Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. Exposure occurs when the microscopic fibers that make up asbestos are either inhaled or ingested into the body. This typically happens after asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed and have released asbestos fibers into the air.

In the past, some of the more common locations for asbestos exposure (predominantly for men) have included the construction, shipyard, railroad, power plant, chemical plant and automotive industries.

However, other indirect cases of asbestos exposure, known as secondary exposure, have been noted to affect the lives of women and children. Many of the men who worked with asbestos would often carry home asbestos fibers on their skin and clothes, and when their wives and children would hug them after a long day at work, they too were exposed to asbestos. To date, secondary exposure has been responsible for an impactful portion of malignant mesothelioma cases.

Diagnosing this disease can be an extremely difficult task, as the symptoms patients often experience can resemble those of minor and more common health conditions. In addition, the severe latency period associated with mesothelioma (usually ranging anywhere from 20 to 50 years) can significantly affect the time of when someone is diagnosed.

Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency enforces strict regulations concerning asbestos, even though not all asbestos material is banned. Products that are banned include asbestos-containing materials that contain 1 percent or more asbestos fiber. Materials that contain more than one percent asbestos fiber can be found among older products such as insulation material, flooring and ceiling tiles.

Approximately 80 percent of homes built before 1980 are likely to contain some amount of asbestos. If intact and stable, asbestos-containing materials generally do not pose a health risk as long as they are routinely checked for potential damage.

Additional information about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

Following an asbestos violation at her daughter’s junior high school, a Missouri mother removed her child from the school, transferring her daughter to a private school in the area. This is the second removal of a student from a public school due to asbestos-related issues in the Columbia, Missouri area this year.

Christine Doerr decided to remove her daughter Maria from Jefferson Junior High School after the school violated a federal asbestos rule and asbestos was allegedly present in the plaster ceiling of a room in the school.

On February 26, traces of the mineral were found in a sample from the ceiling following a renovation project, revealing between 3 and 5 percent asbestos in the ceiling sample. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) considers anything greater than 1 percent a cause for alarm.

The DNR said the school was in violation of an asbestos rule because an asbestos inspector did not adequately examine the room prior to the start of renovations.

Maria Doerr’s asthma and allergies contributed to her mother’s concerns about her health. “I would much rather Maria would have never been exposed to asbestos,” said Christine Doerr.

Due to the asbestos violations, the school was required to hire a fulltime air-quality inspector. Doerr notes that this precaution has likely made the school much safer.

“I think Columbia Public Schools are safer now probably than they’ve ever been,” said Doerr.

The Environmental Protection Agency notes that any level of exposure to asbestos is unsafe as exposure to the mineral has been linked to the development of serious illnesses including asbestosis and mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

A patient with malignant mesothelioma typically takes 20 to 50 years to demonstrate symptoms of the cancer which may make diagnosis difficult. The late expression of symptoms often allows the cancer to spread to other areas of the body before it is detected and treatment options are pursued. Though a cure for the cancer does not exist, a patient may elect to undergo treatment to combat the disease which may alleviate symptoms and improve prognosis.

Additional information about asbestos exposure and mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

According to a lawsuit recently filed in Jefferson County District Court, Willie Mae Denson is claiming several companies failed to test asbestos-containing products before distributing them for commerce.

Ms. Denson is filing on behalf of her husband, Elijah Denson Sr., who recently passed away from an asbestos-related disease. Ms. Denson believes her husband’s illness was caused by the companies’ negligence. A total of seven companies have been listed in the lawsuit as defendants.

Elijah Denson Sr. worked under many different job titles throughout his career, including laborer, furnace worker and carpenter. The suit states he was exposed to asbestos-containing products during these occupations.

Ms. Denson says the defendant companies were negligent for failing to notify Mr. Denson about the hazards of asbestos exposure in a timely manner.

Exposure to asbestos has been linked to several serious conditions, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. The onset of symptoms for these diseases usually has a latency period of at least 10 years after the exposure occurred. Because of this, many who contract an asbestos-related condition are often diagnosed when the disease has unknowingly reached the advanced stages of development.

Symptoms of mesothelioma can take as long as 50 years to arise. In such a case, there is little a patient can do to treat the disease and doctors often recommend palliative treatment options to relieve pain. To date, there is no encompassing cure for mesothelioma.

