose raw material were or still asbestos cannot hoodwink the law on the fact that they knew how dangerous asbestos was to health, but deliberately did not inform their employees as a policy.

Since it takes too long before mesothelioma symptoms begin to appear, tens of thousands of people in the United States may have died of this disease without being recorded as mesothelioma victims. Recorded deaths associated with mesothelioma are also in tens of thousands too.

Asbestos factories, Building and Construction works are among the frequently mentioned culprits for this scenario. And most victims never even know that they were or are mesothelioma positive till it is too late.

The symptoms that John came down with are; shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal pain, coughing and exhaustion . And I have also read that soon his immune system will become overworked and weakened fighting mesothelioma.

Now, if like John, you or anyone you know had worked or works with asbestos, then inform them, and hurry up to a medical check up. If you test positive, look for a mesothelioma lawyer who can defend your claim.

A competent mesothelioma lawyer must be abreast of the symptoms of the disease to be able to win your claim for you, so ask him questions about the disease to test his knowledge before hiring him.

Neshah contributes useful articles fo your health benefits- Mesothelioma Symptoms/Lawyers
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1/16/2009

Mesothelioma Overview

by bestinfo4you

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, but the deadliest one of all. It strikes about 3000 hard working people in the United States each year, mostly men over 40 years of age. It is caused by direct asbestos exposure, or from asbestos dust brought home on the worker's clothing.

During the twentieth century, around 30 million tons of asbestos were used in industrial sites, homes, schools, shipyards and commercial buildings in the United States. Many asbestos-containing products remain in buildings, ships, industrial facilities and other environments where the fibers can become airborne.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the cells that make up the lining of the lungs, the inside of the ribs, and around the abdominal organs. In the past it was thought that cigarette smoking caused mesothelioma. However, with medical research it has been proven that it is caused by asbestos exposures.

Here's what the asbestos does. When a person breathes in asbestos fibers, the fibers then travel to the ends of the small air passages reaching the lining of the lungs and damaging the mesothelial cells (the lining of the lung cells). If swallowed, these fibers can reach the lining of the abdominal cavity where they play a part in causing a cancer called peritoneal mesothelioma. The chance of ever getting mesothelioma rises with the intensity and duration of your exposure to asbestos.

And you may not get mesothelioma right away. Mesothelioma can even develop 20 to 50 years after the initial exposure. The average life span of an inflicted person from the time of diagnosis with mesothelioma until death is less the 6 months. So, who's at risk?

People who work or used to work in asbestos environment, and spouses or children being exposed to asbestos fibers from work clothing brought home. Also, if you live in a house that was built in the mid 70's or before, you have to know that most insulation materials, including pipe insulation; boiler insulation; fireproofing spray; firebrick and gunnite (used for internal insulation of furnaces and boilers); also many construction materials, such as roof, floor and ceiling tiles contained asbestos. You too might be exposed to asbestos. You need to have your house checked for any asbestos presence.

If you have ever been exposed to asbestos directly or indirectly, early symptoms of mesothelioma can include shortness of breath and/or pain in the lower back or at the side of your chest. Less often, you can experience trouble swallowing, cough, fever, sweating, fatigue, and weight loss. So, these early symptoms sometimes may delay your diagnosis as these symptoms are also related to other illnesses. It will be up to you to mention to your doctor the possibility of asbestos exposure, because your doctor may not suspect it right away. Your doctor then, has to use x-rays, CT scans or a breathing test to detect the presence of asbestos. He or she can further perform a biopsy (taking samples of your lung tissue) to confirm it.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you were most likely exposed to asbestos. Many asbestos manufacturers and even distributors knew for decades that asbestos was hazardous, yet they did not warn people of those hazards. As a result, you have a right of recovery against those manufacturers, which on the other hand can help pay the costs of treatment and provide compensation for your pain and suffering.

The first thing you need to do after being diagnosed with mesothelioma is contact a lawyer immediately to see if you have a case. Think about the source of your exposure, regardless of how long ago that might have been. Try to find the responsible parties. Whether that was your spouse's work, your work, your parents' work, the house you lived in, or anything at all that might have exposed you to asbestos.

Also, you need to ask your lawyer about your statute of limitations. Even if your family member has died from mesothelioma, you may still be eligible to file a claim. Even if you've never worked at a place that directly dealt with asbestos but you have gotten it through asbestos fibers brought home on clothes worn by a spouse or parent who worked in an asbestos environment, you may still be eligible to file a claim.

If diagnosed with mesothelioma, your doctor can only do so much to save your life. It will be mostly you religiously following the health directions given to you by your doctor and educating yourself about mesothelioma. Your doctor can help you save your life, but you can also help him or her help you by knowing how to deal with it.

Disclaimer: The author and publisher of this article have done their best to give you useful, informative and accurate information. This article does not represent nor replace any professional advice you need to get from a lawyer, or doctor, or other professional if the content of the article involves an issue you are facing. The author, publishers and marketers of this information disclaim any loss or liability, either directly or indirectly as a consequence of applying the information presented herein, or in regard to the use and application of said information. No guarantee is given, either expressed or implied, in regard to the merchantability, accuracy, or acceptability of the information. Thank you.

