According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, thousands of military veterans are now suffering from the asbestos-related illness mesothelioma. Many veterans were exposed to the fibrous mineral asbestos while working on naval vessels where it was used as the main form of insulation.

More than 300 asbestos-containing products were used from the 1930’s through the 1970’s, where it appeared on most ships used by the Navy and in the shipyards where ships and vessels were built. Those who served decades ago are beginning to demonstrate symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses, which can take up to 20 to 50 years to develop.

The U.S. Navy was not ignorant of the dangers of asbestos and evidence suggesting the hazardous qualities of asbestos was swiftly covered up by asbestos manufacturers. The Navy issued a ban on asbestos-contaminated materials on new ships in 1973, but then violated its own ban for the next five years.

In 1983, the Navy Asbestos Control Program was created to help facilitate compliance with asbestos-related regulations set by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Despite these actions, many veterans continued to be exposed to high levels of asbestos even after the Navy began to replace contaminated ships.

Asbestos, a toxic mineral, was commonly used as insulation in piping, boilers, sleeping quarters and navigation halls aboard vessels. The mineral’s innate resistance to fire and highly durable qualities made it an ideal choice for use in all sectors of the military, where it was also used for aircraft, vehicles and buildings.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, officials discovered that the number of deaths relating to asbestos exposure have steadily increased between 1999 and 2005. Approximately 30 percent of those diagnosed with mesothelioma are veterans.

Mesothelioma typically develops decades after moderate to heavy exposure to asbestos. When toxic asbestos fibers are inhaled, they may become lodged in organs or body cavities, causing inflammation or infection. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are reported every year in the United States. Since many mesothelioma symptoms are similar to less serious conditions, a mesothelioma diagnosis can be difficult. Though a cure for mesothelioma does not exist, treatment options such as radiation, chemotherapy and surgery are available to patients to combat the disease.

The threat of asbestos exposure still remains a possibility for military men and women who are deployed and stationed in countries around the world. Many countries throughout the Middle East have been importing the mineral intro their country, with the exception of Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Military veterans who suffer from mesothelioma may apply for Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits. Asbestos diseases are not readily recognized as a service-related medical ailment. Documented proof must be provided that their exposure occurred at the time of their military service.

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

In an effort to find support along their cancer journey, many mesothelioma patients turn to mesothelioma blogs and online cancer forums that help them understand their disease and cope with the emotions involved in a cancer diagnosis.

One such mesothelioma blog, “Mesothelioma and Me,” has offered much hope and support to mesothelioma patients. The blog was created by Debbie Brewer, a woman who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in November 2006. Brewer was exposed to asbestos through hugging her father who came home from work covered in asbestos dust.

Her father’s passing from asbestos-related lung cancer in August 2006 prompted Brewer to get a chest X-ray, which revealed an abnormality and mesothelioma cancer was later confirmed. Brewer started the blog just before receiving her diagnosis, and she continues it today with stories of her treatments and how the cancer has affected her life and family.

Many mesothelioma patients turn to the mesothelioma blog as a source of comfort and support. Patients also follow Brewer’s blog to stay updated on the effects of her treatments. Brewer has received a number of traditional mesothelioma treatments, but also unconventional treatments such as chemoembolization (injection of anti-cancer drugs into the blood vessel that feeds the tumor) and mistletoe therapy (a complimentary therapy that aims to improve quality of life for cancer patients).

Another online network that mesothelioma patients turn to for treatment information includes online cancer forums. Patients can read accounts of other mesothelioma treatment experiences and share their stories as well. Family members of those with mesothelioma can also turn to online forums for support and information.

Other resources for cancer patients are available online, such as Cancer Care, Gilda’s Club, I Can Cope and The Wellness Community. These groups offer resources to cancer patients and their families, including counseling, face-to-face and online support groups, educational materials and more.

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

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare cancer that develops in the abdominal cavity, specifically in the mesothelial cells that form the peritoneum. Doctors and researchers have found a clear relationship between this cancer and high levels of asbestos exposure, but they have yet to find a cure.

Because of the low incidence of peritoneal mesothelioma, few studies have been conducted on experimental treatments for patients. Most treatment methods have followed those recommended for pleural mesothelioma.