Ms. Denson’s suit also states the companies negligently continued to manufacture asbestos-containing products where Mr. Denson worked, even though they knew the dangers associated with asbestos exposure.

The seven defendant companies include A.O. Smith Corp., Babcock Borsig Power, CBS Corp., Cleaver Brooks, General Refractories Co., Ingersoll Rand Co. and Lockheed Martin.

This is the second lawsuit Ms. Denson has filed concerning the death of her husband. In this suit, she is filing because of a different injury than what was previously listed on her first lawsuit.

Before his death, Mr. Denson experienced physical pain, mental anguish and suffered from a physical impairment. Both he and his wife incurred medical costs as well. Ms. Denson is seeking unspecified actual and exemplary damages, costs for pre- and post judgment interest, and for additional relief the courts deems appropriate.

Additional information about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

Learning of a mesothelioma diagnosis may result in feelings of confusion, anger and vulnerability. Once a patient understands more about the cancer, treatment options are often explored and surgery may be considered if a patient is a candidate.

In terms of mesothelioma treatment, surgery is divided into three main categories depending on the purpose of the procedure. Prior to diagnosis, diagnostic surgery is completed to determine whether or not mesothelioma is present in the body. Palliative surgery is performed to provide a patient with relief from mesothelioma symptoms while curative surgery involves removing cancerous cells and tissue in hopes of curing the patient (though no known cure for mesothelioma currently exists).

Following a mesothelioma diagnosis, a variety of surgical procedures may be recommended for mesothelioma patients. Thoracentesis is often used to diagnose mesothelioma in patients where pleural mesothelioma is suspected. The procedure is also used as a palliative treatment option and involves the insertion of a long and hollow needle into certain spaces in the lung where fluid in the area is extracted.

Another palliative treatment option that may be available to mesothelioma patients includes pleurodesis which involves the draining of pleural spaces in the lungs before treating the area with a chemical that causes inflammation. This is done to cause the spaces to close up and prevent future fluid buildup.

A pneumonectomy is performed to remove a patient’s infected lung, though this procedure is typically not performed unless the patient is in otherwise good health. Paracentesis is a palliative procedure that patients with peritoneal mesothelioma may elect to undergo to remove fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity using a long, hollow needle.

Though the surgeries mentioned above are the options typically explored by mesothelioma patients who are candidates for surgery, additional procedures and treatments may be recommended to combat the cancer.

Commonly used treatment options include chemotherapy and radiation, which may also be recommended following surgery.  Alternative therapies such as massage, acupuncture and the use of supplements are also explored by many mesothelioma patients.

Additional information about mesothelioma and mesothelioma treatments may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

According to city officials in Fresno, California, 90 police department employees were exposed to asbestos when the mineral fiber was disturbed during the installation of fire-suppression equipment in the department’s communication center.

The construction crews had been working at the site since September 14, 2008 and recently discovered materials that possibly contained asbestos. Officials were aware that asbestos was present in the area, but it had been sealed off due to health and safety concerns. The sealed asbestos was disturbed enough to release hazardous fibers into the air. Exposure to the toxic mineral is linked to numerous illnesses including mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

Although the work has been halted, many dispatchers and other employees of the Fresno Police Department were unknowingly exposed to the mineral, and may have transported asbestos fibers to other areas of the communication center or off site on their clothing or skin while leaving the location.

Federal law requires the removal of asbestos to be handled or removed by licensed abatement contractors who are trained in handling hazardous materials. They must wear protective equipment such as masks and gloves to avoid any exposure. The materials are then removed in pieces as large as possible and placed in disposable bags.

Until the asbestos has been safely removed from the work site, Fresno department employees are working at an offsite location and officials have made sure to contact all of the employees to notify and advise them on the situation. They have also ordered a mandatory environmental inspection of the site to determine whether asbestos fibers were released into other parts of the facility. All employees have been told to seek medical attention immediately.

Exposure to asbestos fibers can lead to the development of malignant mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that accounts for approximately 3 percent of cancer diagnoses in the United States. Many of the patients who develop mesothelioma contract the disease through occupational exposure to asbestos when airborne asbestos fibers were inhaled on the job or during military service.

Diagnosis of the disease does not typically occur until later stages of development, which may lead to a poor prognosis for many patients. Symptoms and warning signs of mesothelioma typically include shortness of breath, chest pain and weight loss, resembling symptoms of other less serious conditions.

