Mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer, where cancer cells are located in the pleura, the peritoneum and the pericardium of the affected individual. Thus, the three main forms of mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma targets the lining of the lung, peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdominal cavity, and pericardial mesothelioma targets the lining around the heart.
Generally, people suffering from this disease have worked on jobs where they were in close contact with asbestos. Others have contracted the disease without any direct exposure to asbestos. There is a dormant period of 20 to 50 years between the first exposure to the mineral and the appearance of mesothelioma symptoms. There are rare occasions when the effects have been felt before 20 years, after first exposure to asbestos.
There are cases where people have been affected by the disease some four decades after a summer construction job brought them in contact with asbestos. It is not uncommon for housewives to catch the disease after washing asbestos-dust-infected clothes of their husbands and sons who work with asbestos-related products. There are several reported cases of people working in the Navy years back, who have contracted the disease now.
Some jobs put you at risk of the disease more than others. They are: insulators (people who install insulation); pipe fitters and steam fitters (who regularly work in claustrophobic conditions in ships and work with insulation); electricians; carpenters; mechanics; shipyard workers; maintenance workers; laborers, etc. Industrial sites characteristically are the most affected.
Though the survival rate for mesothelioma is low, there are some conventional treatments that can be tried. They are: surgery, where the tumor is removed; chemotherapy, where specific drugs are used to fight the malignancy; and radiation therapy, where high energy rays are deployed to kill the malignant cells.
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Mesothelioma and Asbestos
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Mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer, commonly linked with prior exposure to asbestos. In this disease, cancerous cells grow in the protective lining (mesothelium) covering the internal organs of the body. This disease is commonly located in the outer lining of the chest cavity...
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Pleural Mesothelioma Information
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Pleural mesothelioma is the most common existing form of this malignancy, and it is more often than not a direct consequence of exposure to asbestos. One can get minor tumors with mesothelioma, but the malignant form is the most widespread. Inhaling asbestos fibers puts you...
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Asbestos And Mesothelioma
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Asbestos is a carcinogenic, fibrous mineral, which is at times used in construction, usually for insulating purposes. People who live or work in conditions where they are exposed to asbestos fibers run the risk of developing mesothelioma. Despite its health hazards, asbestos is often used...
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Peritoneal Mesothelioma Information
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Peritoneal mesothelioma is a malignancy that targets the lining of the abdomen. This form of cancer, like pleural mesothelioma, is mostly a result of exposure to asbestos. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining that guards the abdomen’s insides, and which also gives a lubricating fluid that...
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Peritoneal Mesothelioma Litigation
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Peritoneal Mesothelioma Litigation is the legal process wherein the victim of this dreadful disease seeks compensation for the physical and emotional damages it causes. Peritoneal mesothelioma is the cancer of the lining of the organs that develops as a result of toxic levels of exposure...
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Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyers
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Mesothelioma is only one of the asbestos-related diseases, but it is the most serious among them because it can be a deadly form of cancer that affects workers who have been working unprotected in an asbestos environment. Mesothelioma cases in the States are still rare....
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Mesothelioma Asbestos Diseases
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The most common diseases caused by asbestos are asbestosis and pleural disease. The most general forms of asbestos cancer are mesothelioma and lung cancer. The former is also occasionally called mesothelioma cancer or simply ‘meso’. Asbestos dust is also responsible for numerous types of throat...
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Mesothelioma Legal Information
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Mesothelioma is mainly caused by exposure to asbestos during the production or use of asbestos products. It is widely believed that, for sixty years, the companies that dealt with asbestos related products knew about its hazards to health. The dangers of asbestos exposure were kept...
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Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
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Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the thin layer of tissue that lines the chest and lungs. It is a rare form of cancer that is mostly associated with exposure to asbestos. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a fast-moving cancer with a median survival time...
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Mesothelioma is one of the most uncommon forms of cancer. It generally affects the lungs, heart or abdominal organs. The most common form of this disease is pleural mesothelioma. The pleuron is a slight membrane between the chest cavity and the lungs. The lubrication it...