The mining and use of asbestos started in the latter 1800's. It has been used to make cement stronger, as roofing, insulation, fireproofing, and to soundproof. In shipbuilding they use it for insulation of hot water pipes, steam pipes, and boilers. It is used in brake shoes and clutch pads. This building material has been used in homes, factories, and public buildings.
Asbestos cancer is caused by exposure to asbestos, which are fibrous minerals. For a long time it was considered safe. But it is a carcinogen and being around it causes lung cancer and colorectal cancer amongst others. Close to ten thousand people in the United States die from its carcinogenic effect each year.
Mesothelioma is rare and is not usually cured. It's the most typical kind of cancer caused by being close to asbestos. As many as thirty percent of the people diagnosed with mesothelioma had no clue that they had been exposed to the carcinogen. This illness attacks the mesothelium; this is the gossamer lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart.
It causes two kind of lung cancer: small cell and non-small cell. Eighty percent of this form of lung cancer is non-small cell. The symptoms of this disease normally occur years beyond the time of exposure like mesothelioma and other types of asbestos cancer.
Asbestosis is a lung illness caused by exposure to asbestos. It damages and scars the lungs and later the lungs can't expand and contract correctly. It is a kind of pulmonary fibrosis and it takes up to thirty years to show up. If the exposure to the asbestos is stopped the fibrosis discontinues. Though asbestosis has similar symptoms to other breathing disorders it develops differently over extended periods of time.
The symptoms of asbestosis are:
· Shortness of breath if exerted and later at rest
· Tolerance for exercise or physical activity decreases
· Chest hurts
· Chest is tight
· Sometimes finger clubbing
There are other factors to consider when calculating the risk of developing an asbestos cancer or asbestosis. If someone smokes this can increase his risk of getting an asbestos related illness. Development of an associated illness like non-malignant, pleural lung diseases caused by asbestos can help induce lung cancer and smoking plus the asbestos factor are a combination that increases the chances of developing lung cancer more than either carcinogen alone.
These are the symptoms of asbestos induced illnesses:
· Hoarseness
· Wheezing
· Persistent cough
· Blood in liquid coughed from lungs
· Chest pain or it gets tight
· Hard to swallow
· Face and neck swells
· Lose appetite
· Lose weight
· Anemic
· Headaches
· Fatigue
The asbestos still used for commercial purposes is known to cause cancer including gastrointestinal and other forms of lung disease. The statistics for asbestos related diseases have risen in the last twenty years. It is thought that it has now slowed down because of more awareness of the danger. There is still disagreement as to whether there is a threshold level of exposure that causes illness from asbestos; some think any level is dangerous.
Mesothelioma is a particularly devastating form of cancer. This cancer is generally attributed to asbestos exposure in the workplace. Airborne asbestos particles mixed with dust are inhaled by the worker, and this can lead to the cancer. It is also thought that some cases of mesothelioma have been associated with workers bringing asbestos particles home on their clothing and shoes and those particles being breathed by family members. The problem with mesothelioma is the fact that it takes a long period of time to show up in the body.
Symptoms may not occur for 20 to 40 years. Also, the symptoms may be hard to detect. A patient may exhibit related signs in the form of a persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, or weight loss to name just a few. Once symptoms do materialize the cancer has usually progressed to an advanced stage, which means that there is no hope of successful treatment.
Mesothelioma claims have drastically increased in recent years as people have sought compensation from manufacturers of asbestos. For individuals having been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is crucial to seek compensation as soon as possible. Depending on their state law, mesothelioma cancer claims must be submitted within a certain timeframe of the diagnosis. Most states require the claims be made within 1 to 2 years; however, it is up to the individual to check their own state or country laws.
There are attorneys and law firms who specialize in mesothelioma claims. No doubt you have seen countless advertisements on television and on the internet for law firms advertising their services. These firms work on contingency, meaning they only get paid if they win your lawsuit. Generally, these firms will work on a percentage of what they get. This typically falls in the range of 30 to 40% of the settlement.
In the event of a successful claim the settlement will be paid in one of two ways. The first would be a lower amount offered as a lump sum. The other option could be a structured settlement. This means the company or insurance company would offer a larger amount, but they would pay the amount distributed over several years instead of one lump sum. There are calculators available online that will help you weigh the pros and cons against taking a lump sum or structured settlement.
