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Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: University of Colorado Cancer Center
The University of Colorado Cancer Center was originally founded in 1986 as a consortium of affiliated institutions across the state with a common goal in fighting cancer that is still housed at the university. It currently consists of eight programs, 17 “shared core resources,” and 400 members ranging across six institutions and three universities.
Among the organizations that have board members who are members of the consortium are the Southwest Oncology Group, American Cancer Society, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.
Since its founding, the center has achieved a number of national accolades for its care, including its designation of a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute and election as a LIVESTRONG Center of Survivorship Excellence by the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Malignant mesothelioma patients who are receiving care at the UCCC are often treated at its Thoracic Oncology Program, which is internationally renowned and known for its start-of-the-art treatment options, second opinion diagnoses, and multidisciplinary team specialists.
In addition to offering MRIs, PET and CT scans to help with a diagnosis, the UCCC also offers a PET/CT fusion that allows doctors to produce images of almost any part of the body other than the head. Ultrasounds, bronchoscopes, and transesophageal ultrasonographies are also sometimes utilized in order to provide and accurate diagnosis.
Following a diagnosis, a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy (or other drug-based treatments) are utilized in specific cocktails to maximize their individual effectiveness against the mesothelioma. New clinical trials are also sometimes utilized in the treatment of patients.
While undergoing treatment for mesothelioma cancer, patients and their families may also wish to pursue a mesothelioma settlement against a company or former employer that allowed increased exposure to the deadly fiber. For those who wish to pursue legal action and learn about what type of settlement their situation may or may not qualify for, contact a mesothelioma lawyer who is aware of the most recent legal developments regarding asbestos laws and litigation.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: University of Chicago Medical Center
Located in the Hyde Park section of the University of Chicago, the UC Medical Center offers specialty and primary care services in a number of fields, including cancer, surgery, geriatrics, transplantation, and women’s services. In 2006, the 596-bed center admitted 26,933 patients.
Throughout the course of its history, the medical center has been at the forefront of a number of medical breakthroughs regarding cancer treatment. In 1941, Dr. Charles Huggins demonstrated the first examples of hormone therapy to fight a number of cancers, landing him the Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine in 1966.
Additionally, experimental treatments of terminal patients suffering from lymphoma and leukemia with nitrogen mustard – the active agent in mustard gas - by Dr. Leon Jacobson in 1943 are widely considered to be the first examples of chemotherapy treatments. Since the experiments, a number of chemotherapy drugs are still derived from nitrogen mustard.
One section of the UC Medical Center that handles all cancer-related diagnoses and referrals is the UC Cancer Research Center, which was established following the National Cancer Act of 1973 and employs more than 200 scientists. It is also one of only two programs in the state of Illinois to be designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute.
Utilizing decade’s worth of research regarding malignant mesothelioma, doctors at the research center use a comprehensive and multidisciplinary focus when developing different treatments to fight the disease, including the use of team-based weekly mesothelioma program meetings to discuss new developments.
Among the treatments offered at the hospital are chemotherapy, both traditional and intensity modulated radiation therapy, and surgical options. Additionally, the center offers a number of clinical trials for both malignant mesothelioma and a number of other cancer types.
While undergoing treatment for mesothelioma cancer, patients and their families may learn that the disease was likely caused by prolonged or long term asbestos exposure that was used in a household product or their line of work. If such is the case, there may be an opportunity for legal action against the companies that led to the asbestos exposure that can be pursued by contacting a mesothelioma attorney to learn one’s rights regarding asbestos laws.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: University of Alabama Hospital at Birmingham
Serving as the primary healthcare provider for state residents, the University of Alabama Health System consists of a number of health centers, hospitals and clinics throughout the state. Among the numerous medical programs offered through the UAB system, eight of them - including its comprehensive cancer program - were ranked in the 2009 U.S. News & World Report’s list of “America’s Best Hospitals.”
The UAB contains a nationally renowned Comprehensive Cancer Center that utilizes a faculty of more than 300 physicians and researchers who treat approximately 5,000 new cancer patients annually. Located in Birmingham, the center has achieved the status of a designated comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute. It is the only cancer center to receive the NCI honor that is located in the six-state area of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Patients who are suffering from malignant mesothelioma, or any other form of lung cancer, primarily receive treatment from UAB doctors at the Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Unit at the system’s Kirklin Clinic, a 430,000 square-foot building that covers a full city block and holds more than 30 clinical units of multidisciplinary medical teams.
In addition to providing chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery as forms of treatment, UAB also invests much of its time in research so progress can be made in furthering new ways to combat malignant mesothelioma and other forms of cancer. In 2008, the center became the first U.S. medical center to offer a new technique for radiation therapy that allowed session for some patients to be decreased from 20 minutes to 90 seconds, lessening the chances of healthy human tissue being exposed to radiation without decreasing the overall aggressiveness of the session.
Because a majority of mesothelioma cancer diagnoses are caused because of prolonged inhalation to asbestos fibers, patients and their families may wish to pursue a lawsuit against a company or former employer that knowingly led to the asbestos exposure. In such cases, interested parties should seek out a mesothelioma attorney in order to learn their rights and see if there is reason to pursue a mesothelioma settlement.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
The University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center has been assisting and treating those suffering from all types of cancer since its establishment in 1975. It has since expanded to include a free-standing cancer research building in 1984 and additional labs/offices in 1997 before the addition of the N.C. Cancer Hospital - which is now Lineberger’s clinical home - in 2009.
The center, which has been designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, now houses a staff of 1,120 and nearly 300 scientists from across the school’s campus that serves more than 100,000 patients annually and offers more than 160 clinical trials to its patients. The center’s faculty holds $160 million in external grant funding.
For patients suffering from malignant mesothelioma and other types of lung and asbestos cancer, the center’s Thoracic Oncology Program looks to bring multidisciplinary care that incorporates thoracic radiology, pathology, and oncology nursing. Patients receive individualized treatment schedules depending on the stage their illness has progressed. Clinical trials may also be utilized for treatment at some points.
The center also provides a support programs for cancer patients and their families who are living throughout North Carolina by offering clinical and educational programs while also providing a research site for health care professionals who care for cancer patients.
For patients who are receiving treatment for malignant mesothelioma that may have been exposed to asbestos through their line of work or the use of certain products, there may be certain legal recourse that can be pursued in order to reach a mesothelioma settlement with certain companies. In order to learn your legal right concerning a potential mesothelioma lawsuit, a mesothelioma patient or one of their family members may want to recruit the services of an asbestos attorney so they can develop a potential legal strategy.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center
Founded in 1991 as part of the University of Minnesota’s Academic Health Center - which also includes a Medical School, Dental School, College of Pharmacy, and Schools for Public Health and Veterinary Medicine – the Masonic Cancer Center has been certified as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute.
The center utilizes specialists from a number of different medical communities, utilizing research partners from the university’s Stem Cell Institute, Center for Immunology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Institute of Human Genetics.
In the short time that the center has been operational in Minneapolis, it has made a significant number of advancements in the treatment of numerous types of cancer. MCC doctors have successfully performed the world’s first successful bone marrow transplant for Burkitt’s lymphoma, creating the first animal model to help disable cells that cause pain in bone cancer patients, and led research that has helped prove that substances in tobacco can cause cancer and that nicotine is addictive.
For patients who are battling malignant mesothelioma, the MCC’s Thoracic Cancer center works with patients by utilizing a multidisciplinary approach and aggressive treatment and palliative services. Headed by Dr. Teri Kast, the program offers surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, a number of original clinical trial-based therapies, and therapeutic care for those with mesothelioma cancer.
While receiving treatment for malignant mesothelioma, patients and their families may wish to learn more about possible action that could be taken through various asbestos laws that protect those who may have been made sick by the fibers. In order to learn more about the legal rights that one may have, please contact a mesothelioma lawyer to see if a settlement may be in order because of previous asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: UCSF Cancer Center
With a history dating back to the days of the Gold Rush in the mid-1800s, the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center has become well known for its wide variety of effective care and treatment options for all types of illnesses, including malignant mesothelioma.
In the most recent America’s Best Hospitals for 2009 conducted by U.S. News & World Report, UCSF retained its raking of 7th nationwide and ranked in the Top 10 for 11 of its specialties - one of which was cancer treatment. Additionally, it was the top-ranking facility in the Bay Area for six of its specialties.
Patients who come to UCSF for mesothelioma cancer treatment and care are most often treated through the Thoracic Oncology Clinic and Thoracic surgery program housed in the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, which itself is one of the better known programs at the center’s Mount Zion site.
With a team of eleven doctors, each of whom specialize in a specific form of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery to treat lung cancers such as mesothelioma, customized treatment plans are developed for each patient in order to provide the best care possible.
Among the unique forms of treatment offered at the center are video-assisted thoracoscopy to drain fluid from the lungs, and cyberknife radiosurgery to provide precisely located radiation treatments.
While patients are receiving care for mesothelioma cancer, there may be questions about potential legal action that can be taken against companies that may have caused the disease by exposing the patient to unsafe levels of asbestos. Laws in place may entitle patients to a mesothelioma settlement, but in order to learn if a mesothelioma lawsuit is possible patients or their families should contact an asbestos attorney in order to learn about their legal rights.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: UC Davis Cancer Center
The University of California, Davis Cancer Center, which has been designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute, has become one of the more established cancer treatment centers on the West Coast. In order to continue building on its reputation, the center recently broke ground on a 46,000-square-foot addition to the center that will add clinics for adults and children as well as a pharmacy that is expected to be completed by the end of winter 2012.
Led by Director Dr. David R. Gandara, the center’s Thoracic Oncology Program offers itself as a “national and international center for excellence for lung cancer therapy,” which includes treatment for malignant mesothelioma. Taking advantage of the resources it has that make it the largest thoracic oncology program in California, doctors at the center are able to access clinical studies and new data and provide up-to-date treatment and therapeutic options to its patients.
Treatment options for mesothelioma patients are individually tailored to each unique diagnosis, which is initially determined following imaging studies - such as PET and CT scans - that are reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of physicians.
In addition to offering a number of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical options for the treatment of mesothelioma and other types of lung cancers, UC Davis also offers molecular targeted therapy - a newer type of therapy that consists of medications such as Iressa and Tarceva along with anti-angiogenic agents like Avastin in order to combat the progress of malignant mesothelioma.
In regard to clinical studies, UC Davis takes part in two National Cancer Institute-sponsored adult clinical trial groups: the Southwest Oncology Group (for which Dr. Gandara serves as the chairman) and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.
