Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma. Pleural (pleura is the thin lining or coverings of lungs) mesothelioma generally occurs to individuals exposed to high level of asbestos. Exposure to high level of asbestos for 10 or more years is generally required for pleural mesothelioma to develop. Pleural mesothelioma may occur, like other forms of mesothelioma, even decades (sometimes as late as 30 years after last exposure to asbestos) after last exposure to asbestos.

Pleural mesothelioma may start as simple pleural disease such as calcification of pleura or thickening of pleural lining and it is not uncommon to diagnose them as pleural calcification, pleural thickening or pleural plaques. As these pleural diseases are not fatal disease, they may be ignored and later on these pleural diseases may lead to development of pleural mesothelioma. Pleural diseases may not be fatal but they impair normal functioning of lungs and should be addressed appropriately. If a patient with pleural disease gives a history of asbestos exposure even only for a brief period the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma should be considered.

Pleural disease such as pleural plaques can be starting point of pleural mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer that occurs only due to exposure to asbestos and no other causative factor has been proven. Although pleura are the origin of pleural mesothelioma, it can spread to chest wall and other areas such as abdomen very fast.

Mesothelioma generally cause death within a year of diagnosis, but early detection by recognizing asbestos exposure can lead to early diagnosis and better survival. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can lead to longer survival than untreated and late diagnosis patients of mesothelioma.

Asbestos exposure linked to other cancers besides lung, mesothelioma

Although most commonly associated with an increased risk of lung cancer or mesothelioma, evidence has linked asbestos exposure several other forms of cancer, including stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer, pharyngeal cancer and colorectal cancer.

A 2006 study by the Institute of Medicine found that exposure to asbestos could cause individuals to develop cancer of the larynx, the structure that houses the vocal chords. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 9,500 new cases of laryngeal cancer and about 3,700 deaths attributable to the disease occur each year, including some involving exposure to asbestos.

Researchers have also uncovered evidence linking asbestos and cancer affecting other parts of the body. A 2005 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (PDF) found that patients who were exposed to asbestos were more likely to develop colorectal cancer than those who had not been exposed. Other studies published by the National Academies Press have uncovered evidence linking asbestos exposure to stomach cancer, esophageal cancer and pharyngeal cancer.

While lung cancer and mesothelioma have had a devastating effect on thousands of asbestos exposure victims, the research of the Institute of Medicine and other groups plays an important role in bringing attention to the plight of those affected by other cancers linked to exposure to asbestos.

British asbestos victims face hurdles to receiving compensation

According to a report published by BBC News, hundreds—and possibly thousands—of British mesothelioma victims are being denied compensation for their injuries because they are unable to identify their former employers’ insurance carrier at the time they were exposed to asbestos.

Because of the long latency period after exposure, asbestos workers may take up to 50 years before they show the first signs of mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease. As a result, changes of address or executives at a former employer, lost records and other factors can make it difficult to determine who is responsible for settling a victim’s asbestos claim. While the British government can provide some compensation, it is much less than what would be paid by corporate insurers.

Statistics published in Britain by the Employers Code of Practice (PDF) show that only 45% of asbestos inquiries filed during 2009 were successful at gaining compensation for asbestos victims. Although the British government announced new plans to give victims greater access to rightful compensation for their injuries—including forcing employers to retain insurance records for 60 years and setting up a fund of last resort to meet untraceable insurance claims—the number of successful claims has fallen by 4% since 1999.

While the manners in which British and American law handle mesothelioma and asbestos claims differ in significant ways, the problem of determining liability in these cases is one that is shared by victims on both sides of the Atlantic. Just as the American government needs to join other industrial nations in banning asbestos, the British government should take the necessary steps to ensure that its citizens receive fair compensation if they have been injured by exposure to asbestos.

Congress passes bill recognizing National Mesothelioma Awareness Day

In November 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution (H. Res. 771 [PDF]) declaring September 26th as National Mesothelioma Awareness Day. The House resolution is the counterpart to the Senate’s National Mesothelioma Awareness Day resolution (S. Res. 288 [PDF]), which was passed in 2009.

The House resolution calls on the President to “issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States, Federal departments and agencies, States, localities, organizations, and media to annually observe a National Mesothelioma Awareness Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

Introduced into the House by Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum, the newly-passed resolution was inspired by the story of Congressman Bruce Vento, a friend of Rep. McCollum’s. Rep. Vento died of mesothelioma in 2009 only nine months after he was diagnosed with the disease.