Mesothelioma claims are intended to help cover medical expenses and other obligations of the patient. Because of the severity of the disease it is also intended to provide financial security for dependents upon the eventual death of the individual.
Symptoms may not occur for 20 to 40 years. Also, the symptoms may be hard to detect. A patient may exhibit related signs in the form of a persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, or weight loss to name just a few. Once symptoms do materialize the cancer has usually progressed to an advanced stage, which means that there is no hope of successful treatment.
Mesothelioma claims have drastically increased in recent years as people have sought compensation from manufacturers of asbestos. For individuals having been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is crucial to seek compensation as soon as possible. Depending on their state law, mesothelioma cancer claims must be submitted within a certain timeframe of the diagnosis. Most states require the claims be made within 1 to 2 years; however, it is up to the individual to check their own state or country laws.
There are attorneys and law firms who specialize in mesothelioma claims. No doubt you have seen countless advertisements on television and on the internet for law firms advertising their services. These firms work on contingency, meaning they only get paid if they win your lawsuit. Generally, these firms will work on a percentage of what they get. This typically falls in the range of 30 to 40% of the settlement.
In the event of a successful claim the settlement will be paid in one of two ways. The first would be a lower amount offered as a lump sum. The other option could be a structured settlement. This means the company or insurance company would offer a larger amount, but they would pay the amount distributed over several years instead of one lump sum. There are calculators available online that will help you weigh the pros and cons against taking a lump sum or structured settlement.
Mesothelioma claims are intended to help cover medical expenses and other obligations of the patient. Because of the severity of the disease it is also intended to provide financial security for dependents upon the eventual death of the individual.
sing computed tomography scans to screen former asbestos workers can detect both early and late-stage lung cancer and late-stage mesothelioma, according to a study in the May Journal of Thoracic Oncology. However, it’s still not clear whether screening for these cancers might improve patients’ prognoses.
Exposure to asbestos fibers is a known risk factor for lung cancer and the cause of mesothelioma. Although asbestos is still not completely banned in the U.S., it was phased out of American industry to a large degree beginning in the 1970s. However because asbestos-related diseases can take 20 to 40 years to emerge after people have been exposed, former asbestos workers and those exposed to products containing this carcinogen continue to be diagnosed with asbestos caused cancers.
As researchers search for better treatments and even a cure for these diseases, they are also focusing on new diagnostic methods that might identify the cancers earlier. Early diagnosis is particularly crucial with mesothelioma, because many patients survive only one year after they first start to show signs, and symptoms are often difficult to distinguish from those of other lung diseases.
One potential screening method uses low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) to evaluate the lungs and their lining (pleura). LDCT can locate plaques in the lungs, which are a sign of asbestos exposure and have been linked to an increased cancer risk.
Currently, there are no recommendations about using LDCT or any other method to screen people who have been exposed to asbestos, and screening isn’t routinely done. “There are currently no methods for the early detection of mesothelioma available,” says lead author Heidi Roberts, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Toronto. “This is why we are doing the research.”
To determine the effectiveness of LDCT as a screening tool for asbestos-related lung cancers, Dr. Roberts and her colleagues recruited 516 people (most of them men) who had been exposed to asbestos at least 20 years before, or who had known plaques. Participants were given LDCT scans of the chest. Patients who had abnormal scans were given follow-up tests. Those with normal test results were invited to have an annual LDCT scan.
Of the 516 participants, 357 had evidence of plaques. Based on the results of the first scan and annual scans, six of the patients were diagnosed with lung cancers and four were diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Although LDCT was able to detect advanced mesothelioma, as well as early- and late-stage lung cancers, it was not able to diagnose early mesothelioma. The study authors say they need to continue screening patients to help them get a better idea of what early mesothelioma looks like. Also, they say adding biomarkers (substances in the blood that indicate the presence of cancer) to the screening process may provide greater sensitivity to help diagnose those at very high risk for mesothelioma.
Even as techniques are fine-tuned, screening is just one step of a three-tiered effort to combat these cancers, according to Dr. Roberts. “The second step is the parallel development of biomarkers, and the third step is the parallel development of treatment strategies,” she says. “These have to be developed hand-in-hand in order to make this a useful and meaningful tool.”
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