Mesothelioma cancer patients, as well as their family members, may wish to pursue legal action against a company or former employer that may have knowingly exposed them to high amounts of asbestos fibers, which is the primary cause of mesothelioma. If you want to discuss your legal options and perhaps attempt to pursue a mesothelioma lawsuit, please contact a mesothelioma lawyer who can inform you on the most current developments regarding asbestos laws.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute can trace its root back to the Civil War, when Harper Hospital was founded in Detroit in 1863 to tend to those wounded in the war. After housing the beginnings of the Detroit Medical College in 1868 and growing into the 1900s, the Detroit Institute for Cancer Research was founded in 1943 with Dr. Rollin H. Stevens appointed as its first president.
After a number of mergers with the Wayne State University School of Medicine, the Michigan Cancer Center, Detroit Medical Center, the Meyer L. Prentis Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit, a $15 million donation in 1995 by Peter Karmanos Jr. to the center in the name of his wife Barbara Ann resulted in the current center.
Currently serving as the only hospital in Michigan that focuses primarily on cancer care in the state, it has been designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, utilizing a budget of $216 million to care for more than 6,000 new patients every year.
Patients who are being treated for malignant mesothelioma are most often handled by the centers Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Team, which is headed by mesothelioma expert Dr. Shirish Gadgeel. Along with the other 14 members in the team, each of whom specialize in some form of surgery, pulmonary critical care, medical oncology, radiology, or pathology, individualized treatment cycles are developed to help patients receive the best care possible.
A number of clinical trials to study potential ways to detect and treat forms of cancer such as malignant mesothelioma as early as possible are also underway at the center.
For patients who are dealing with mesothelioma or asbestos cancer that was likely caused by asbestos exposure, laws exist that may allow for a potential lawsuit against a company or former employer if exposure to the fibers can be determined. In order to learn about your legal rights, contact a mesothelioma attorney to see if there are any legal options that can be pursued.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Stanford Cancer Center
Located at Stanford University Hospital, the Stanford Cancer Center is able to utilize its close proximity to a number of Stanford Medicine facilities and more than 300 researchers and clinicians to provide complete and modernized care for patients battling all types of cancer.
Those suffering from malignant mesothelioma that are receiving care at the center are able to benefit from a unique approach from mesothelioma specialists who have more experience with the disease than other doctors.
As part of the center’s Thoracic Oncology Program, a Multidisciplinary Thoracic Tumor Board meets on a weekly basis to discus new techniques to evaluate, diagnose, and treat all for types of lung cancer and discuss individually tailored treatment options for the patients in the program. The board is made up from doctors who are knowledgeable in a number of different fields, including surgical oncology, radiology, pathology, and pulmonary medicine.
Among the unique treatment options for mesothelioma cancer patients that are offered at Stanford Cancer Center is CyberKnife, a stereotactic radiosurgey device that can deliver radiation therapy with extraordinarily precise aim so only tumor cells are affected by it. Interoperative radiotherapy is another form of radiation treatment that allows for the delivery of high doses of radiation during surgery.
Stanford has also become known for its wide range of research programs regarding potential developments in the treatment of mesothelioma cancer, including studies of gene therapy and clinical trials of paclitaxel analogs.
While undergoing various types of treatment for mesothelioma cancer, some patients whose disease was likely caused by asbestos exposure may have some legal questions regarding a potential mesothelioma settlement. In order to get any asbestos law questions answered and the ball rolling on a lawsuit, contact a mesothelioma attorney to learn your legal rights and options.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
As part of the large UCLA Health System, the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, California was initially established in 1955 as a teaching hospital, but has since grown into a modern hospital with 520 patient rooms, 61 short-term hospitalization beds, 1,500 full-time physicians and 2,500 support staff.
Among the honors received by the medical center are its recent distinction as one of the Top 3 hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report and ranking as the best hospital in the west for the 20th consecutive year in 2009. Its nursing staff was also honored with the center’s designation as Magnet Hospital by the Department of Nursing in 2005, while it also was ranked as one of the nation’s leading hospitals by AARP The Magazine in 2009.
Mesothelioma cancer patients who come to the center for treatment generally work with doctors housed at its Thoracic Oncology Program. With a team of thoracic surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, and pulmonologists working alongside nurses and a research staff, patients are provided with customized care that utilize both traditional and new treatments for all types of lung cancer.
The center also provides palliative care for asbestosis, another asbestos-related disease that cannot be cured, but can be treated with various forms of postural drainage, chest percussion, and vibration therapies.
When dealing with an asbestos-related illness such as mesothelioma cancer or asbestosis, there may be a variety of questions regarding asbestos laws and potential mesothelioma lawsuits that could be pursued against companies or former employers that led to asbestos exposure. In such cases, contacting a mesothelioma lawyer may help to clarify any questions regarding a potential lawsuit or other legal questions that need answering.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: NYU Langone Medical Center
Located only blocks from the United Nations in New York City, the New York University Langone Medical Center can trace its roots back to 1837 and has played a role in many groundbreaking medical discoveries and studies, ranging from the discovery of mosquito transmission of yellow fever to graduating Jonas Salk, who later developed the first polio vaccine.
Patients who seek out treatment for mesothelioma cancer at NYU are cared for at the NYU Cancer Institute, a translational cancer center that attempts to combine studies of possible future treatments for all types of cancer while also providing current treatment options for those afflicted with the illness.
Utilizing its inclusion in the NYU Langone Medical Center, malignant mesothelioma patients who experience other medical problems while receiving care at the institute can access medical staff that specializes in other fields to assist them and treat them for onsite.
Among the special forms of diagnosis and treatment options that are offered at NYUCI are a number of minimally invasive surgeries, advanced chemotherapy regimens, and fine-tuned radiation therapies. For help diagnosing malignant mesothelioma or any types of lung cancer, the institute’s Thoracic Oncology Program offers PET and CT scans as well as autofluorescence bronchoscopes to detect cancers through the use of endoscopic light source and video cameras.
Additionally, other techniques such as endobronchial ultrasounds, radiofrequency ablation, photodynamic therapy, endobronchial stenting, and endoesophageal stenting are also utilized to detect forms of mesothelioma and asbestos cancer and provide treatment for them.
Because the chances of developing the disease increases drastically for those who have been exposed to large quantities of asbestos, patients who are receiving treatments may also want to learn about their legal rights to see if they qualify for a mesothelioma lawsuit. In order to learn the proper legal information, patients or their families may want to contact mesothelioma attorneys and receiving counseling on their situation.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Norris Cotton Cancer Center
Located at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, the Norris Cotton Cancer Center provides and coordinates all of the hospital’s programs relating to cancer care. Utilizing all forms of treatments for most types of cancer, including malignant mesothelioma, the hospital works with doctors in their regional centers and their main campus.
The Lung/Thoracic Cancer Program, which handles the hospitals’ mesothelioma diagnoses at the hospital, is led by Medical Director Dr. David W. Johnstone, a specialist in cardiothoracic surgery. Patients in the program are oftentimes seen through the hospital’s interdisciplinary lung cancer clinic and utilize a number of specialists in molecular diagnostics, radiology, pathology, clinical pharmacology, pulmonary medicine, medical and radiation oncology, surgery, and practice nursing.
Treatment at Norris Cotton also includes some unique services, such as the only interventional pulmonologist that is available in northern New England. As a result, the hospital is able to avoid some unnecessary surgeries and make it easier to diagnose some types of cancer through the combination of ultrasound and bronchoscopy into an endobronchial ultrasound that provides a clearer picture of the lungs.
The hospital is also involved in ten separate clinical studies involving mesothelioma or other types of asbestos cancer.
Norris Cotton’s treatments for all types of cancer has become renowned enough for it to be singled out as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute, and has also been rated as one of U.S. News & World Reports’ Top 50 hospitals.
For malignant mesothelioma patients or their relatives who are interested in learning more about asbestos laws and their options regarding a potential mesothelioma lawsuit, consulting a mesothelioma law firm may be a simple way to understand their rights and possible legal options.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: MUSC Hollings Cancer Center
Originally started as a small private medical school in 1824, the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston has transformed itself into 700-bed medical center that consists of six colleges and trains nearly 2,600 health care professionals annually.
The medical center also handles more than 1 million patients ever year and was recently featured as one of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” in 2009.
For patients who are suffering from malignant mesothelioma, MUSC Health houses the Hollings Cancer Center, the largest academic-based cancer center in the state. Since its inception in 1993, the Hollings has be grown into a cutting edge cancer care center that was named a designated cancer center by the National Cancer Center, the only institution to receive such a distinction in the state.
In addition to the multidisciplinary team members that make up the center’s Thoracic Care Center and provide basic radiation, chemotherapy, and surgical treatment options - as well as more experimental clinical treatments - Hollings also features a modernized form of radiation treatment.
The center features the TomoTherapy Hi-Art treatment system that can shape the scope of radiation treatment to only treat tumors while reducing its dosage to surrounding tissues and organs. The room-sized CT scanner that delivers the treatment from all angles to the patient and results in more beam angles than the 5-9 angles that are featured in more traditional machines.
In addition to providing treatments for all types of cancer, the Hollings center also features a variety of support services to help patients and their families deal with financial, psychological, social, and care-based counseling and support.
In addition to seeking out treatment for malignant mesothelioma, patients and their families may also wish to look into possible mesothelioma lawsuits that could be pursued regarding asbestos laws if the fibers are thought to have caused the illness. In order to learn about one’s possible avenues for legal action, please consult a mesothelioma lawyer to find out your legal rights.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Mount Sinai Medical Center
The Mount Sinai Medical Center, located in New York City’s Upper East Side, consists of both the Mount Sinai Hospital and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. In 2008, the 1,171 bed center treated almost 60,000 inpatients and nearly 530,000 outpatients.
For 2009-2010, it ranked 19th in the America’s Best Hospitals issue of U.S. News & World Reports, with its cancer treatment program singled out as one of the best in the country as well.
Founded in 1968, the School of Medicine ranked 18th on U.S. News & World Reports’ ranking of medical schools for 2009-2010. As of August 2009 it contained 516 medical students and received $311 million in grant funding.
Mesothelioma cancer patients who are receiving treatment at Mount Sinai will likely do so at their Thoracic Oncology program, a sub-specialty program of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine in the hospital’s Department of Medicine. The program offers a number of evaluation services, such as CT and PET scans, fiberoptic and rigid brochoscopy, and video-assisted thoracoscopies.
Following a diagnosis, the hospital can provide various treatments to either fight the mesothelioma cancer or perform palliative techniques to prolong a patient’s life in as comfortable a manner as is possible.
Mount Sinai has also made progress in its use of more experimental types of treatment, such the use of small catheters to administer treatments to patients suffering from malignant pleural effusions. In many cases, the treatment requires no stay in the hospital.
