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| Latest
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| MESOTHELIOMA |
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Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a serious cancer occurring in
individuals exposed to asbestos. Asbestos is the only established
cause of Mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is not lung cancer
and it is not caused by smoking.
Mesothelioma is caused by breathing in asbestos fibers. These
fibers travel through the lung and become lodged in the pleura (a
thin, saran wrap-type membrane that lines the lungs.) Asbestos
fibers irritate the cells in the lining of the lung and cause Mesothelioma.
In some cases, Mesothelioma
can also develop in the stomach and abdomen areas.
Asbestos Exposure Causes
Mesothelioma
Even a small amount of
asbestos exsposure can cause Mesothelioma.
In addition, Mesothelioma
often does not develop until at least 20 years after exposure to
asbestos. As a result, people who were exposed to asbestos in the
1950s, 1960s, and 1970s are just now becoming sick with Mesothelioma.
In fact, the incidence of Mesothelioma
is actually increasing.
Click here
for a list of the
occupations and jobs at
risk for exposure to asbestos.
In a typical case, an individual with
Mesothelioma will first experience chest pain and shortness of
breath. Often, there is a build-up of fluid in the lung area,
known as a plueral effusion. Since many doctors may not have
experience treating Mesothelioma
patients, these symptoms are often mistaken for other lung
problems, such as pneumonia.
The following represents a list of diagnostic procedures that a
doctor may use to determine whether a
person has Mesothelioma.
Imaging tests, such as CAT Scans, x-rays and MRIs allow doctors to
see a picture of the area in question.
A bronchoscopy or a mediastinoscopy uses a lighted tube to let the
doctor look at the affected area of lung.
Cytology tests involve examining the pleural fluid for cancer
cells after the fluid is removed from the lung
area using a needle. Fluid samples may be taken with a needle and
sent to the lab to see if cancer cells are present. Medical
experts consider this test to have limited value in diagnosing Mesothelioma,
because negative or inconclusive readings can result from the
tested fluid.
A thoracoscopy or a laparoscopy procedure involves looking
directly at the tumor and taking a sample of tissue.
The tissue sample is examined by a pathologist then
examines. In these procedures, a doctor makes a small incision and
uses a tiny video camera to look at the area in question.
A needle biopsy, which is done under anesthetic, involves
inserting a large hollow needle through the skin and into the
chest cavity. The doctor rotates the needle and as the needle is
taken out, the doctor can collect tissue samples. Because of the
small sample size of the tissue, experts consider this type of
biopsy to be only 25 to 60 percent accurate in diagnosing Mesothelioma.
Experts consider the open biopsy the most accurate for Mesothelioma
diagnosis. It is the procedure of choice because it affords the
pathologist a larger tissue sample. Surgeons perform open biopsies
in hospitals under general anesthetic.
A doctor may want to do other tests as well. Doctors often
encounter difficulties in diagnosing Mesothelioma.
In some cases a pathologist may use an electron microscope to look
at cells in greater detail. If after thorough review a pathologist
confirms a diagnosis of Mesothelioma,
the doctor may want to do further testing such as a PET scan to
learn the stage or extent of disease. Knowing the stage helps the
doctor form a treatment plan.
Mesothelioma
Treatment Options
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer
that strikes over 3000 individuals per year. For the workers who
are sick with Mesothelioma
and their families, the course of this asbestos-caused cancer can
be devastating.
Thre are three traditional kinds of treatment for patients with
mesothelioma: surgery which removes the cancerous masses from the
body; chemotherapy, which
uses a variety of potent drugs to kill the cancer;
and, radiation therapy,
which uses high doses of x-rays to kill the cancer cells.
Oftentimes, doctors use two or more of these treatment courses
together to maximize the likelihood of success.
Surgery
Several types of surgery exist for treating mesothelioma. A
pleurectomy/decortication removes part of the chest or abdominal
lining and the surrounding tissue. Doctors most often use the
pleurectomy as a palliative procedure to relieve pain and prevent
pleural effusion, or the build-up of fluid between the lungs and
the chest cavity. While a surgeon can remove a good deal of the
tumor through pleurectomy, the procedure often leaves Mesothelioma
along the diaphragm and lungs. A more aggressive surgery, known as
pneumonectomy, removes an entire lung in order to remove the Mesothelioma.
