Mesothelioma

Though once considered a rare disease, today mesothelioma is more recognizable to the average person. And, as more victims are uncovered, the familiarity with this disease is growing. Often called asbestos cancer, mesotheliome is an uncommon form of cancer caused by the inhalation and/or ingestion of asbestos.

There are three main types of mesothelioma. Even though the signs and symptoms can be similar, pleural mesotheliome, peritoneal mesotheliome, and pericardial mesotheliome attack different parts of the body. Pleural mesotheliome is the most commonly diagnosed of the three, and occurs when asbestos fibers are inhaled and take up residence in the tissue that surrounds the lungs. Peritoneal mesthelioma occurs when the asbestos fibers make their way and become attached to the tissue that surrounds the abdomen. And, when the asbestos fibers begin to build up around the tissue that surrounds the heart, the diagnosis is pericardial mesotheliome.

The known signs and symptoms of mesothelioma often go unnoticed or mistaken for other ailments. Common symptoms include persistent cough, shortness of breath, and pain in the chest and or abdominal area. Other more serious conditions include coughing up blood and the swelling of the arms and/or face. Unfortunately, there is still a lot left to be discovered regarding mesotheliome. And, diagnosing mesotheliome is no easy task. Currently doctors use a mix of techniques in order to reach a mesothelioma diagnosis. These include, but are not limited to, a physical exam and medical review, digital imaging tests, and fluid and tissue samples. Not only can mesotheliome be closely related to other forms of cancer, figuring out which type of mesotheliome is the primary cancer can also be difficult. Especially since, if allowed, mesotheliome can spread to other parts within the body. So much so, that many cases of peritoneal mesotheliome often began as pleural mesothelioma.

Like other forms of cancer, mesothelioma treatments usually consist of chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, or other alternative medicines. Unfortunately, due to mesotheliome’s ability to spread to various parts of the body, often treatments methods are used to ease the symptoms instead of actually curing the disease. Though treatments are necessary the side effects are often harsh and include the loss of hair, mouth sours, and vomiting.

Unfortunately, a significant number of people who are diagnosed with mesotheliome were not made aware of the health hazards that they were facing. Asbestos exposure was a big part of life before the mid 70’s. There was a period of time when asbestos was viewed by those in both industry and government as a miracle material. And, it was used in producing a wide range of products; touching nearly every aspect of American life. Asbestos was actually used to produce everything from hair dryers to the naval ships. Yet, there are occupations that had a higher amount of asbestos exposure than others. Unfortunately, this list has grown over the years, as researchers continues to find more groups of people with mesotheliome and work environment with largest amounts of asbestos.

The dangers of mesotheliome are evident. Sadly, mesotheliome often flies under the radar for decades without being detected. So, there are potentially more people with mesotheliome, who do not know it yet. This only delays treatment further, while mesotheliome is allowed to spread throughout the body. Under certain circumstances, victims of over exposure to asbestos can hold those responsible for their exposure liable by filing a lawsuit against them. Mesotheliome lawsuits should not be entered into without a consultation with an attorney with a wealth of knowledge about mesotheliome, asbestos related illnesses, and the accompanying legislation.

Although many people would rather put off a lengthy battle, state by state statutes often make it difficult to wait. Most states require a lawsuit to be filed within one or two years of diagnosis. And, this rule is upheld even when there is a wrongful death lawsuit initiated by family, because the victim of the over exposure has passed on.

Asbestos was a large part of life before the mid-70s, and its favorable qualities and cheapness caused many industries to overlook its negative properties. So asbestos lined everything from fire proof clothing to car parts, such as, brakes pads. In light of all of the things that we have learned, and continue to learn, regarding mesotheliome; the fact that it should be taken seriously is the most important.