Patients who are undergoing mesothelioma treatment may be able to pursue legal options to receive a mesothelioma settlement if their illness has been caused by asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma attorneys are a reliable source to seek out if a patient, or the family members of one who is suffering from the disease, has questions about asbestos laws.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center holds the distinctions of being both the oldest and largest private cancer center in the world. Currently located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the center was originally founded across town in the West Side as the New York Cancer Hospital in 1884. After Alfred P. Sloan and Charles G. Kettering founded the Sloan Kettering Institute in 1948, the hospital came into its current form when the foundation joined forces with Memorial Hospital in 1960.
The hospital now holds more than 10,000 employees and helped as many as 466,000 outpatients in 2008. It has also benefitted from a number of new buildings to help expand their research in recent years, including The Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in 2003 and a new 23-story research building that opened in 2006.
The hospital’s mesothelioma program is headed by Dr. Lee M. Krug, a thoracic oncologist who has led a team of doctors and researchers that have conducted national studies exploring the benefits of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments for patients who are suffering from the early stages of mesothelioma cancer. He is also leading a “phase III trial” of vorinostat on mesothelioma patients who have previously received chemotherapy.
Patients who have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and are receiving treatment at Sloan-Kettering most often undergo a chemotherapy treatment of pemetrexed (or Altima) and cisplatin to best fight the disease while also improving their quality of life as much as possible. However, the hospital also offers a number of specialized surgical and radiation therapy options for certain forms of mesothelioma that best suit the stage it is in and placement in the body.
The hospital also specializes in follow-up and support care for patients and their families, as well as a pain management program for mesothelioma cancer patients so they can live as comfortably as possible following their diagnosis.
As those with mesothelioma undergo treatment, they may also wish to pursue options regarding an mesothelioma settlement if asbestos is found to be a potential cause of the illness. If one wishes to pursue legal recourse, consulting with a mesothelioma lawyer may be the best way to learn of their legal options.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: MD Anderson Cancer Center
Located in Houston, Texas, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center holds more than 500 beds and admitted 23,277 patients in 2009, a 12 percent increase over the amount of intakes seen in 2005.
The center, which was originally established in 1941 as a component of the University of Texas System, has developed a reputation for being a leading cancer treatment center in the nation. For six of the last eight years, MD Anderson has been the top ranked hospital for cancer care in U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Best Hospitals survey.
MD Anderson’s nursing program has also earned the Magnet Nursing Services Recognition status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, while the center has also been accredited by the Joint Commission because of the high quality and safe health care services they provide.
For patients who are suffering from mesothelioma cancer, MD Anderson houses a team of 40 doctors led by Drs. Anne Tsao, Reza John Mehran, and Zhongxing Liao. The mesothelioma team works out of the center’s Thoracic Center, which offers patients the latest and most modern tools for a diagnosis - such as PET, and CT scans, endobronchial and esophageal ultrasounds, and advanced bronchoscopic imaging.
Among the treatment options for malignant mesothelioma patients will be robotic and minimally invasive surgical techniques, brachytherapy and three-dimensional radiation therapy, and chemotherapy options as well.
While undergoing treatment for malignant mesothelioma, patients and their families may want to utilize various asbestos laws and consider legal action against companies or former employers that may have led to increased asbestos exposure. For those looking to get their legal questions answered, consult a mesothelioma attorney who specializes in the specifics of asbestos laws.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Mayo Clinic
Known as one of the preeminent locations for research and treatment of most types of cancer, including malignant mesothelioma, The Mayo Clinic has been in service in some form since the late 1800s. Serving as the largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice on earth, the three locations of the clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Jacksonville, Florida, and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Arizona encompass more than 3,300 physicians, scientists, and researchers along with 46,000 allied health staff members.
In total, the three clinics treat close to 500,000 patients and nearly 1.5 million outpatients annually.
The Mayo Clinic’s treatment for malignant mesothelioma is unique in that its doctors see a higher number of mesothelioma cancer cases than an average doctor does. While three to four new cases of the disease are seen at the clinic every month, some doctors go their entire careers and only see a small number of mesothelioma cases because it is such a rare type of cancer.
For every mesothelioma cases referred to, or handled at, the clinic, a team of medical experts is quickly assembled from a variety of different medical areas to provide comprehensive care. Following a variety of techniques (including physical exams, CT scans, MRIs, and biopsies) that lead to a diagnosis, the disease’s progression is determined along with the development of a plan for treatment.
In addition to standard surgical, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy treatment options for patients suffering from mesothelioma or any other type of asbestos cancer, the clinic also offers thoracentesis, a supportive form of treatment that drains fluid that has built up in the chest in order to provide pain relief and palliative care. A number of mesothelioma-related research projects are also currently underway at the clinic to improve treatment of the disease for the future.
While treatment for mesothelioma cancer is underway, patients and their families may be interested in seeing what legal options they may be able to pursue against a product or company that led to increased asbestos exposure. Contacting a mesothelioma lawyer may be able to provide the most accurate information regarding asbestos laws and get legal processes started it there is a possibility of receiving a monetary settlement.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Massachusetts General Hospital
Located in between Boston, Massachusetts’ North End and Beacon Hill neighborhoods, Massachusetts General Hospital has been operational since 1811 and currently houses 900 beds, serves 47,000 in-patients annually, and features five separate multidisciplinary care centers along with an annual budget of nearly $550 million for research projects alone.
For those suffering from mesothelioma cancer, Mass General features the Center for Thoracic Cancers, a specialized program that focuses on providing the advanced treatments for cancers that primarily manifest themselves in the lungs. Among the cancers the center primarily treats are esophageal cancer, lung cancer, thymoma, and malignant mesothelioma.
In addition to specializing in progressive types of surgical treatments that are minimally invasive, the center also focuses on providing genotyping to study the molecules in some lung cancers to help tailor and more accurately target some types of treatments. General research on the molecular makeup of some types of lung cancers is also regularly conducted at the center.
Additionally, Mass General also is the home to the Francis Burr Northeast Proton Therapy Center, the only proton radiation facility located in the northeast region of New England. The center offers three general treatment options: Proton Stereotactic Radiotherapy (which focuses on treating cancers in the body), Proton Sterotactic Radiosurgery (which treats cancers within the head), and Proton Ocular Radiotherapy (which treats cancers involving the eyes.)
The hospital also provides free help and wellness services for patients and their families through their HOPES program, which features wellness workshops, expressive arts therapy, and various workshops to learn more about treatments and avenues for further support.
If you are looking to learn about possible legal action that can be taken following a mesothelioma or asbestos cancer diagnosis, particularly if long term asbestos exposure is suspected to be a cause of the disease, consulting an asbestos attorney may be the best way to learn about one’s rights.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Markey Center at the University of Kentucky
The Markey Cancer Center was originally in Lexington, Kentucky back in 1983 as a Comprehensive Cancer Center that would help to research cures for all types of cancer while providing treatment for those who need it. Utilizing a partnership with the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, the center is able to integrate its services and clinical programs in order to increase their effectiveness.
With more than 100 clinical studies available to its patients, the Markey Center and Chandler Hospital combine to serve and treat more than 2,000 new cancer patients annually.
In order to effectively treat cancer diagnoses on all fronts, the center specializes in collaborative patient care that utilizes a team approach from the doctors’ point of view. Those who are treated at the center are helped by a team that consists of a primary nurse, oncology nurse care manager, a dietitian, a social worker, pharmacist, chaplain, needed volunteers, and a physical/enterostomal therapist.
In regard to treatment for malignant mesothelioma and other types of lung cancers, the center houses a Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Program that has specialized oncologists for all types of the illness. Separate divisions also exist for each different type of treatment that can be performed on a mesothelioma patient (such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery).
Additionally, the Lung and Thoracic Cancer Team has a number of clinical trials they regularly participate in that study potential developments in treatments for various types of lung cancer, including mesothelioma.
While those who are suffering from mesothelioma cancer are receiving treatment, they may also wish to inquire about possible legal action that can be taken if asbestos is a likely contributor to their illness. In order to learn their legal options, patients and their families may want to seek out the service of a mesothelioma lawyer so they can get the information they desire.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins has been handling treatments and research for all types of cancers for the Johns Hopkins Health System since it was developed in 1973. In addition to topping the Honor Roll on the U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” list for 19 consecutive years, the center is also one of only 39 institutions to be designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute.
It has also played significant roles in mapping the genomes for both breast and colon cancer, as well as a new chemotherapy method that can use chemotherapy directly on the brain.
For patients at the Kimmel Center who have been diagnosed with all types of lung cancer, including malignant mesothelioma, are treated vigorously with varying amounts of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. However, the center also features a special set of oncologists and experts in various cancer-fighting fields who look to include new and progressive staging and imaging techniques, as well as new surgical procedures to increase the effectiveness of their treatments.
Because most types of lung cancer, including mesothelioma, do not begin to exhibit symptoms until their later stages, other research at the Kimmel Center has been devoted to identifying molecular screening markers that could allow for earlier detection.
The center’s productive research has led to it receiving the prestigious National Cancer Institute Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant for translational lung research. It is one of only a handful of hospitals to receive such an honor.
Patients who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma may be able to trace the roots of their illness back to asbestos exposure through products they owned or companies they have previously worked for. If that is the case, there may be asbestos laws that are in place that entitle them to a cash settlement. For information on one’s legal rights concerning asbestos exposure following a diagnosis, contact a mesothelioma attorney in order to learn what one’s options may be.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center
Originally established as the Indiana University Cancer Center in 1992, the Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center received its current name in 2006 following philanthropic support from the Simon family. Seven years prior to the center’s renaming, it earned the status of a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center.
Working in a partnership with the IU School of Medicine and Clarian Health, the center serves nearly 4,100 inpatients and 38,000 outpatients annually, while also teaching approximately 2,000 students, residents, and fellows.
Among the breakthroughs that have occurred at center was a successful curative chemotherapy regimen for testis cancer discovered by Dr. Lawrence H. Einhorn. It has also gained recognition for its treatment of a number of cancers, including breast, genitourinary, thoracic (which includes malignant mesothelioma), hematologic, and gastrointestinal types.
In the 2009 publication of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” list, Clarian Health/Indiana University School of Medicine’s cancer treatment services - which are comprised of the Simon Cancer Center – was the only center in the state ranked on the list at #32.
The center’s Thoracic Oncology Program, which specialized in mesothelioma and other types of lung cancer, makes use of a number of treatment options that are often combined as a means to improve their overall effectiveness on a patient.
In addition to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, the program also offers less conventional biological, hormone and bone marrow/stem cell transplantation treatment options.
Patients and their families should also decide on whether they want to inquire about a attempting to receive an mesothelioma settlement because of prolonged asbestos exposure caused by a product and/or profession. In order to learn more about asbestos law and see if a lawsuit is viable, contacting a mesothelioma lawyer may help and answer any questions one may have regarding a legal procedures.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Abrahmson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania
Located on Spruce Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hospital at the University of Pennsylvania features the Abramson Cancer Center, which touts itself as the highest ranking cancer center in the state.