In extrapleural pneumonectomy the surgeon removes the affected
lung along with the lining and diaphragm on the affected side and
the lining around the heart.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Doctors may
administer chemotherapy by pill or through a needle into a vein or
muscle. Doctors can administer chemotherapeutic agents either
systemically (through the blood stream) or intrapleurally (in the
pleural cavity). When administered intrapleurally, the
chemotherapy treatment is localized at the site of the tumor. The
drugs used for chemotherapy are generally very toxic and are
usually accompanied by serious side effects including nausea,
vomiting, anorexia, hair loss, and exhaustion. Side effects vary
depending on the particular drugs used for the chemotherapy.
Single-agent therapy utilizes only one drug in the chemotherapy
regimen to treat the cancer. Several agents have demonstrated
modest success in effectively treating Mesothelioma.
Doxorubicin, probably the most extensively studied agent, has a
response rate in the 15 percent range, as do detorubicin,
pirarubicin, and epirubicin. Other agents, such as carboplatin,
mitomucin, cyclophosphamide, and ifosdamide have similar response
rates ranging from 10 to 20 percent. Researchers have studied
cisplatin in a number of trials and discovered an approximately 14
percent response rate. One small study of very high dose-intensity
cisplatin demonstrated a 36 percent response rate, but the high
responsiveness lasted only 2 to 8 months.
Because single-agent chemotherapy regimes have failed to show
great effectiveness (response rates less than 20 percent),
researchers have examined several combination regimens for
treatment of patients with Mesothelioma.
Combinations including doxorubicin, cisplatine, mitoxantrone, and
bleomycin have been reported to realize response rates of up to 44
percent. Such high response rates have not been consistent, and
overall combination therapy yields response rates similar to
singe-agent therapy.
Radiation Therapy
In radiation therapy,
doctors use high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink
tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body
(external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that
produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in
the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation
therapy).
Doctors sometimes use radiation therapy as the main treatment for Mesothelioma in patients
who might not be well enough to have surgery. Doctors also use
radiation in combination with surgery, or as a way to ease
symptoms such as shortness of breath, pain, bleeding, or trouble
with swallowing.
There can be side effects from radiation. The skin in the area
treated may look sunburned and then become darker. These effects
will go away after a short period
of time.
For a list of National Cancer Institute treatment centers,
click here.
New
Treatments For Mesothelioma
Earlier this year, the University of Chicago Cancer Research
Center released the results of a yearlong clinical trial of
Pemetrexed Disodium -- also known as Alimta. Researchers found
that patients who combined Alimta with vitamin treatments and the
chemotherapy drug, Cisplantin, lived longer and suffered less pain
and difficulty breathing than those who only used chemotherapy.
Alimta is scheduled to go to the Federal Drug Administration for
fast-track approval in 2003. Given the time it takes for an
official FDA approval, the drug's maker, Eli Lilly, has arranged
with the FDA to begin offering compassionate use of the drug in
the interim. Patients who are currently not receiving treatment
are eligible for the program.
Currently, there are also numerous clinical trials in various
phases of development taking place around the country. To learn
more about compassionate use of Alimta or to find out more about a
clinical trial in your area,
click here.
For
more information on current Mesotheliomia treatment options,
click here.
There is presently no known cure for Mesothelioma. As the disease
progresses, the cancerous cells harden the lung area and spread.
As time passes, breathing, sleeping and eating become more
difficult, and it becomes increasingly more challenging for the
victim to engage in normal activities and enjoy life.
Mesothelioma Was Preventable
Mesothelioma
was preventable. Many of the corporations that manufactured and
profited from the sale of asbestos-containing products were aware
of the hazards of asbestos as early as the 1920's. Alternatives to
asbestos were also available in the 1920's. Notwithstanding the
deadly hazards of asbestos, corporations chose to sell and
recklessly use asbestos in products from the 1920's through the
1980's (when most of these
products were banned in the United States and abroad).
The manufacturers did not warn workers exposed to the asbestos in
their products. The result is that many Americans have
unnecessarily and tragically contracted Mesothelioma.
Protect
Your Legal Rights
If you have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, contact
Belluck & Fox immediately to protect your legal rights. We are
experienced mesothelioma attorneys who focus on providing
professional and personalized representation to Mesothelioma
victims.
Large settlements and verdicts can be
obtained in Mesothelioma
cases, but it is important to
have qualfied and experienced lawyers to handle your case.
At Belluck & Fox, we will use our years of legal experience
to counsel you about your legal rights and give you individualized
representation. Contact
us now for an instant case evaluation. Back to Top |
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you been a victim? |
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New York law limits your time to bring a legal claim. To protect your
rights, you need to have your personal injury claim evaluated
immediately. To have your claim evaluated, please fill out this form
or contact us at:
bfinfo@belluckfox.com
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37th Floor
New York, New York 10017
(212) 681-1575
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