A multimodality approach to treating peritoneal mesothelioma has shown encouraging results in some patients. With this method, two or more treatment options are completed at the same time, often involving the combination of surgery, chemotherapy and sometimes radiotherapy. However, this mesothelioma treatment method can only be used for a small percentage of patients that have a chance to beat the cancer.

Those diagnosed during the advanced stages of development can receive palliative treatments to help with comfort, but no standard method has been established for these patients. Palliative treatment options usually involve some form of chemotherapy and are aimed to improve the overall quality of life for the patient.

Chemotherapy drugs for peritoneal patients have included but are not limited to cisplatin, doxorubicin, carboplatin and pemetrexed (Alimta). In some cases, such medications have been noted to stall the progression of mesothelioma tumors.

Pemetrexed acts by disrupting the cell replication process of the cancerous tumor and slows its progression throughout the rest of the body. In 2004, pemetrexed received worldwide approval to be used in combination with cisplatin for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.  Studies have shown that pemetrexed also has a positive effect on malignant peritoneal mesothelioma cases as well.

Due to the low number of peritoneal mesothelioma patients diagnosed each year, researching this rare cancer can be difficult. Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma may be encouraged to enroll in clinical trials with the hope of improving their cancer prognosis.

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

Since there is no cure for mesothelioma cancer, research grants are extremely important in the fight to discover a cure for this rare disease. A recent increase in requests for a mesothelioma grant highlights the importance of research funding and the need for more grant money.

The Meso Foundation Research Grant Program, started in 2000 by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF or Meso Foundation), is the primary independent source of mesothelioma research funding in the United States. To date, the Meso Foundation has funded nearly $6 million in mesothelioma-related research projects throughout the world.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that is almost always caused by asbestos exposure. The disease has a long latency period of 20 to 50 years. Mesothelioma statistics report that averages of 2,000 to 3,000 cases of the disease are reported in the United States annually. Unfortunately, symptoms of the cancer do not arise until later stages of development when treatment options are limited. There currently is no cure for this disease and most treatment efforts are palliative, aiming to relieve pain rather than cure the cancer.

Because there is no cure, researching the disease is extremely important to improving a patient’s prognosis and their quality of life. In an effort to help find a cure, MARF started the Meso Foundation Research Grant Program and today remains the primary source of mesothelioma research funding. In 2008 alone, a total of 59 researchers from around the globe applied for grant money from the Meso Foundation.

To help with the selection process, a scientific review panel of 21 experts in the field reviews the applications and ranks them according to importance. Of those 59 applicants from 2008, the top five projects were selected to receive funding by MARF’s board of directors. Projects that receive funding are often researching strategies for early diagnosis, new treatment options or pain management.

Currently, the scientific review panel is in the review process for the 2009 applications and recipients could be announced as early as December 2009.

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

In a recent asbestos suit filed in Jefferson County District Court in Texas, plaintiffs are seeking compensation for either developing an asbestos-related disease or having a loved one pass away from a related condition.

The plaintiffs include Alice Faye Galloway, Billy Jean Jones, Floy Elvira Linder and Larry Linder, who are filing on behalf of Johnnie Melvin Linder and Michael Curtis Whisnant, two loved ones that recently passed away.

The suit names 84 defendant corporations with the plaintiffs claiming they were forced to work near asbestos-containing insulation and other asbestos products. The plaintiffs in the case are former craftsmen and construction tradesmen who have worked at refineries and chemical plants throughout Texas.

Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma cancer. With this illness, symptoms and signs of development can lay dormant for as long as 50 years, often resulting in a late diagnosis. Mesothelioma treatment can be very expensive and patients are usually limited to receiving palliative options that do not cure the cancer.

According to the suit, “Even after defendants knew the truth about the propensity of asbestos, they remained mute when by reasonable effort they could have prevented the risk of cancer and asbestosis from afflicting the Plaintiffs.”

The plaintiffs are also claiming the defendants failed to instruct them on how to avoid asbestos exposure. As a result, they are stating that their exposure to asbestos has caused them to lose their earning capacity and ability to enjoy life. They have also experienced intense pain, suffering and mental anguish. The plaintiffs who lost loved ones claim they have lost society and consortium.

All the plaintiffs have incurred medical costs and are seeking punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, costs and any other monetary relief they may be entitled to receiving.