Originally established as The Cancer Center in 1973 as a place for doctors to develop therapeutic advancements in the treatment of cancer, the organization has expanded to include more than 400 faculty and was renamed in 2002 in acknowledgment of donors Leonard and Madlyn Abramson.
Among the goals that doctors at the Abramson Cancer Center seek to achieve are the developments of cancer research programs that utilize interdisciplinary and interdepartmental qualities to help broaden the type of care they can offer.
In connection with the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, doctors at Abramson have been able to participate in research projects that involve lung cancer and thoracic illnesses that have resulted in the development of less invasive surgical methods that create smaller incisions and can decrease a patient’s recovery period. Additionally, the center was one of the first to utilize video assisted surgery.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System, which houses the Abramson Center, has been the recipient of numerous awards in recent years, including U.S. News & World Reports ranking it as one of the top ten hospitals in the country for the second straight year for 2009-2010. The magazine also ranked it as the #2 School of Medicine in the country in 2011, up from the #3 position in 2010.
It has also received the Magnet Award for nursing for from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and was singled out as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute.
For those who are suffering from mesothelioma and searching for the appropriate type of care and treatment, consulting a mesothelioma law firm may also be a goal worth pursuing, particularly if exposure to asbestos at the workplace is a potential reason for the mesothelioma diagnosis. In order to find out one’s legal rights concerning asbestos exposure, a mesothelioma attorney may have the most up-to-date information regarding a potential lawsuit
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: H. Lee Moffit Cancer Center and Research Institute
Located in Tampa, Florida, the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute is a nonprofit research center located on the campus of the University of Southern Florida that has grown to record more than 272,000 patient visits annually despite its only being in existence since 1986.
The Moffitt Center features its own Thoracic Oncology Program that houses its own group of specialists to help diagnose and treat many forms of lung cancer, including malignant mesothelioma. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach that draws on doctors specializing in oncology as well as pulmonology, surgery, pathology radiation therapy, and radiology, patients are provided with aggressive treatment schedules so they receive the best care possible.
In addition to standard treatments, the center also works to research and test special treatments in clinical trials that can help patients who may benefit from them while also contributing data towards possible new treatments in the future.
The center’s thoracic oncology program also has initiated the Lung and Thoracic Tumor, or LATTE, Program to help provide ideas that can contribute towards the long term prevention of all types of lung cancer. Utilizing meetings with patients and their family members can provide input regarding the treatment program as a whole. LATTE also hosts semi-annual community event to spread their cancer-prevention methods through educational means.
Families that are faced with a loved one developing mesothelioma cancer after being exposed to asbestos may want to learn about asbestos laws and see if a mesothelioma lawsuit could possibly be pursued against a liable company or former employer.
In order to obtain the proper information regarding mesothelioma law, contacting an asbestos attorney may be a viable option to get the information that is desired.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Fox Chase Cancer Center
Serving as the Philadelphia region’s only hospital that is devoted primarily to the treatment of patients battling cancer, the Fox Chase Cancer Center attempts to integrate new medical breakthroughs and discoveries with more traditional forms of treatment for all forms of cancer, including mesothelioma.
Founded in 1974 as an independent, nonprofit institution by the union of the American Oncologic Hospital and the Institute for Cancer Research, the 100-bed hospital was one of the first institutions to be appointed as a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center.
In the years since, Fox Chase has also become the first comprehensive cancer center in the country, as well as the first hospital in Pennsylvania to receive Magnet status for nursing excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Patients suffering from malignant mesothelioma who turn to Fox Chase most often utilize treatments by Dr. Walter J. Scott, FACS and Dr. Abraham “Avi” Lebenthal, whom utilize tailored surgical care that are dependent on the stage the disease is in. Following the surgical procedures, radiation therapy and chemo therapy often are utilized as well, particularly if the disease is in its later stages.
The hospital also houses Dr. Michael Levy, a nationally renowned cancer pain relief and palliative care expert, who provides pain management services for patients. Following meetings with specialists who evaluate the extent and focus of the pain being felt by the patient, nurses and social workers customize a plan to alleviate pain, oftentimes through the use of analgesics and coanalgesics partnered with education and support services.
Those who are suffering from mesothelioma due to high levels of asbestos exposure may have legal options they can pursue to punish companies or former employers whose negligence may have led to their illness. In order to fully learn about possible legal action that could be pursued, a mesothelioma lawyer may be able to provide the most accurate information available.
For more information on the Fox Chase Cancer Center, contact:
333 Cottman Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111
(215) 728-6900
http://www.fccc.edu
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Emory Winship Cancer Institute
Located in Atlanta, Georgia, The Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University has been treating patients suffering from all types of cancer, including lung cancer and mesothelioma, since 1937 when it was founded following a gift from Robert Woodruff, the president of Coca-Cola.
More than 70 years later, the institute has grown rapidly, most recently opening a new 280,000-square-foot facility that added state-of-the-art treatment and research facilities while also providing modernized homes for all of its departments. The hospital was also designated a comprehensive cancer care center by the National Institutes of Health in 2002 and has received a number of million-dollar-grants to pursue research into methods to combat various cancer types.
For those suffering from mesothelioma cancer who come to Winship, the hospital offers an array of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy options that can be tailored to suit the type of mesothelioma symptoms that are being treated and what stage it is in.
Additionally, Winship has also taken part in clinical trials for the treatment of mesothelioma. Most recently, the hospital took part in a study to see if the chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and pemetrexed - which are primarily used to fight mesothelioma - were more effective when combined with the antibody MORAb-009.
The hospital also features a specialized pain management clinic headed by Dr. Michael Byas-Smith, a board certified anesthesiologist and a pain research specialist. The clinic helps to serve many patients suffering from cancer, including palliative care for malignant mesothelioma patients who are attempting to live as comfortable a life as they can in their remaining days.
For those suffering from mesothelioma cancer and receiving treatment, there is a high likelihood that the illness may have been caused by asbestos exposure. Laws developed to protect workers and consumers who were continually exposed to asbestos may open up possibilities for a lawsuit under certain circumstances. For more information on your legal rights, contact a mesothelioma attorney to find out if a mesothelioma lawsuit could be a possibility.
For more information on the Emory Winship Cancer Center, contact them at:
1365C Clifton Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30322
1-888-WINSHIP
http://cancer.emory.edu
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Duke University Medical Center
The Duke University Medical Center regularly ranks among the top 10 hospitals in the country in the annual U.S. News & World Report surveys, tying for 10th place overall in the latest edition, making it the only hospital in the southeast to rank. In regard to its cancer services, Duke’s oncology program ranked 9th overall throughout the country.
Duke’s Thoracic Oncology Program, which handles care and treatment for patients suffering from malignant mesothelioma, features progressive research on treatments for a number of cancers that involve the lungs. One minimally invasive surgical process the program has utilized is a thoracoscopic lobectomy, which allows doctors to remove entire lobes of the lung through a two inch incision. As a result, patients’ recovery times are reduced in many cases because it is less painful and requires fewer painkillers.
Another type of treatment being used by the program is a type of photodynamic therapy in which patients receive a light-activated drug that cancer cells absorb. Following the absorption, a laser is used to activate the drug and effectively turn it off, killing the cancer cells that are holding them in the process.
The hospital also features support groups for those affected by mesothelioma cancer, as well as other types of the lung cancer and other types of the illness, with its Duke Cancer Patient Support Program. Among the support methods offered are individual, group, and family counseling, group meetings, self image resources and workshops, and access to educational materials.
For those who are either undergoing treatment for mesothelioma cancer, or know a loved one who is, there may be questions relating to asbestos laws that need answering. For an accurate and knowledgeable outline of one’s legal options regarding malignant mesothelioma, contact a mesothelioma attorney for a legal consultation.
For more information on the Duke University Medical Center, contact them at:
2301 Erwin Road
Durham, NC 27710
(919) 684-8111
http://www.dukehealth.org
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute features revolutionary treatment options for most forms of cancer since its founding in 1947. Originally meant to provide specialized care for children suffering from all forms of cancer, the institute expanded to include care for patients of all ages in 1969.
It has since become affiliated with the Harvard Medical School and, designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute, participates in approximately 700 clinical trials and serves almost 300,000 patients annually.
In regard to the hospital’s treatment of mesothelioma, Dana Farber features the Carole M. and Philip L. Lowe Thoracic Oncology Program, which specializes in treating thoracic malignancies through a team approach that utilizes multimodality therapy.
In addition to more standard forms of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy treatments to help limit the spread of mesothelioma, the program also utilizes partnerships with doctors at other regional cancer programs, such as Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. As a result of the partnerships, patients of the oncology program can be included in a number of the newest forms of therapy and various clinical trials that may improve their treatment.
The institute will also unveil the newly-built Yawkey Center for Cancer Care in 2011. Located near Fenway Park, the 14-story building will add 275,000 square feet of space that will be usable for clinical care, 100 exam rooms, 150 infusion chairs, and 15 patient/family consultation rooms. The “green” building will also be connected to other Dana Farber buildings, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Childrens Hospital Boston by an indoor walkway and provide seven levels of underground parking to help make the experience of its patients as stress-free as possible.
While receiving medical care to treat, or limit the spread of, malignant mesothelioma is the top priority for both patients suffering from the illness and their families, some may also wish to explore possible legal options regarding a mesothelioma lawsuit for asbestos exposure. For those interested in finding out their legal options, contacting a mesothelioma attorney for a consultation may be the best way to get the information they desire.
For more information on the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, contact them at:
44 Binney Street
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 632-3000
http://www.dana-farber.org
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: City of Hope
Located near Los Angeles, City of Hope has been in business for almost 100 years and has helped to make dramatic strides in developing treatments and cures for a number of diseases, including malignant mesothelioma and other cancers.
With more than 300 clinical studies usually in place investigating potential treatments for cancer alone, City of Hope has received a number of accolades for its cancer treatment programs. In addition to being a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network - a group of 21 cancer centers that establish national standards regarding care for the disease – it has also been designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute.
The hospital also houses the top ranking hematology and prostate cancer programs and the second highest ranking breast cancer program in the state of California.
City of Hope has also taken steps towards expansion in recent years, opening the Sheri & Les Biller Patient Family Resource Center to help provide the appropriate medical/psychological care and resources for families dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Additionally, $20 million in funding was recently awarded to the hospital to build the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Cancer Immunotherapeutics & Tumor Immunology.
For patients at the hospital who are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a 24-person Thoracic Program Team headed by Dr. Kemp Kernstine that utilize a multidisciplinary approach to their treatment options. Using both new and established therapies and state-of-the-art technologies - such as minimally invasive da Vinci Surgical System, TomoTherapy advanced radiation therapy systems, and fractioned dose chemotherapy treatment scheduling that divides treatments into smaller amounts – the hospital is able to provide the best care possible while offering other palliative care options as well.