About the author: This article was produced by Attorney Resources and Lawyer Information website. Please visit http://lawyer.bestinfo4you.com/mesothelioma-attorney.html if you need to find a mesothelioma lawyer or if you need more information to help you with your attorney.
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1/09/2009

Mesothelioma Information – Knowing About The Disease Is Our Own Right

by Fred Lindell

Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer induced by exposure to asbestos. It affects the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the internal organs of the human body and nearly takes 10-50 years to develop. In the nascent stage of Mesothelioma attack, the pleura or peritoneum are affected and then it gradually spreads to the other parts of the body. Mesothelioma is also termed as 'malignant' mesothelioma where the lining of the chest, the abdomen and the heart are attacked. There are two types of mesothelioma, one being Pleural mesothelioma (lung cancer) and the other being Peritoneal mesothelioma (abdominal cancer).

How you can get affected of Mesothelioma
The inhaling of the fine airborne asbestos dust and fibers causes mesothelioma. It is a proven fact, as 70% to 80% of the case histories of patients state that asbestos exposure in factories or industries leads to mesothelioma. Hence all those working in construction based jobs like shipyards, boilermakers, insulators etc. are susceptible to this fatal disease.

The first step to cure of this disease is to find out all the relevant symptoms. But because of the long latency period of mesothelioma, the symptoms come into play even after 30-50 years since the contraction of the disease. Moreover, the symptoms are not conclusive, and are common to most other diseases. This is why the mesothelioma tests are imperative from the doctor’s point of view.

The symptoms
The three most prominent symptoms of Mesothelioma are excruciating pain whilst breathing or coughing, breathing problems and a persistent cough, which could even, lead to bleeding. In addition, tiredness, loss of appetite, loss of weight are some of the other symptoms. Amongst some of the very rare symptoms, husky voice, problem in swallowing, swelling of the face and pain around the rib area are considered.

The diagnosis
It is a daunting task to diagnose the victims of mesothelioma. Normally the average age of the victims at diagnosis is around 50 to 70 years. Surprisingly, the white Americans are victimized more than the African Americans. At the time diagnosis begins, the disease had already spread and seems invincible. A victim would normally survive for only one year when the disease becomes quite ominous. However, the survival time of the patient can be stretched to almost two years if the disease is detected early and given proper treatment.

The treatment
There are many factors, which determine the treatment of Mesothelioma viz., stage of the disease, location of the cancer, patient's age and general health. Surgeries, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are amongst the basic treatments for Mesothelioma. In the recent past, treatments like removal of the pleural fluid to relieve pain and control breathlessness are being used. Apart from medication, there are a few helpful techniques that can help relieve pain and stress. These involve a balanced diet preferably prescribed by a general physician or a dietitian, conservation of energy on self-initiative as well as therapies such as aromatherapy, relaxation and massage.

In the inference, it would be worthwhile to mention that Mesothelioma is a dreadful disease and its spread can only be shunned if you are willing to know more about the disease. Then again you should also make sure that you take precautionary measures by piecing together all the information that you have garnered today.

Fred Lindell is a successful writer and publisher of health related issues, for more informative articles go to http://www.mesotheliomaplaza.com
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1/02/2009

Mesothelioma Facts

by ken sharp

Mesothelioma is a cancer that resides in the lungs and is associated with asbestos. Malignant Mesothelioma is a very rare form of cancer. These cancer cells are found either in the lining around the heart,abdominal cavity or the lungs.

Mesothelioma takes years before it becomes cancerous. People from the 1940 and up are just now being diagnosed with Mesothelioma.

Asbestos is the leading cause of Mesothelioma. During world war two the manufactoring of asbestos became more increased due to the fact that the lumber was being used for building ships. Wood was in great demand by the government and companies needed a replacement for their businesses, like construction, automobile factories, building trades, etc. The people who manufactored asbestos knew that asbestos wasnt a regulated product and knew that their workers would inevtably suffer from its consequences. But lumber was hard to find during this peroid and asbestos could be manufactored for much cheaper, thats why it has been in use after world war two and through up to the 1970's. During the 1970's asbestos was outlawed to use by the Consumer Products Safety commission in products such as wallboard patching material and artificial ash for gas fireplaces because the fiber in these products would become airborn during use.

Most people that have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma have been workers who were directly exposed to asbestos, but a few have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma from just living with the workers. The workers would have the fibers of asbestos in their hair and on thier clothing, which would travel in the air and settle in the lungs of whoever came in contact with them.

As with all cancer, the earliest detection of Mesothelioma will give better opportunity on its treatment.

Chest pain, shortness of breath and a persistant cough are some of the early symptoms of Mesothelioma. This is a very difficult problem to find, because it sometimes resembles viral pneumonia. Fever, night sweats and weight loss are some of the less common symptoms of Mesothelioma.

For more information on mesothelioma, mesothelioma facts, please go to:
Mesothelioma News
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