Although severe, mesothelioma is still a rare type of cancer. About one person in a million is affected. In 2004, it was estimated that around 15 individuals to 1,000,000 were victim of the disease in the United States. No one knows for sure the percentage of this year, 2008, since the number is increasing. However, about 200,000 individuals die each year from cancers causing by carcinogenic workplaces, including job sites containing asbestos fibers, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Are the causes of mesothelioma are well known?
Yes. Whether it is pleural, peritoneal, or benign mesothelioma, it is caused by exposure to asbestos, an airborne mineral made of microscopic bundles of fibers according to US Environmental Protection Agency. Once enters your lungs, asbestos damage silently the tissue affected. The damaging effects can continue for years without any obvious medical signs. Usually, you start seeing or feeling symptoms 20 to 30 years after you were exposed to the pathogenic fiber.
Where asbestosis can be found?
In rare cases, you can be affected indirectly by asbestos contamination through your friends or family members who brought the fiber to the house from work in their clothes, hair or on their skin. However, the inhalation is, most of the times, the result of direct contact to the fiber in workplaces. Companies that are susceptible to have asbestos include:
• Extraction units: mines for instance • Industries that manufacture asbestos products: textiles, friction products, insulation, certain building materials, etc. • Places where asbestos is used as protection against heat • Certain industries that specialize in shipbuilding, steel, foundry, glass manufacturing, etc. • Construction industry, during renovation or demolition, or particularly during removal of asbestos, according to U.S. Department of Labor
What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is often considered a silent killer because it is completely asymptomatic at early stage. When they finally emerge, symptoms are not specific and are similar to other respiratory diseases and digestive tract infection, which makes the diagnosis difficult.
The most common symptoms of mesothelioma include abdominal pain and swelling, nausea or vomiting, intestinal obstruction and unreasonable weight loss. As the disease progresses, you may have other medical symptoms such as pleural effusion (accumulation of excess fluid in your pleural cavity).
Is there any treatment or vaccine against mesothelioma?
So far, there is no preventive vaccine against mesothelioma. However, there are therapies your physician may consider to treat your mesothelioma to help you cope with the disease. Earlier you have the treatment, better chance you have to be recovered. If you suspect you or a family member was exposed to asbestos, it is vital that you see a health care provider for early diagnosis; do not wait for symptoms.
Conventionally, mesothelioma is treated by surgery, chemotherapy or/and radiotherapy. Because mesothelioma is a life-threatening illness, you should thoroughly discuss each option with your physician before deciding a treatment. Make sure you have information about risk factors of the surgery; potential side effects of the chemotherapy and radiotherapy. You can also ask question about the prognosis; although mesothelioma prognosis is often heart breaking.
In case the diagnosis reveals you have mesothelioma, can you be compensated?
Yes. It is illegal in the United States to use asbestos in any industry. "The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) set a maximum exposure limit and include provisions for engineering controls and respirators, protective clothing, exposure monitoring, hygiene facilities and practices, warning signs, labeling, recordkeeping, and medical exams." If due negligence, these requirement are not met in a company, and you become a victim of mesothelioma, you need to contact a lawyer for compensation.
Selecting a lawyer to represent your case should not be a negligible decision. You need an experienced mesothelioma attorney, one who has a record in helping asbestos cancer victims, who can help you get the financial compensation you disserve.
However, your health is worth more than silver and gold. The wise thing to do is avoid exposure or inhalation of asbestos.
Is there a center of support for mesothelioma victims?
Yes. In the United States, there are many groups and centers for mesothelioma Victims. In addition, there are qualified attorneys who can fight to help you receive the highest mesothelioma award. Do not deal with a so-called attorney who will refer you to another law firm; contact your attorney directly to discuss your case.
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