While undergoing treatment for mesothelioma cancer, patients and their families may be wondering about the possibility of pursuing legal action through asbestos laws if the fibers are thought to be a cause of the illness.
In order to find out if a mesothelioma lawsuit is a possibility, contact a asbestos lawyer to learn about your legal rights and the responsibilities of companies that knowingly led to asbestos exposure to provide restitution.
For more information on City of Hope, contact them at:
1500 East Duarte Road
Duarte, CA 91010
(626) 359-8111
http://www.cityofhope.org
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Beumont Hospital
With locations in Royal Oak, Troy, and Gross Pointe, Michigan, the William Beaumont Hospital houses a consortium of medical professionals that make up the Beaumont Oncology Network that is integrated with the Beaumont Cancer Institute.
As a result, the institute is able to utilize a multi-disciplinary to develop cancer treatments and provide some of the best care for patients in the country.
The center has received a number of national honors for its cancer care programs, including accreditation by the American College of Surgeons, local and national recognition by the American Cancer Society, its being named a Blue Distinction Center for Complex and Rare Cancers by Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and its listing on the Top 100 Hospitals list published annually by U.S. News & World Report.
Beaumont’s lung cancer division specializes in its early diagnostic abilities for small cell and non-small cell lung cancers, including malignant mesothelioma. With a staff of nearly 100 faculty and the ability to utilize advanced diagnostic imaging at the Royal Oak center’s Imaging Center, the hospital has been one of the most popular hospitals in the state for imaging.
Because of the hospital’s affiliation with the National Cancer Institute’s Community Clinical Oncology Program, it is also able to offer a broad array of clinical trial mesothelioma treatments for patients without making them travel long distances to receive their care.
Additionally, the hospital’s thoracic surgery program offers a number of special lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma procedures, including endobronchial laser therapies and stents, brachytherapy, radiofrequency ablation, and thoracoscopic lobectomies.
Patients who are undergoing treatment for mesothelioma cancer, as well as their friends and family, may have additional legal questions regarding asbestos exposure, laws in place that could result in a monetary settlement for the exposure, and other legal options that a mesothelioma patient may have. Because of that, contacting an asbestos lawyer may be the best way to get answers to any legal inquiries and start the legal process towards a mesothelioma lawsuit if applicable.
For more information on the William Beumont Hospital, contact them at:
3601 W. 13 Mile Rd.
Royal Oak, MI 48073
313-343-1000
https://www.beaumonthospitals.com/cancer
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: Arizona Cancer Center
Originally founded in 1976 as a division of the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine, the Arizona Cancer Center has since been designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute and is currently a Center of Excellence in the Arizona Health Sciences Center, making it one of only two centers in the state to achieve such a status.
In order to treat its patients, the ACC heads five different scientific research programs to help make progress in developing treatments and cures for various forms of cancer: Cancer Biology and Genetics, Cancer Imaging, Cancer Prevention and Control, Gastrointestinal Cancer, and Therapeutic Development.
Additionally, the center also houses two separate research institutes: The Cancer Health Disparities Institute and the Skin Cancer Institute. Patients who are suffering from mesothelioma cancer who go to the ACC are predominantly treated by its Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Clinic, which combines research with advanced forms of treatments to help its patients. Among the chemotherapy options offered at the clinic are highly targeted drugs that can effectively kill cancer cells while avoiding unaffected organs.
Minimally invasive surgical options, as well as stereotactic body radiosurgery and TomoTherapy round out the other radiation therapy options that are available to patients.
While undergoing needed treatment or therapy for malignant mesothelioma, there may be some legal questions that patients and their families are unclear about regarding asbestos laws and what to do if exposure to the fibers contributed to the illness. If there are lingering questions that need answering, consulting a mesothelioma lawyer may be able to provide some clarity on any issues while potentially making progress on a monetary settlement as well.
For more information, contact the ACC at:
Mesothelioma Treatment Section
Linda Garland, MD
1515 N. Campbell Ave., PO Box 245024
Tucson, Arizona 85724
http://www.azcc.arizona.edu
Mesothelioma Risk Factors: SV40 Virus
While still a topic of debate among experts regarding whether or not it can be regarded as a definitive cause of malignant mesothelioma, simian virus 40 (or SV40) has emerged in recent years as another potential source that may lead to the development of the deadly lung cancer.
The spread of the SV40 virus that may be responsible for the development of mesothelioma cancer has been tied to contaminated polio vaccines that were given out to the public between the time period of 1955 and 1963. Estimates have found that between 10 and 30 million contaminated vaccines were given out during that time period.
The first discussions involving SV40 as a possible cause of pleural mesothelioma began after researchers began finding trace amounts of the virus in biopsies for patients who were later diagnosed with some form of mesothelioma. While the virus has been associated with other types of cancers, and did bring on mesothelioma in laboratory animals, most research has still stopped short of proclaiming it as a definitive cause of the illness.
Many of the studies have also found that SV40 may trigger the creation of mesothelioma cancer cells in the lungs, but only when asbestos fibers are already present.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, and it has been linked to asbestos exposure that was caused by a former employer’s negligence, there may be reason to receive a monetary settlement if they are found to be at fault.
In order to learn more about the legal processes involving asbestos law, contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer who can provide up to date information on any recent rulings that have occurred.
Mesothelioma Risk Factors: Zeolite
In addition to asbestos, there is also another naturally occurring substance that has been found to be a cause of mesothelioma cancer.
Zeolites is a silicate mineral that is found naturally in the volcanic rock and ashes, as well as the soil in Anatolia - a peninsula that is located in between the Mediterranean and Black Seas in Turkey. Composed primarily of hydrated aluminum and silicon compounds, they are often used as additives in animal feed and as adsorbents, desiccants, detergents, and water/air purifiers.
When ingested, zeolite can increase the pH levels in the gastrointestinal tract and interact with prescription drugs. As a result, it is sometimes included in dietary supplements to help cure hangovers, as well as some adjuvant therapy programs to help treat some types of cancer.
However, not unlike asbestos, when zeolite is broken into dust particles and inhaled into the lungs, it has been found to be a carcinogenic and a cause of malignant mesothelioma. Additionally, it has also been linked to fibrosis, pneumoconiosis, and been found to provoke a number of other potentially adverse reactions in the body.
Despite the evidence that zeolites have been found to be dangerous and a cause of malignant mesothelioma, they are nonetheless still allowed to be used in products that are sold and used in the United States.
Following a mesothelioma diagnosis, it is quite important to try and narrow down what the primary cause of the disease was, and where it may have occurred. In the event a diagnosis can be linked to asbestos exposure that one had while working for a company that did not warn them of the fibers’ health risks, a lawsuit may be a possibility. Contact an asbestos attorney to learn more information about asbestos law and what possible mesothelioma lawsuits may be possible.
Mesothelioma Risk Factors: Radiation
While asbestos exposure is far and away the most common cause of most forms of mesothelioma cancer, there have been other substances that have also been linked conclusively as a cause of the deadly disease. In fact, a substance that was used in the presence of doctors throughout half of the 1900s has since been taken out of use after it was found to be a deadly carcinogen.
For much of the first half of the 20th century, thorotrast - or thorium dioxide – was a radioactive substance that was commonly used for to provide a contrast when undergoing an x-ray. However, by the 1950s, enough medical studies had been published that established a firm link between the substance and cancer, especially malignant mesothelioma. As a result, use of the substance was discontinued.
However, because of the long latency period of 50+ years, some individuals who may have been exposed to the radioactive substance may still only be developing the first symptoms of malignant mesothelioma now.
According to Scorecard.com, an online resource that provides information about toxic chemicals and pollution information, thorium dioxide has been recognized as a carcinogen in P65 – which is a list of chemicals that have been found to cause cancer according to California’s Proposition 65. Additionally, a number of studies have also led to suspicion that it is also a gastrointestinal or liver intoxicant.
In most cases, thorotrast has been found to cause peritoneal mesothelioma, or a cancer that affects the lining of the abdomen that supports the organs in the abdominal cavity and lets them move against each other smoothly. In other cases, the radioactive substance has also been linked as a cause of liver cancer as well.
For those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, determining the cause of the illness may open the door for a lawsuit. While exposure to thorotrast may not provide many legal options, a diagnosis that is linked to asbestos exposure caused by a former employer may lead to a large mesothelioma settlement in some cases. Contact a mesothelioma attorney if you or a loved one have any legal questions regarding what steps should be taken to pursue a lawsuit and monetary settlement.
Mesothelioma Research: Ways for Loved Ones to Prevent the Development of Mesothelioma
Despite that fact that mesothelioma cancer is not contagious, a unique and unfortunate reality of the illness is that family members of one who has been diagnosed are also at an increased risk of being diagnosed with it.
The increased risk of developing the illness is due to a chain reaction involving the spread of asbestos fibers - the primary cause of malignant mesothelioma - from one’s workplace into their home. Before proper methods were developed to remove asbestos fibers from workers’ uniforms, countless families were exposed to asbestos-contaminated clothing on a daily basis after the worker had returned home.
Workers who daelt with asbestos exposure on a regular basis most often worked at mills, factories, shipyards, and construction sites that either mined the substance or utilized its flame retardant qualities.
While the workers at the plant were often the first member of a family to come down with mesothelioma due to their regular exposure to large amounts of the substance, family members who were exposed to lower amounts of the substance on a regular basis also had a chance of developing the illness, perhaps later in life.
Because of the increased risk of developing mesothelioma in families of workers who were regularly exposed to asbestos, newer uniforms and methods to keep workers who are still exposed to asbestos from tracking the fibers into their homes.
That being said, because of the 30-40 year period that can pass before mesothelioma patients begin exhibiting systems, most family members of patients have already likely been exposed to the fibers that could increase their risk of the disease. The best way to prevent future cases of the illness is to make sure that younger generations are exposed to as little asbestos as possible.
Because workers who were employed at companies that regularly dealt with asbestos in an unsafe manner, both they and their families may have the grounds for litigation against the company in the event of a mesothelioma diagnosis. If you or a loved one would like to learn more about asbestos law and the possibility of a mesothelioma lawsuit, contact a asbestos lawyer for a legal consultation in order to learn about the legal procedures that must be undertaken.
Mesothelioma Research: Ways to Prevent Mesothelioma
The simple, but troubling, reality surrounding the development of mesothelioma is that it is impossible to completely avoid exposure to asbestos, the primary cause of the illness.
Because chrysotile (or white asbestos, which is used in 95 percent of all products that use the fiber) is fire retardant, it was used for years in numerous types of clothing, insulation, gaskets, brake pads, and household products. Even after the first evidence that asbestos fibers were dangerous was found in the late nineteenth century, companies continued to expose workers to asbestos fibers on a regular basis while also using it for a number of products that were released to the general public for decades.