In announcing the bill’s passage, Rep. McCollum recalled the story of her friend and hoped that the resolution would help to spread awareness of the terrible costs of mesothelioma and asbestos:“In 2000, my friend and predecessor Congressman Bruce Vento was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. Despite decades of warnings about the dangers of asbestos, too many Americans are still unaware of the devastating nature of this disease.”The passage of the House and Senate resolutions represents an important step in highlighting the debilitating effect that these diseases have had on American workers and their families. Hissey Kientz, LLP would like to join in commending Rep. McCollum and the countless others who have worked to spread awareness of mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos diseasesIntroduced into the House by Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum, the newly-passed resolution was inspired by the story of Congressman Bruce Vento, a friend of Rep. McCollum’s. Rep. Vento died of mesothelioma in 2009 only nine months after he was diagnosed with the disease.

In announcing the bill’s passage, Rep. McCollum recalled the story of her friend and hoped that the resolution would help to spread awareness of the terrible costs of mesothelioma and asbestos:

In 2000, my friend and predecessor Congressman Bruce Vento was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. Despite decades of warnings about the dangers of asbestos, too many Americans are still unaware of the devastating nature of this disease.

The passage of the House and Senate resolutions represents an important step in highlighting the debilitating effect that these diseases have had on American workers and their families. Hissey Kientz, LLP would like to join in commending Rep. McCollum and the countless others who have worked to spread awareness of mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos diseases.

Free Mesothelioma Information Packet

The law firm of Hissey Kientz, LLP is pleased to offer a free mesothelioma information packet to prospective clients and other individuals seeking information about the hazards of asbestos exposure.

The free packet contains information about the latest treatments for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, resources for asbestos victims and their loved ones, information on how to obtain legal assistance from an attorney and instructions on how to receive free asbestos testing to determine if you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos.

Hissey Kientz, LLP is distributing this packet at no cost in order to raise awareness about the hazards of asbestos exposure and the harmful effects it may have on the lives of those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos cancers.

To receive your free mesothelioma information packet, please visit Mesothelioma Lawyers Hotline. After providing us with a small amount of information, a free packet will be shipped directly to your home.

Knicks basketball game postponed over 'asbestos scare'

Officials at Madison Square Garden were forced to postpone a scheduled matchup between the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic over concerns that asbestos materials had been accidentally released into the arena. The Garden remained closed for several days to allow health inspectors to test for possible asbestos contamination before being reopened later that week.

According to a report in the New York Times, debris from the building fell into the arena during overnight cleaning of “asbestos-related materials.” After air monitors revealed elevated levels or airborne fibers, the building was temporarily closed to allow health inspectors to determine whether the debris contained asbestos particles.

Subsequent inspections by New York’s Department of Environmental Protection and independent air monitors revealed that no asbestos fibers had been released into the building. After they were given clearance by environmental experts, Garden officials announced that the arena would re-open, allowing all other events in the building to proceed as scheduled.

While it is fortunate that Madison Square Garden’s asbestos scare did not create a health hazard in the building, the incident highlights the ongoing health risk posed by the presence of asbestos-containing materials in some older structures. Like many buildings constructed during the 1960s, Madison Square Garden was built with asbestos-containing insulation that was designed to act as a fire-retardant.

Most builders discontinued the use of these materials after the link between asbestos and cancers such as mesothelioma was widely publicized in the 1970s. However, asbestos materials can still be found in already existing structures, putting construction workers, school teachers and other individuals who work in older buildings at risk of developing an asbestos-related disease.

Mesothelioma deaths among women on the rise, studies find

Health officials in the United Kingdom have found that the number of mesothelioma deaths among women in that country has risen sharply in recent years. According to statistics from Cancer Research UK, deaths from mesothelioma among women have risen by 57% in recent years, giving mesothelioma the most sharply increasing death rate of any cancer among women.

Experts in the UK are unsure of why deaths caused by mesothelioma have risen so sharply among women. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, surgeon John Edwards states:

We don’t know why the incidence in women is rising. We need further research to determine the risk of low level exposure to asbestos.... The fact that the ratio has changed suggests that the pattern of exposure has changed.

Unlike most mesothelioma cases among men—who are often exposed to asbestos in the workplace—Edwards says that many of these female mesothelioma victims did not work in industries usually associated with asbestos exposure, such as construction or industrial jobs.

Some experts believe that the rise in mesothelioma cases among British women may be due to the increased use of asbestos tiles and ceiling panels in schools built during the 1960s and 1970s. Edwards states that some clinicians believe that many of these mesothelioma cases involving women were the result of low level exposure to asbestos, such as that which would occur from exposure to the asbestos-containing materials used to build older schools.

Although the number of female mesothelioma victims is lower than it is among males, these new statistics illustrate the dangers asbestos poses to women—even those who have never worked in the asbestos industry. In addition to teachers who may be victims of direct asbestos exposure, many women have suffered secondhand asbestos exposure from asbestos fibers that were carried home on the skin or clothing of husbands or fathers who worked in asbestos-related jobs.