What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that originates in one of the membranes surrounding internal organs. It can occur in the membrane surrounding the lungs, the heart, or the abdominal organs.
Is it serious?
It is very serious. It is incurable and ultimately fatal.
Mesothelioma is frequently not detected in time to be treated surgically. In those cases, radiation and chemotherapy can help slow the cancer’s growth, but survival after diagnosis is often just one or two years. When it is detected early enough to be treated with surgery as well as chemotherapy and radiation, survival rates can improve to five years or more.
What causes mesothelioma?
The only known cause of mesothelioma is repeated and/or heavy exposure to asbestos dust.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a mineral that can be separated into fibers and woven into a cloth-like material. It can also be mixed with other materials into a slurry, and applied as a coating or formed and dried into shapes. Asbestos is used in over 3,000 products because it is very durable, fire-proof and an effective insulator for heat, sound, and electricity.
How would someone be exposed to asbestos?
Asbestos itself is not what is hazardous. It is the fine, fiber-like particles present in asbestos dust that can get into the lungs and ultimately cause mesothelioma. Millions of people have been exposed to asbestos dust at work where asbestos-containing products are manufactured or where asbestos-containing products are used. Some people have been exposed at home when a family member unknowingly brings asbestos dust home on clothing, or when asbestos products in the home are disturbed or begin to deteriorate.
How much asbestos exposure does it take to get mesothelioma?
First of all, we should note that only a few percent of people who are exposed to asbestos dust acquire mesothelioma. Of those who do acquire the disease, they have typically been exposed to some level of asbestos dust in the air for years. There is one reported case, however, of a man whose exposure consisted of several days of sawing up asbestos panels.
Are asbestosis and mesothelioma the same disease?
No. Although both are caused by inhaling asbestos dust, asbestosis is not a cancer. It is a condition caused by damage to the lungs from asbestos fibers.
How long does it take to get mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is typically not diagnosed until 15 to 40 years following initial exposure.
What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?
Symptoms that can occur with each of the different types of mesothelioma are:
- Chest or abdominal pain
- Breathing problems
- Sleeplessness, loss of appetite and weight loss
Additional symptoms depend on which internal membrane is affected, but may include gastrointestinal problems or heart problems.
Why are lawyers so interested in people with mesothelioma?
People being diagnosed with mesothelioma now were exposed to asbestos dust years ago when manufacturers had little incentive to protect people from asbestos, even though it was known then to be harmful. Therefore, in almost every case of mesothelioma, some company or another can be shown to be negligent in allowing the exposure hazard to exist. Because of that negligence, lawyers can sue on the victim’s behalf and obtain compensation for them.
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