Asbestos Law Blog - Information and news for asbestos & mesothelioma victims

Diagnosed with mesothelioma a little more than 2 years ago, Patrick Burke at 55 had doctorstell him that he has a 10% chance to live 3 years. While he doesn't know if he'll survive to see the 2012 presidential election results, he won't let the deadly disease stop him from campaigning for his candidate of choice, Rick Perry. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Burke devoted the past week in support of Perry in Iowa. 

From Texas, Burke is a former Air Force veteran. To campaign for Perry was something on Burke's "bucket list." 

When interviewed by the Telegram, Burke explained that he thought that all citizens had a duty to get involved in the political process, "I tell everybody to put down their beer and stop watching The Simpsons.'

Sadly, about 33% of mesothelioma patients are veterans who were exposed to asbestos while in service. Then, after they left the Air Force, they frequently took jobs that further exposed them to asbestos. This extended exposure inevitably led to countless diagnoses of mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure.  The cancer most commonly develops in the pleura, which is the outer lining of the lungs and the internal chest wall. The disease also may occur in the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal cavity or other areas of the body.  

Shortness of breath, chest wall pain and weight loss are common symptoms of the disease. Although chest x-rays and CT scan can detect the disease, it must be confirmed by a biopsy.

Workers began to be commonly exposed to asbestos in the 1940s and continued to be exposed to the disease into the 1970s.  These workers, simply trying to provide for their families were unaware of the dangers of their exposure.  In many cases, workers brought the deadly fibers into their homes and unknowingly exposed their families.  

Many ask "why are so many older workers being diagnosed with the disease?"  The answer is that  the symptoms of the disease generally do not appear in its victims until many years after exposure because it takes a very long time for the disease to develop in the human body. This is called a latency period.  The latency for mesothelioma is usually decades.  They is why those exposed so long ago are only now developing the disease.  

The dangers of asbestos were not publicly known for many years, although records indicate that manufacturers knew long before the public.  Those who exposed workers and their families to deadly asbestos fibers should be held accountable.  

 

Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied?

Yes. Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI ) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.

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Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.

Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.

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Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions.

Healthcare providers use various mediums and tests in an effort to diagnose mesothelioma.

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Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs . Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.

The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs ) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

This information is provided courtesy of the ATSDR Information Center.