Malignant mesothelioma is oncologic tumor that develops from the tissue that covers chest, abdominal cavities or pericard. About 80% of cases deal with pleural mesothelioma. The major reason of this disease is long-lasting contact with asbestos.
The probability of mesothelioma rises proportionally to the duration and intensity of contact with this mineral. Longstanding contact with asbestos in young age increases the risk of this type of cancer in future, especially in combination with smoking.
The connection between asbestos and mesothelioma was found in 1960. Nowadays in the USA the average disease incidence is 12 cases in each 1 000 000 people. 20-40 years may pass since asbestos exposure until the diagnosis reveals itself. In average it takes 35 years to see the clear symptoms and determine mesothelioma. The studies show that there is a dependency on the absorbed dose of asbestos, but the minimum dosage that causes the disease has not been defined yet.
For quite a long time the fact that asbestos causes lung cancer was not established. Only in 1972 US government set the limits for asbestos exposure and began to regulate the mining of this mineral. Using asbestos in the industry, building and other spheres of life was cut to a minimum, to make the risks of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions close to zero. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates the dosage and rules in working with asbestos and has set a range of obligatory measures for correct handling this material. Taking into account a long latency period of the disease, today people who were imposed to uncontrolled asbestos exposure begin to experience the consequences for health. Mesothelioma is a big stress for the body, taking into account its sever symptoms and very aggressive development. Even with the use of innovative methods can only extend the lifetime for a little, this disease hardly responds to treatment. The symptoms usually include apnoea, pains in the bottom of chest, weakness, weight loss, high body temperature, liquid in pleural space.
The companies that produce asbestos or materials/products that contain it are responsible for the cases of mesothelioma. Any patient with such diagnosis can file a suit against such company or officially investigate the reason why he was exposed to asbestos and who is responsible for this. Even if there is no clear information about the source of exposure, anyone can defend the right for compensation.
There are three methods of therapy for mesothelioma – chemotherapy, radiation treatment and surgical method. Sometimes it is reasonable to combine a few methods, depending on the condition of the patient. Surgeries are made for two purposes – to relief the condition of patient, if the tumor grows fast and affects the functioning of other organs or to remove the tumor completely. Chemo and radiotherapy are aimed to kill the cancerous cells or inhibit the growth of tumor.
Treatment can increase the lifetime of patients with mesothelioma or help to fight the disease. By protecting the interests of the victims of asbestos exposure the government provides better opportunities to get high-end treatment and provide the proper comfort for the entire period of therapy and rehabilitation. There are lawyers specialized on such cases will help to compensate all expenses related to asbestos exposure.
The life expectancy is the key factor that should be considered in such disease. To plan the future treatment and lawsuit each should rely on doctor’s conclusion regarding the stage of mesothelioma and the prognosis that a specialist provides.