It wasn’t until legislation in the late 1970s led to tighter restrictions on the usage of asbestos in everyday goods and building products that the public’s exposure to the fibers began to decline. However, despite the restrictions, products such as duct tape, fire blankets, elevator equipment panels, and insulation still utilize it.
While asbestos exposure in largely unavoidable, limiting the extent of one’s exposure may be a way to decrease the risk of developing malignant mesothelioma. Getting rid of any products that contain asbestos and break - potentially releasing fibers into the air that could then be inhaled – and properly cleaning off one’s clothes after being around products that may contain the fiber so they are not tracked into one’s household are only a few ways to reduce the inhalation risk.
Unfortunately, because the restrictions in asbestos use have only been in effect for approximately 30 years - while the first symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear in some patients until up to 50 years after their exposure to asbestos - the decreased number of malignant mesothelioma cases that will come from the reduced exposure are only beginning to be seen now. However, taking precautions to reduce asbestos exposure now will likely lead to a declining number of people suffering from mesothelioma in the years to come.
For those who have developed mesothelioma cancer as a result of long term asbestos exposure caused a product or former employer, there are possible legal actions that can be pursued for those looking to get an asbestos settlement. Contact a mesothelioma attorney for a legal consultation if you have any questions about asbestos law and what must be done in order to bring forth a lawsuit.
Mesothelioma Support Groups: The Cancer Support Community (Formerly The Wellness Community)
A combined effort of the Santa Monica-based The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club, the Cancer Support Community was officially formed in July 2009 to provide an established base of knowledge that can “provide support, counseling, education, and healthy lifestyle programs” to patients suffering from cancer.
The international non-profit organization can provide care and counseling to patients who need it by drawing on its global network of community-based centers and oncology practices, hospitals, and online sources. Domestically, the CSC has already established itself as the largest employer of psychosocial oncology mental health professionals in the country.
Across the country, there is already a network of 50 local affiliates and more than 100 additional satellite and online locations that can be utilized by those living with all cancer types, malignant mesothelioma included.
Additionally, there are a number of fundraising events and educational programs held at affiliates across the country, ranging from golf tournaments to cooking classes. Events that are not fundraisers are often free of charge.
The CSC’s online community features abilities to interact with other people who are suffering from cancer, the ability to keep buddy lists and stay up-to-date on friends’ conditions, personal and video journals for those who want to share their story, and community posts to ask questions on any cancer related topics.
Additionally, the community offers 90-minute weekly online support groups that are facilitated by trained professionals and meant as a place for cancer patients, caregivers, and those who have lost loved ones to come and receive help as they deal with their unique situations.
Patients who are dealing with mesothelioma cancer and receiving the appropriate care and treatments may also want to look into a potential mesothelioma lawsuit against old products or former employers that may be to blame for the asbestos exposure that led to their illness. If such is the care, contact a mesothelioma attorney in order to learn about the aspects of asbestos law that could allow you to pursue legal action.
Mesothelioma Support Groups: The Alliance for Lung Cancer, Advocacy, Support, and Education Support
The Alliance for Lung Cancer Advocacy, Support, and Education Support Groups touts itself as “the only national non-profit organization devoted solely to support and advocacy for all those living with or at risk for lung cancer.” Based out of Washington D.C., the organization has been highly rated by a number of charity grading websites, and has begun creating state chapters across the country.
Among the goals of the ALCASE are to increase the general awareness of all types of lung cancer, including asbestos cancer and malignant mesothelioma, by creating grassroots awareness campaigns and releasing national and state report cards on an annual basis to show how initiatives to end lung cancer are progressing. The organization also is working to elevate lung cancer to a national public health priority and work towards establishing a federal research funding plan to learn more about all types of the disease.
In addition to its public work to spread awareness for mesothelioma and other types of lung cancer, the ALCASE also works to provide the most up-to-date information about all types of lung cancer through a toll free information line, as well as offer a number online support groups for patients and their families.
The organization also hosts a peer-to-peer phone program called the Phone Buddy Program that pairs up lung cancer survivors (or their caregivers/family members) so they can discuss the situations they are going through that have been prompted by the disease.
Additionally, the ALCASE’s new LungLoveLink program is an online support community for those living with different types of lung cancer, such as malignant mesothelioma. The community allows for patients to connect online with personal profiles and share their experiences with the disease while providing support for others in discussion groups.
The organization also has created Stories of Hope, where survivors can post their stories, a Tributes page, and CaringBridge Web Pages, a service that allows patients to remain in contact with others while undergoing treatment.
In addition to receiving the proper types of support and care while undergoing treatment for malignant mesothelioma, patients and their families may wish to pursue legal action against companies that may have been responsible for their asbestos exposure. If you have questions about asbestos laws and want to know what your rights are, contact a mesothelioma attorney to learn if a lawsuit and settlement could be a possibility.
Mesothelioma Support Groups: Taking Charge of Money Matters
Because the diagnosis for any type of cancer - mesothelioma included - is most times a surprise and not something families have planned on dealing with, financial issues can often affix themselves to patients in their family as they undergo the necessary expenses to provide care and treatment.
In order to help families who are suffering from financial problems in addition to the daily issues regarding a cancer diagnosis, a separate segment of the American Cancer Society’s I Can Cope has been in place for years to help money issues get cleared up and dealt with.
The “Taking Charge of Money Matters” section of the Cope program is a specially designated class that lasts approximately 2 hours holds the purpose of addressing common concerns and problems that people with cancer often come across in relation to their finances. The specific topics for each class are adjusted accordingly to fit the participants’ needs, as they are first required to fill out a worksheet that described the money problems they are facing.
Among the topics that are commonly addressed during the classes is the need for openness in a family regarding their financial status, practicing financial planning methods to properly budget their cash, and knowing when a monetary situation has taken a serious turn for the worse and is in need of more serious means of help.
In addition to the ACS-trained facilitators who run the meetings, there are often guest speakers who address the class as well. They can range in profession from a tax consultant to an asbestos attorney, and provide further insight into the financial obligations that surround their unique field.
If you are suffering from malignant mesothelioma, there are numerous legal options that you may able to pursue through current asbestos laws against a former employer that may have exposed you to dangerous levels of the fibers.
Especially if one’s finances are in trouble following a diagnosis, contacting a asbestos attorney may be able to net a substantial mesothelioma settlement that could help to drastically improve a monetary situation for their family.
Mesothelioma Support Groups: Stories of Hope/Cancer Survivor Network
The American Cancer Society offers a number of services to help those who have developed any type of cancer, mesothelioma included. In addition to the I Can Cope educational program, the society also offers a number of programs and information to help deal with everyday physical and emotional changes that cancer patients deal with on a daily basis.
Information provided by the ACS, which receives research funding in excess of $150 million during previous fiscal years, gives patients advice on how to deal with the side effects of numerous cancer treatments, eat properly in order to remain healthy, maintain a healthy mental disposition throughout the process, and maintain a positive feeling about ones appearance.
One avenue the ACS utilizes in order to promote positive thinking for patients is the “Stories of Hope” section of its website. With the instructions to “find inspiration, hope, and support in these stories about other people whose lives have been touched by cancer,” the stories presented on the website are compiled from survivors of all types of cancer.
A number of the survival cases compiled for the website come from members of the ACS’ Cancer Survivors Network, which itself acts as a support group for those who want to share the trials they face in their daily lives following their battle with cancer. In addition to creating unique “CSN My Space” pages where they can share the details of their battles with cancer, network members can also post to discussion boards and access chat rooms in order to connect with other survivors.
Despite the unfortunate fact that patients who have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or asbestos cancer traditionally have a very low rate of survival and instead receive mostly palliative care, the survival network and Stories of Hope page may be able to help patients realize they are not alone and connect with other people who have gone through similar difficulties in their life.
Mesothelioma cancer patients and their families may be looking for many forms of care, treatment, and personal relief while handling the day-to-day issues related to their diagnosis. One avenue some patients may wish to pursue is a potential lawsuit through an asbestos lawyer that could result in a mesothelioma settlement from a former employer that caused exposure to dangerous amounts of asbestos that could help one’s family regain some financial stability.
For those interested in pursuing a lawsuit, contact a mesothelioma attorney in order to learn your rights and see if a settlement is a possibility.
Mesothelioma Support Groups: Look Good… Feel Better
Originally established by the Personal Care Products Council Foundation -the charitable wing of the Personal Care Products Council - in 1989, the Look Good… Feel Better program was originally only meant for females as a way to receive makeovers to maintain their appearance while undergoing cancer treatment.
Along with the help of sponsors such as the American Cancer Society, and the National Cosmetology Association, the LGFB program offers classes that offer non-medical and brand-neutral tips on how to offset changes in appearance that occur during the treatment for all kinds of cancer, including mesothelioma.
The two-hour sessions offered by the program provide such as 12-step skincare techniques, demonstrations on how to deal with hair loss, and nail care advice that are led by LGFB-certified cosmetologist. The program serves approximately 50,000 individuals annually, each of whom take home cosmetic kits for their skin type following the sessions.
English-based versions of the program can be found in all 50 states and Washington D.C. while bi-lingual programs are offered in 19 states. Additionally, teen programs for both boys and girls are also available in 16 different cities.
In addition to the sessions, one-on-one advice is also offered, as well as self help-kits and both a toll free hotline and referral line that provides advice to cancer patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
While maintaining a sense of normalcy in one’s life following a mesothelioma or asbestos cancer diagnosis, making a decision as to whether or not to pursue legal action against a former employer who may be responsible for prolonged exposure to asbestos is also an important decision that must be made. Contacting a mesothelioma lawyer may be the best way to learn about asbestos laws and determine whether a mesothelioma lawsuit is an action worth pursuing.
Mesothelioma Support Groups: I Can Cope
Made up of 13 divisions and more than 3,400 local offices across the country, the American Cancer Society is a community-based voluntary health organization that offers research, education, patient service, and advocacy programs to try and help patients who are living with all types of cancer, including mesothelioma and asbestos cancer.
The I Can Cope service is one of the ACR’s educational program serves as an outlet for cancer patients - including those with malignant mesothelioma – and their friends and family to receive information on all aspects of the cancer diagnosis and treatment processes.
The information is given out through classes organized by the society that attempt to dispel common misconceptions that many have regarding treatment. Additionally, information is given on a number of secondary issues that affect many families dealing with a cancer diagnosis, but are not directly connected to the treatment process. Among some of the ideas that are addressed are financial concerns, nutrition and physical activity, and self-esteem/intimacy issues that patients may struggle with.
In-person classes are held in numerous communities across the country. While the services are free and require no type of physician’s referral to attend, the ACS recommends that those who want to attend pre-register for classes that are in their area.