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

An Erie County jury in Buffalo, New York has ordered a former supplier of asbestos-ridden control valves and control packing to pay $1.5 million in damages to a repair man who passed away from the asbestos-related illness mesothelioma.

Ronald Drabczyk repaired control valves manufactured by Fisher controls International, a division of Emerson Electric, which contained asbestos gaskets and packing. Drabczyk was a repair man for 18 years and passed away at the age of 70 on November 29, 2005, nine years after his retirement from the Niagara Falls plant.

The six-week trial culminated with the jury deciding that the St. Louis-based Corporation was negligent and accountable for the fatal consequences in distributing its products with no prior information or labeling about its asbestos-containing materials. During the trial, it was established that Fisher Controls was aware of the dangers surrounding asbestos as early as 1946, but failed to include any warnings on their products.

Asbestos use was widespread during the early part of the 20th century, when it was commonly used in pipes, gaskets, ceilings, drywall and flooring. The mineral’s innate resistance to fire and its highly durable qualities made it an ideal choice for manufacturers.

Many companies producing construction materials that once contained asbestos began to phase out use of the mineral in 1977, when the public became more aware of the dangers associated with asbestos. At the time,workers in construction, repair and industrial positions were frequently placed at risk of asbestos exposure.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare, but highly aggressive illness caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are reported every year in the United States alone, while 10,000 are reported worldwide. When asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested, they can accumulate and cause inflammation and DNA damage. Asbestos exposure has also been linked to many other diseases, such as colon and gastrointestinal cancer.

Officials from the Buffalo court stated the verdict, which also included a $750,000 punitive damages award to Mr. Drabczyk’s family, was the first time a corporation has been held 100 percent financially responsible for a wrongful death in a New York State asbestos hearing in more than 20 years.

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

Despite recent advances in mesothelioma immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy remains the best method for diagnosing mesothelioma cancer from other cancers.

Many cancers are diagnosed with the use of electron microscopy, which employs a powerful electron microscope to view cancer cells up close. An electron microscope uses a beam of electrons to shine light on a specimen (such as cancer cells) and produce a highly-magnified image. Specialists then observe the illuminated specimen and look for physical characteristics that denote one type of cancer from another.

Electron microscopy has been very useful in the diagnosis of mesothelioma, a cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma statistics report that an average of 2,000 to 3,000 people are diagnosed with the cancer each year in the United States. An accurate diagnosis of mesothelioma is very important to the treatment process, as different types of mesothelioma respond to different types of treatments.

Mesothelioma cancer has three major subtypes that have been well established in the medical community, including epithelial, sarcomatoid and biphasic. Of these three subtypes, mesothelioma electron microscopy has been the most helpful in diagnosing epithelial mesothelioma from other types of cancer. It has been less helpful in diagnosing sarcomatoid mesotheliomas.

When medical specialists observe a cancerous specimen using electron microscopy, they look for physical structures such as microvilli and intermediate filaments, which are basic components of many cells that may look different depending upon the type of cancer. Specialists will also look for cell patterns that help to differentiate one cancer from another.

An accurate diagnosis is essential for the optimal treatment of any cancer, and mesothelioma is no exception. Mesothelioma electron microscopy remains the best method for accurately diagnosing malignant mesothelioma and this is crucial to improving prognosis. Although there is presently no cure for mesothelioma, early and accurate diagnosis can improve a patient’s prognosis and potentially their quality of life.

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

Sheet metal workers are one occupational group that has faced a history of asbestos exposure. In a recent story from Portsmouth England, Betty Williamson’s husband, a past sheet metal worker, passed away from an asbestos-related disease.

Her husband, Tom Williamson, received a mesothelioma diagnosis in October of last year and was informed that he only had a few months to live. The couple initially became concerned after Mr. Williamson developed a bad cough.

Mrs. Williamson believes her husband may have been exposed to asbestos during the 20 years that he worked for a sheet metal business. She said, “I cannot believe what has happened in a year. He was always a healthy person. We had lots of plans for our retirement.”

The Health and Safety Executive plans to launch a new asbestos campaign in November to notify workers about the dangers of asbestos-containing materials.

