MESOTHELIOMA CANCER LAWYER
Talk to Houston, Texas Mesothelioma Attorney about your legal rights in an asbestos mesothelioma cancer lawsuit. Visit this asbestos mesothelioma web site to obtain information concerning mesothelioma cancer treatment, mesothelioma symptoms, clinics, mesothelioma links, mesothelioma doctors, specializied mesothelioma cancer hospitals, malignant mesothelioma cancer, peritoneal, pleural and pericardial mesotheliomas. Talk to a Mesothelioma Attorney Now!
Malignant
mesothelioma is a very rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma is a malignant
neoplasm originating from pleural or peritoneal surfaces that is usually
associated with occupational exposure to asbestos. It is a disease in
which malignant cancer cells are found in the sac lining of the chest
and lungs- Pleural Mesothelioma or the abdomen - Peritoneal Mesothelioma
and the heart - Pericardial Mesothelioma. The stage or severity of mesothelioma
is difficult to diagnose, due to the great variability in the time before
diagnosis and the rate of disease progression. The first indication of
mesothelioma is often by a simple chest x-ray. For more clarification
or confirmation a MRI, CT SCAN , a biopsy or removal operation may be
needed. Mesothelioma is categorized in Stages I, II, III and IV.
CAUSES
OF MESOTHELIOMA ?
Anyone who has been diagnosed
with mesothelioma has probably already been told that they must have been
exposed to asbestos.
Asbestos was used in a variety of products ranging from construction supplies
to brake linings. During World War II, hundreds of thousands of civilian
and military workers, through their occupations, were exposed to asbestos.
Production slowed dramatically in the 1970s as the health risks of asbestos
became public. Many products in years past had extremely high concentrations
of asbestos that can cause mesothelioma
including insulation (pipe, boiler, block & cement), textiles, fireproofing,
pipe and furnace insulation materials, asbestos shingles, asbestos seals,
automobile brake pads and brake linings, clutch facings, and gaskets spackling,
patching compounds, jointing compound, gaskets, packings, asbestos-cement
pipe, sheet material, ceiling tiles, wallboard, siding, roofing materials,
automotive brake shoes, railroad/ locomotive brakes, and clutches.
Asbestos
diseases follow a "dose-response" relationship
curve, meaning the more asbestos fibers one inhales (doses) AND the higher number of exposures, then the higher the risk of an asbestos-related
disease. NOTE: neither, either or both MAY lead to one becomes
sick from that exposure depends in part on one's susceptibility to asbestos.
The shortest latency period (from the date of first exposure) for asbestosis
is roughly 5-10 years, although often it takes 25-40 years or more from
the first exposure before the disease is diagnosed. There is no maximum
latency period, since asbestos fibers remain in the lungs for life.
MESOTHELIOMA
STAGES |
STAGE I : (LOCALIZED) Disease is confined within the capsule of the parietal
pleura (ipsilateral pleura, lung, pericardium, and the diaphragm).
STAGE II:
(ADVANCED) All of Stage I with the addition of intrathoracic(N1
or N2)lymph nodes.
STAGE III: (ADVANCED) Local extension of the disease
into the following: chest wall or mediastinum, heart or through
the diaphragm, peritoneum (with or without extrathoracic or contralateral
(N3)lymph node involvement).
STAGE IV: (ADVANCED) Distant metastatic diseasprocess.
Localized Malignant Mesothelioma--see Stage I
Advanced Malignant Mesothelioma--see Stages II, II,& IV
ABOVE: Butchart Staging System for Malignant Pleural
MesotheliomaALSO SEE :TNM
Staging System for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma |
STAGES OF MALIGNANT MESOTHELIOMA
Staging
is the process of finding out how far the cancer has spread. Staging
of mesothelioma is based on imaging studies such as x-rays, CT scans,
and MRI scans. The treatment and outlook for patients with mesothelioma
largely depends on the stage (extent of spread) of their cancer. Since
pleural mesothelioma occurs most frequently and has been studied the
most, it is the only mesothelioma for which a staging classification
exists. The staging system most often used for mesothelioma is the Butchart
system. This system is based mainly on the extent of the primary tumor
mass, and divides mesotheliomas into stages I through IV. Patients in
Stage I of the Disease have a significantly better prognosis than those
with more advanced stage. However, due to the relative rarity of this
mesothelioma, exact survival information based upon a stage is limited.
Once malignant mesothelioma is found, more medical tests are usually
performed to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of
the body. This mesothelioma staging process is essential so that the
doctors know the correct stage of the mesothelioma cancer in order to
treat it effectively. A staging system based upon thoracic surgery principals
and clinical data is shown below.
MESOTHELIOMA--TREATMENT
OPTIONS
Standard
treatment for all but localized mesothelioma is generally NOT curative.
Although some patients will experience long-term with aggressive treatment
approaches, it remains unclear if overall survival can be significantly
altered by the different treatment methods or by combinations of methods.
Extrapleural pneumonectomy in selected patient with very early stage disease
may improve recurrence-free survival, but its impact on overall survival
is unknown. Pleurectomy and decortication can provide palliative relief
from symptomatic effusions, discomfort caused by tumor burden and pain
caused by invasive tumors. The use of radiation therapy in pleural mesothelioma
has been shown to alleviate pain in the majority of patients treated.
Unfortunately, the duration of symptom control is short-lived. Single
agent and combined chemotherapy have reported higher response rates in
STAGE II patients, however, the toxicity reported is also higher and there
is no evidence that combination treatments result in longer survival or
longer control of the symptoms.
MESOTHELIOMA- LEGAL OPTIONS
The evidence
is OVERWHELMING, that the asbestos companies and suppliers
knew as early as the 1940's that their products were dangerous and were
hazardous. In fact, these companies fought hard to keep it a secret.
The asbestos companies continue to fight and resist and they will not
pay out money that is owed to you for your medical bills or pain and
suffering or any other monetary damages without a fight. If you or a
family member have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should hire
a lawyer, as soon as possible. Due to the horrible nature of this disease
and the complicated medical issues associated with mesothelioma, establishing
proper asbestos product identification is essential. Normally after
we obtain the background information and preliminary medical diagnosis
reports, we meet with the client and conduct an extensive interview
to get a full work and exposure history and try and determine the source
and duration of the exposure. Once that is done, then the legal team
can start to file the lawsuit and pursue your case. Time is of the essence.
WE DO NOT THROW YOUR CASE INTO A PILE OF OTHER ASBESTOS EXPOSURE CASES AND SETTLE
YOUR CASE IN A MASS TORT SETTLEMENT. YOUR MESOTHELIOMA CASE IS A SEPARATE
CASE AND WILL BE FILED AS AN INDIVIDUAL CASE. YOUR DAMAGES AND INJURIES
ARE YOUR OWN AND WILL NOT BE GROUPED WITH OTHER LESS SERIOUSLY
INJURED CLIENTS. IN FACT THE ONLY ASBESTOS CASES, THE WILLIS LAW
FIRM REPRESENTS ARE MESOTHELIOMA CASES AND ASBESTOS LUNG CANCER CASES.
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