For more information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure, please visit the Mesothelioma Center.

The widow of a man who passed away from mesothelioma was awarded $1.4 million on September 21, 2009 following seven days at trial.

After deliberating for two days, a Hamilton County, Tennessee jury unanimously found North Brothers (National Services Industries) guilty of selling defective products to the company where Wayne Jackson worked, causing or contributing to Jackson’s mesothelioma diagnosis.

Jackson’s wife Marian filed a lawsuit against the company after her husband died following a battle with mesothelioma, a cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure.  During his work as a pipefitter from 1952 through 1986 at Combustion Engineering in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Mr. Jackson was exposed to asbestos-contaminated products.

North Brothers sold some of the defective products used by employees to Combustion Engineering, causing the 12-member jury to rule in favor of Mrs. Jackson’s allegations that the company caused or contributed to her late husband’s malignant mesothelioma development.

“This verdict represents a milestone victory for asbestos victims – not only for Combustion retirees in the Chattanooga area, but also for all people exposed to asbestos throughout Tennessee and the Chattanooga metropolitan area as well,” said Mrs. Jackson’s attorney. “Hopefully this verdict wills send a signal to asbestos manufacturers and suppliers that the days of getting away with knowingly exposing Tennessee citizens and workers to poisonous and defective products is over.”

Up until the 1980s asbestos-contaminated products were heavily used in myriad industries due to the mineral’s innate resistance to heat and fire. Many people were exposed to asbestos during the course of their daily work.

Today, many of those exposed to asbestos decades ago are beginning to present symptoms of mesothelioma. Symptoms of the cancer typically take 20 to 50 years to surface, which may make diagnosis difficult. Though a cure for the cancer does not currently exist, treatment options are available to patients to help combat mesothelioma.

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

The September issue of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine published results from a study that presented information gathered in the Building Trades National Medical Screening Program for Hanford, Washington and three additional Department of Energy sites.

The study examined 8,976 workers who participated in the program and completed a screening interview from 1998 through 2004. According to Knut Ringen, one of the authors of the study, “The most significant finding at Hanford was a very high rate of mesothelioma,” a rate that is 11 times more prevalent than the mesothelioma rate of the general population.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer diagnosed in approximately 2,000 to 3,000 Americans annually. The cancer affects a membranous lining known as the mesothelium, which lines several body cavities. Mesothelioma is almost exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos.

Of the workers examined in the study, 2,779 were involved in construction at Hanford. Of the 226 workers that had passed away, 94 died of cancer. The number of cancer deaths in this group is approximately 14 greater than would be expected in the overall United States’ population, said Ringen.

In addition to the prominent presence of mesothelioma in the workers, deaths caused by asbestosis were 30 percent greater than the asbestosis rate in the general population.  Asbestosis is a progressive pulmonary disease where lung scarring occurs due to the inhalation of asbestos fibers.

The study also indicated a larger death rate due to multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, which may be linked to occupational radiation exposure, said Ringen.

Ringen noted that the exposures that may have caused the development of disease, including mesothelioma, likely occurred two to three decades ago. Mesothelioma patients often do not demonstrate symptoms of the illness for several decades after initial exposure occurred.

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

The naturally occurring mineral asbestos was widely used in a variety of building components throughout much of the 20th century. Many say asbestos was fitted in nearly every home built before 1978. Even after this date, asbestos was still used in construction materials, but in smaller quantities.

The general consensus is asbestos does not cause health problems unless its fibers are released into the air, so the many homes and buildings constructed before the 1980s that still contain asbestos could pose a risk of exposure. Because of this, people should still be wary of asbestos exposure and the future development of an asbestos-related disease. Aging asbestos-containing materials can easily release asbestos fibers into the air.

Exposure to asbestos has been linked to several harmful illnesses, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. A diagnosis of mesothelioma for instance often carries a poor prognosis for patients. This is largely because of the severe latency period of symptoms, which allow the cancer to develop without being noticed. In some cases, the onset of mesothelioma symptoms can take as long as 50 years to occur.

Throughout its use in construction products and other materials, there were multiple forms of asbestos that were used for commercial purposes. One form was chrysotile, which is mined from serpentine rock.

Chrysotile is perhaps the most flexible and commonly used type of asbestos. Scientists say the fibers that make up chrysotile are somewhat curly and do not remain in the lungs for long periods of time like other straight, needle-like fibers.