The use of sheet metal has been a part of several common construction projects, including guttering, siding, roofing and installing ventilation ducts for heating and air conditioning systems. Workers within the sheet metal industry can be exposed to asbestos through shaping and cutting sheet metal, which causes asbestos fibers to become airborne.

The release of asbestos fibers into the air allows for the inhalation of the toxic mineral, the primary method of exposure. Once inhaled, the microscopic fibers that make up asbestos have the potential of becoming lodged within the lining of the lungs, eventually causing pleural mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness.

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is difficult to diagnose because symptoms such as a persistent cough can be mistaken for a less serious condition. Former sheet metal workers who suspect they were exposed to asbestos should seek regular checkups for signs of asbestos exposure.

Present workers who handle sheet metal on a regular basis should use all precautions when working with the material. The Environmental Protection Agency claims there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.

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

Mesothelioma patient Dianne Willmore was awarded more than $390,000 October 14, 2009 when Knowsley Council was found liable for exposing Willmore to asbestos, a toxic mineral known to cause her rare cancer. Willmore passed away from the cancer the following day on October 15, 2009.

Willmore was exposed to asbestos in the 1970s during her time as a student at Huyton’s Bowring School in Merseyside, England. Asbestos exposure occurred in the school through ceiling tiles located in the restrooms. The tiles released asbestos fibers when they were disturbed by students who would hide items in the ceiling.

Knowsley Council was found liable for her exposure because the High Court determined the Council “knew or ought to have known that any more than minimal exposure to asbestos dust was foreseeably hazardous.”

Though Willmore tragically passed away one day after the judge ruled in her favor, her lawyer was able to inform her of the victory. “I managed to contact her last night to tell her the good news, she was delighted. Obviously she was having problems speaking because breathing had become so hard for her,” said Willmore’s attorney.

Willmore’s mesothelioma diagnosis occurred in 2007, decades after her initial exposure to asbestos at the school. Mesothelioma patients often take years to demonstrate symptoms of the cancer, allowing the cancer to progress to later developmental stages.

The long latency period associated with the cancer can make mesothelioma treatment difficult, as the cancer has often spread by the time diagnosis occurs. Though a cure does not exist, treatment options including chemotherapy, radiation and surgery may be available to patients to combat the cancer.

The ruling in favor of Willmore marks the first time an asbestos exposure lawsuit has ruled in favor of a student in England, prompting Member of Parliament Paul Rowan to say Willmore’s case “has helped every member of staff and pupil who has been, or will be, exposed to asbestos in a school.”

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

While it is common knowledge that cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, much of the public is unaware that exposure to asbestos can also cause lung cancer. It has been proven that those who have been exposed to asbestos and continue to smoke cigarettes, the risk of developing lung cancer is increased by as much as 90 times. These individuals are also at a greater risk of developing both asbestosis and mesothelioma.

There is hope for smokers who have experienced asbestos exposure. Evidence has suggested that asbestos-exposed workers who quit smoking can reduce their risk of developing lung cancer by up to 50 percent within five years of quitting. According to statistics from the Environmental Working Group, about 5,000 people in the United States pass away each year from asbestos-related lung cancer.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. The condition develops when the fibers of asbestos are inhaled or ingested and become lodged in the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), heart (pericardial mesothelioma), or abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma).

In most instances, a mesothelioma disease takes anywhere between 20 and 50 years to develop. In addition to experiencing difficulty breathing and swallowing, extreme weight loss is also a side effect of mesothelioma cancer.

Asbestos exposure can occur at home or in the workplace through everyday products such as roofing shingles, floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, brake pads, boilers and more. Industries that have placed workers most at risk of exposure include the automotive, construction, electrical, power plant and shipyard industry.

Because of the long latency period that is associated with asbestos-related disease, it is absolutely crucial for exposed victims to seek medical examinations on a regular basis. Many patients are often diagnosed when the disease has already reached an advanced stage of development.

Household members of those working with asbestos should also receive routine examinations because secondary exposure can also cause mesothelioma. In most cases, the fibers that make up asbestos are carried home on the skin and clothes of workers and are later inhaled by family members.

It is important to understand that any disturbance to an asbestos-containing material can result in the release of asbestos fibers. Medical checkups are especially important for anyone who may have been exposed to asbestos several decades ago.

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