Additionally, self-paced online classes are also offered by the program that participants can log into at any time and in any location that is comfortable to them.
Along with the I Can Cope program, the ACS also offer a “Reach to Recovery” program for patients dealing with breast cancer, the Hope Lodge - which provides a housing option for patients who live far away from their treatment center, and programs to help patients for all types of cancer deal with the after-effects of treatment.
For those living with mesothelioma cancer that are undergoing treatment and care for their illness, there also may be a desire to pursue legal action against a former employer that caused their asbestos exposure. Contact a mesothelioma lawyer if you would like to learn more about your legal options and see if an asbestos settlement is a possibility.
Mesothelioma Support Groups: Gilda’s Club
Named in honor of Gilda Radner, the Saturday Night Live comedienne who passed away from ovarian cancer in 1989, Gilda’s Club was launched in 1995 in New York City as a place for patients living with all types of cancer to receive equal access to care while also “restoring a sense of control and enriching the entire family” of those coping with the illness.
It has since opened 30 affiliates, known as Gilda’s Club Worldwide, and become one of the most reliable names in cancer support.
Gilda’s Clubhouses all offer the Gilda’s Club Program, a free program that emphasizes community-building, knowledge, and the value of a shared experience while working with those who are experts in their field.
Each clubhouse offers weekly wellness groups for patients suffering from all types of cancer, malignant mesothelioma included, as well as their family members and loved ones. Additional “networking groups” are also held to gather people who are interested in a particular interest or type of cancer. Lectures and workshops are also held to address a variety of topics from pain management to stress reduction, while a number of social activities are also planned for patients and their families on a regular basis as well.
Additionally, more focused sessions that are facilitated by staff members are also held to address more sensitive topics, such as how to accept a cancer diagnosis, how a family to live with a member who has cancer, and a program specially designed for children and teens.
In addition to choosing the proper avenues for treatment and support following a malignant mesothelioma diagnosis, those who feel the diagnosis may have been caused by asbestos exposure at a former employer, or by a product, may wish to pursue legal action. In order to learn the legal rights for you or a loved one, consult an asbestos attorney who will have the most up-to-date information on the legal processes and know if a mesothelioma lawsuit is possible.
Mesothelioma Support: CancerCare
CancerCare is a national nonprofit organization that has been in service since 1944 and offers free informational and professional support services to any patients, family, friends, or caregivers who have found their lives affected by cancer. The company’s websites garner approximately 1 million unique visitors on an annual basis, while its services helped more than 100,000 people in 2009.
The support groups offered by the organizations vary between online, telephone, and face-to-face groups for patients suffering from all types of cancer, mesothelioma included. Online groups are available to those who need them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are led by an oncology social worker. Bereavement groups are also available to those who have lost a child, partner, or loved one to cancer.
Telephone support groups are designed to bring those who have been diagnosed with cancer together for weekly one-hour phone calls that are also facilitated by an oncology social worker. After being matched with patients or caregivers who are going through a similar ordeal as they get treatment for their illness, the conversations are meant to provide support and camaraderie during such a complicated process.
Face-to-Face meetings are set to take place weekly at a number of the organization’s offices or collaborating facilities located throughout the New York Tri-State Area. Patients, caregivers, and those who have lost people close to them to cancer are all encouraged to take part in the groups. For those living outside the Tri-State Area, CancerCare can help and find a local support group that can provide similar help to patients who need it.
CancerCare also offers a number of financial assistance programs for those who are falling into debt while financing their cancer treatments. Through different assistance groups they offer, as well as a Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition, those in dire financial straits are given different avenues to pursue as they look to get out of debt.
In addition to receiving care and getting the proper support system in line following a malignant mesothelioma, many patients and their families may be interested in pursuing potential litigation through asbestos law in order to receive a mesothelioma settlement from companies who may have been responsible for their asbestos exposure.
For those who want to learn about their legal rights, consult a mesothelioma attorney in order to see if one’s mesothelioma cancer diagnosis may be the first step in a mesothelioma lawsuit that could result in a settlement.
Mesothelioma Support Groups: Association of Cancer Online Resources
The Association of Cancer Online Resources Inc., or ACOR, is a non-profit organization that is based in New York City that has been in effect since 1995. Touting itself as one of the “original social networks, the organization has collected writings, tips, and resources from a variety of cancer patients and caregivers to provide as information to help families deal with all types of cancer, including malignant mesothelioma.
With the wealth of information they have at their disposal, ACOR sends out millions of email messages with cancer-related information on a weekly basis, while also offering access to other established information sources for its members.
In summarization, ACOR states one of its main goals as improving “communication between patients and health care professionals through advocacy in a variety of public forums, including the media and professional journals.”
One of the resource types that ACOR offers to its readers and subscribers are online support groups for those whose lives have been affected by cancer. In order to help patients, their families, and caregivers, there are a more than 25 specific websites hosted by the organization that provide help and support for numerous diseases and conditions relating to cancer.
Among the ACOR-hosted sites that may be of some help to patients suffering from mesothelioma and asbestos cancer are Cancer-Pain.org and OncoChat IRC. Users can also sign up for disease specific mailing lists, or receive more general information on how to find hospices, look for clinical trials, or handle financial issues that may arise.
In addition to receiving support for the day-to-day complications of living with mesothelioma cancer, patients and their families may also want to receive help and support from a mesothelioma lawyer if they wish to learn more about asbestos laws. Because numerous companies exposed their employees to asbestos long after it had been deemed unsafe in studies, those who may have developed an illness because of their negligence may be entitled to a mesothelioma settlement.
Mesothelioma Support Groups: AMC Cancer Fund
Originally established more than 100 years ago in Denver as the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society, a change in focus during the 1950s led to the formation of the AMC Cancer Research Center, one of the first institutions to completely devote its resources towards the prevention and control of cancer.
In 2005, the center reached another milestone when it officially became affiliated with the University of Colorado Cancer Center. Now under the name of the AMC Cancer Fund, the organization provides direct fundraising support for research at the UCCC.
In addition to their research and fundraising initiatives, AMC has funded its own Cancer Information and Counseling Line, a phone support line that provides toll-free national support for those affected by cancer. Additionally, the line also provides current medical information and provides resource referrals for other mesothelioma and cancer-related issues.
Since its creation on 1981, the CICL primarily serves recently diagnosed cancer patients, those who have finished their treatments, relatives and loved ones, and the general public. While counselors are available between the hours of 8:30 and 4:30 MST, callers are guaranteed they will receive a call back within a 24 hour period.
The fund’s commitment to helping those diagnosed with all types of cancer has led to it being designated part of the LIVESTRONG Cancer Survivorship Center for Excellence Network.
Patients suffering from malignant mesothelioma who are in the midst of receiving care may also want to pursue a lawsuit against a former employer that caused their exposure to asbestos. Laws in place dictate that some patients may be in line for a mesothelioma settlement, so consult a asbestos lawyer to learn your rights and see if a case is possible.
Mesothelioma Awareness: MARF/Mesothelioma Awareness Day
In order to help raise awareness about malignant mesothelioma, as well as donations to help work towards improved treatments of the disease, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation has been celebrating Mesothelioma Awareness Day annually on September 26 as an ideal chance to spread awareness about the deadly form of cancer.
"It is important to spread the word, to let everyone know about the viciousness of mesothelioma, but also to tell them about the resources and services available if they are ever faced with it,” said Bonnie Anderson, a MARF volunteer, during preparations for Mesothelioma Awareness Day in 2009. “I have been a part of the Meso Foundation since my diagnosis and have been very grateful for their support. This is my way of giving back to the community."
Paying tribute to rock and roll singer/songwriter Warren Zevon, who succumbed to malignant mesothelioma in 2003 at the age of 56, MARF encouraged the public to use the day and get local radio stations to highlight Zevon’s music and follow it with a short segment about mesothelioma cancer. Since its inception in 2005 with only a few radio stations participating, the day featured cooperation from more than 100 radio stations in newspapers across twenty states in 2009.
In addition to its work with Mesothelioma Awareness Day, along with numerous initiatives to eventually get the day passed as a National holiday, MARF has seen its support increase substantially in recent years. In addition to garnering support on social media sites like Facebook, the foundation recently was singled out by Hollywood gossip site PerezHilton.com as “A Worthwhile Cause.”
MARF is a national organization that helps mesothelioma patients connect with experts on the disease and serve as an advocate in Washington D.C. for improved federal mesothelioma research funding. Donations to the foundation can be made at its website, www.curemeso.com
Hospice Care: Supportive Care
Supportive care may seem like it is simply another way to describe hospice care to some, but it is worth distinguishing a very unique difference between the two that separates them. While both forms of treatment do specialize in caring for patients who are gravely ill, supportive care looks to improve a patient’s quality of life while also providing support for family members.
Hospice care, on the other hand, is meant only for those who are close to death and no longer looking for long-term care.
Supportive care treatments should also not be confused as being a curative method, as it is strictly regarded as a palliative care system in the medical industry that will help to ease pain and suffering while prolonging life in a patient. Used to help patients suffering from malignant mesothelioma as well as many other types of cancer, the treatments can take great strides in reducing mesothelioma symptoms while also minimizing side effects that may be felt from chemotherapy.
The type of supportive care used to treat one with mesothelioma is usually based on what stage the illness is in. Social, spiritual, and psychological support for both patients and their families are often utilized as forms of supportive care. While helping loved one’s gain peace of mind and acceptance over the illness, patients who undergo supportive care methods often do so to reduce shortness of breath, fatigue, aches and pains, depression, and loss of appetite.
In most cases, the treatments are paired with other medical procedures - such as chemotherapy or radiation - that are also performed in order to eliminate as much pain as possible.
No matter what stage a case of mesothelioma cancer may be in, a patient and their loved ones are entitled to justice if the product of a former employer caused asbestos exposure that could have led to the illness. In order to get information regarding your rights and see if an mesothelioma settlement with a company is a possibility, please contact a mesothelioma lawyer to learn more information.
Mesothelioma Pain and Treatment: Cold and Heat Treatment
Cold and heat treatments for the relief of chronic pain is one of the most straightforward and simple ways for mesothelioma cancer patients to ease any discomforts they may be feeling, primarily because it can be done effectively without the need for any type of medical professional.
Heat therapy is most effective in treating inflammation and decreasing joint stiffness because of its ability to increase blood flow and make connective tissue more flexible. A number of methods can be utilized to provide heat treatment on a sore area, ranging from simple methods like a hot pack to more complicated ones such as infared heat lamps and paraffin (or warm wax) baths.
Cold therapy treatments are much more effective in quickly numbing tissues or muscles that may be hurting and quickly relieve muscle spasms, low back pain, and acute inflammation. Cold packs, ice, and fluids are among the easiest ways to provide immediate cooling relief to an area in pain. Among the more complicated methods of providing cold relief is the use of ethyl chloride, which provides cools by evaporation.