A second form of asbestos that was commonly used was amosite, which is mined from amphibole rock. This type of asbestos is generally known as the second-most dangerous kind of asbestos.

Another, yet more hazardous form of asbestos is crocidolite, which is primarily mined in South Africa and Australia. Crocidolite fibers are straight and needle-like, making it possible for them to become lodged in the lining of the lungs for long periods of time after being inhaled.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, all three of these forms of asbestos are classified as human carcinogens.

Other regulated asbestos minerals such as tremolite asbestos, actinolite asbestos, and anthophyllite asbestos are less commonly used industrially, but can still be found in a variety of construction and insulation materials. In addition, many of these types of asbestos have been reported to exist in a few consumer products.

Additional information about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun its cleanup effort in Libby, Montana after declaring a public health emergency for the area earlier this year. Construction crews are currently removing large amounts of asbestos-laced vermiculite dirt from nine holes of the Cabinet View Country Club golf course.

The excavation project is being conducted on the older portion of the golf course and the newer nine holes of the course have remained open to the public.

Cabinet View Country Club Board Chairman Gene Chappell said, “This project is going a lot better than we really thought, because there’s just a whole bunch of stuff when you start tearing a golf course apart, but planning ahead of time, and having the right things in place, it’s really went well and I can’t thank those guys enough, because they’ve really done good.”

Asbestos-related illnesses have been responsible for approximately 400 deaths in Libby thus far. One illness in particular is mesothelioma, a rare cancer that typically develops in the lining of the lungs and causes shortness of breath.

The development of mesothelioma symptoms can take as long as 20 to 50 years after the initial exposure to asbestos occurred. As a result, most mesothelioma patients do not recognize the development of the cancer and are diagnosed during the advanced stages. Residents still living in Libby are encouraged to receive routine medical checkups for early signs of the cancer.

According to Victor Ketellapper, EPA’s Team Leader for the Libby Asbestos Superfund Site, the crews are removing asbestos from underneath the greens and tee boxes. Once the project is complete, the EPA will provide funds to help restore the course to its original condition.

The EPA plans to finish their work this fall and the country club will then begin to modernize the older side of the course. Dann Rohrer, a board member and high school golf coach, said, “We’ll go back starting next week rebuilding the tees and the greens, and the exciting part is that we’ll be able to re-build it to PGA spec type greens, a little newer style greens.”

The $1.8 million excavation project is expected to be completed by spring 2010.

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

When a patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma thoughts about prognosis naturally surface and questions about how to prolong a patient’s life typically arise. When a mesothelioma patient and their loved ones investigate treatment options to combat the cancer, chemotherapy is often explored.

The combination of Cisplatin and Alimta, two common chemotherapy medications, is often used in chemotherapy treatment for mesothelioma patients. Cisplatin is a platinum-based medication used to treat a myriad of cancers and frequently serves as the backbone of chemotherapy treatment for patients facing these illnesses. Alimta was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005 and is typically used in combination with Cisplatin for patients battling non-small cell lung cancer or malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Cisplatin and Alimta are associated with side effects ranging from nausea to dizziness and patients report experiencing mild to severe side effects following treatment with the drugs. Patients often research the medications thoroughly and speak with a doctor at length to evaluate whether or not undergoing chemotherapy with these two medications is the best option.

Together Cisplatin and Alimta are considered to be among the most effective in treating malignant mesothelioma. In clinical trials testing the combination of the drugs, an additional three months were added on to the lives of mesothelioma patients. Chemotherapy medications generally work by targeting rapidly dividing cells and preventing the cells from creating additional cancerous cells. Through this process, healthy cells are often affected as well, causing certain side effects such as the loss of hair that is commonly associated with chemotherapy.

In addition to Cisplatin and Alimta, several other medications are utilized in chemotherapy for mesothelioma patients including Carboplatin, Onconase, Gemcitabine and Navelbine.

Unfortunately a cure for mesothelioma does not exist, but the use of chemotherapy treatment may prove effective in prolonging a patient’s prognosis. Patients who are advised not to undergo chemotherapy or do not wish to use chemotherapy in their treatment regimen may have additional options to combat the cancer. Radiation therapy or alternative therapies, such as the use of supplements or acupuncture, may also provide relief to mesothelioma patients.

Additional information about chemotherapy and mesothelioma treatment may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.