Depending on the type of discomfort that one is feeling, developing a method of alternating hot and cold treatments may also be an effective way to provide effective pain relief. Following treatments with a gentle massage of the area may provide additional relief as well.
Malignant mesothelioma patients who can trace their asbestos exposure back to the reckless actions of a former employer who did not adequately protect their workers from inhaling the fibers may be able to pursue legal action in the hopes of receiving a mesothelioma settlement. In order to find out if such a lawsuit is possible, contact a mesothelioma lawyer to learn your legal rights and possible courses of action.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
For mesothelioma cancer patients who are in need of palliative care to treat chronic pains they are feeling during their treatment, but are either unresponsive or cannot handle the stresses of certain surgical or medicinal treatments, there are non-invasive options that doctors are using to help relieve pain in their patients as well.
Electroanalgesia is a form of pain management therapy that is non-invasive and is able to reduce the pain in a patient through the introduction of an electric current to the area of discomfort. For those suffering from pain caused by mesothelioma, one technique that is often used is Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.
Using a battery-powered machine that is approximately the size of a pocket radio attached to a number of electrodes that are attached to the body, TENS therapy sends an electrical current that stimulates nerves in the body region. The resulting reduction in pain is achieved because of a various reasons, as messages can be sent to the brain that scramble pain signals that it had been receiving earlier.
In other cases, some doctors have found that the stimulation of the electricity from the TENS therapy can actually cause the body to increase its production of endorphins, which serve to block pain receptors in the body.
In addition to providing pain management for patients suffering from cancer, TENS therapy is also used to reduce low back pains, bladder incontinence, osteoarthritis, tendinitis and other ailments that can cause chronic pains. Despite its effectiveness, doctors have warned that patients who are pregnant or have pacemakers should not receive TENS therapy, while the electrodes should also never be placed in areas of “sensory impairment” because of the risk of burning the skin.
While receiving palliative treatment for malignant mesothelioma, patients and their families may have legal questions about seeking a possible mesothelioma settlement from a company or former employer that knowingly exposed their workers to dangers amounts of asbestos. In order to learn more about the legal processes that are required before a settlement can take place, contact an asbestos attorney in order to learn about the mesothelioma laws that are in place to protect employees who were exposed to the deadly fibers.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Relaxation
There are a number of different types of relaxation therapies that doctors can use to help patients who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos cancer to reduce pain and discomfort they are feeling during their treatment. Some techniques that are used involve the use of imagery or visual concentration, in which patients ease their tension and pains by focusing their mind entirely on an object.
Similar techniques where a patient is told to close their eyes and use imagery to essentially fall into a daydream while exploring positive memories from their past to ease tension.
Another form or relaxation treatment involves a rhythmic combination of inhaling and tensing one’s muscles, and then exhaling as the muscle tension is released as well. By letting one’s body go limp upon exhalation numerous times, muscles and joints can be relaxed to the point that pain is decreased somewhat.
Slow and rhythmic breathing exercised can also ease the mind and body to the point where patients can better manage any pains and discomforts they are feeling. Reiki, tai chi, yoga, and physical therapy methods can also be adapted to emphasize more relaxing activities.
In most cases, relaxation methods to relieve pain are used in conjunction with other cancer treatments, and often are called upon in the later stages of the disease once a patient’s mesothelioma has metastasized.
Because malignant mesothelioma is primarily caused by asbestos exposure - which a number of companies allowed their employees be exposed to in large quantities despite knowing of its health risks - there may be legal options that patients and their families can pursue so they can receive monetary mesothelioma settlements. In order to see if there is a connection between one’s mesothelioma and a product or former employer that used asbestos products, contact a mesothelioma attorney to learn more about asbestos laws and see if a lawsuit is possible.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Opioid Drugs
While non-opioid analgesics are used to help malignant mesothelioma patients who are experiencing minor to moderate amounts of pain, there is a limit to how much relief they can provide once chronic pains start becoming more severe. In such cases, doctors often begin utilizing stronger narcotics - or opioids - as means to deliver pain relief.
There are a number of opioid drugs that are used to ease pain in patients suffering from a litany of ailments, including mesothelioma cancer. Examples of some drugs that are often used by doctors are oxycodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl, and hydrocodone. Most opioids are available to be taken in pill, liquid, shot, skin patch, mouth sucker, or suppository forms.
Opioid drugs are unlike non-opioids in that there is no ceiling to the pain relief they can provide, meaning that a higher dosage of one of the analgesics will result in greater suppression of pain signals being sent from the nervous system to the brain. They are often used in conjunction with non-opioids as part of a treatment cycle.
However, a higher dosage of an opioid also increases the likelihood of side effects that can occur. Some side effects that are commonly seen in patients who take opioids are constipation, drowsiness, weakness, and difficulty going to the bathroom.
Additionally, the strong nature of the drugs, and the ability for them to become stronger in higher doses, also increases the chances of a patient developing an addiction to them. However, the risk of developing a dependence on the drugs remains low as long as the prescription routine is followed.
Mesothelioma patients who are receiving treatment, as well as their families, may have questions they want answered regarding a potential mesothelioma lawsuit against a company that may have led to the asbestos exposure that caused their disease. Speaking to a mesothelioma attorney may be able to shed some light on the legal process and see if a settlement would be a viable outcome from a mesothelioma lawsuit.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Non-Opioid drugs
Because most cases of malignant mesothelioma take so long to show their first symptoms, and then quickly become a very aggressive form of lung cancer that significantly effects the body in a short amount of time, the goal of many treatments for the disease is palliative care to ease pain and prolong life for as long as possible.
With this in mind, doctors use a variety of different medicines to treat different stages of pain, including non-opioid painkillers.
Patients suffering from all types of cancer, mesothelioma included, who are dealing with mild to moderate pains while undergoing treatment are usually given some type of non-opioid drug. Especially effective at easing bone and muscle pains felt in the body, non-opioids usually do not contain steroids and act as an anti-inflammatory agent. They are often given to patients along with other forms of pain therapy.
Some examples of non-opioids that are often given to cancer patients include aspirin, ibuprofen, and diclofenac. The drugs can either be administered to a patient in the form of a liquid, tablet, injection, or suppository. However, the drugs also have a limit to how much pain relief they can provide for a patient, no matter what the dosage.
It should also be noted that side effects of non-opioids can include an irritation of the stomach lining and a slowing of the blood’s ability to clot.
The use of non-opioids is primarily limited only to use on patients with mild or moderate pains caused by mesothelioma cancer. Once pain becomes more severe, opioid - or narcotic pain relievers – are used instead to provide more complete pain relief that can increase in effectiveness when larger doses are given.
Mesothelioma cancer patients who think that their asbestos exposure may have been caused by a former employer that did not protect against inhaling unhealthy amounts of the fibers may wish to pursue legal action in the hopes of securing an asbestos settlement. Contact a mesothelioma lawyer in order to learn more about your rights regarding asbestos law and if a mesothelioma lawsuit is a possibility.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Neurosurgery
Due to the aggressive nature of malignant mesothelioma and asbestos cancer, a majority of the patients diagnosed with the illness do not receive curative therapies and are instead given palliative treatments designed to ease pain and extend their life comfortably as long as possible.
In addition to a number of repeatable drug and injection techniques that are designed to alleviate pain by blocking the spread of pain signals from the nervous system to the brain, there are also more substantial and permanent methods that can be taken by doctors if all else fails.
Neurosurgery pain surgery is a technique that is offered at a number of leading hospitals in which surgery in the brain or nerve tissue is performed to cut the nerves that are delivering pain signals to the brain, alleviating pain caused by malignant mesothelioma that patients may be experiencing.
Additionally, the surgical process can also be combined with other methods of pain relief in which devices that can deliver additional pain relief medication to the patient are also implanted into other parts of the body to provide relief. The surgery can also, in some cases, be combined with more standard forms of mesothelioma cancer therapy such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
In addition to receiving therapy for mesothelioma following a diagnosis, patients and their families may want to look into legal possibilities regarding a mesothelioma settlement if they feel the illness has been caused by asbestos exposure that could have been prevented by a company or former employer.
Contact a mesothelioma attorney in order to learn about the viability of a lawsuit and to get the help that is needed in order to successfully receive a settlement for one’s illness.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Nerve Block
Malignant mesothelioma patients who are in more advanced stages of their illness may be suffering from chronic pains in and around their lungs as they continue with their treatment cycles. If palliative therapies and the use of certain opioid and non-opioid drugs are not effective, another method that doctors can utilize in order to minimize pain in certain parts of the body is a nerve block.
A nerve block is relatively self-explanatory, and consists of the injection of a substance - phenol or alcohol is sometimes used - into the spine or around a selected set of nerves in order to numb them. As a result, pain signals being sent by the nerves into the brain where they are processed are blocked, thereby lessening the patient’s feeling of pain from that area.
Many times, a “test block” using local anesthesia is performed by a doctor beforehand in order to make sure the nerves are connected the right part of the body. Once the full procedure is performed, pain may be blocked for up to 12 months in some cases before it wears off and needs to be repeated.
In regard to patients suffering from mesothelioma cancer, a nerve block will most times be performed strictly as a meant to treat chronic or intense pain. However, the procedure can also be used as anesthesia for smaller procedures or to determine the exact source of pain a patient is experiencing in other cases.
In addition to the potential risk of damage to the spine if that is where a nerve block is injected, patients also run the risk of developing elevated blood sugars, weight gain, rashes, and bleeding as side effects of the procedure.
Mesothelioma cancer patients who worked at a company that they feel did not incorporate the proper protective measure to shield them from unsafe levels of asbestos exposure may want to pursue legal action. If such is the case, speaking to a mesothelioma lawyer may help those in need of information learn more about asbestos laws and the legal options they may have against a former employer.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Massage
In addition to the numerous forms of palliative treatments for mesothelioma cancer that utilize some type of medication/drug or require sometimes complicated surgeries, there are also a number of alternative treatments that are less of a stress on the body can either be combined with other treatments or used independently.
One such form of non-invasive pain management treatment that many malignant mesothelioma patients utilize is massage therapy. The techniques, which found their way to America from Europe in the mid-19th Century from China and Europe, first began to gain notoriety as a medical practice during the 1960s among nurses and sports doctors. As clinical massages became increasingly common, methods were developed to ease discomfort being felt by patients suffering from all types of ailments, cancer included.
Malignant mesothelioma patients who receive clinical massage therapy often do so as a response to the pain and discomfort they feel following radiation or chemotherapy treatments. In addition to being effective in reducing anxiety, stress, nausea, and fatigue that patients often suffer from, some have also found that certain techniques helped to promote lymph node actions to drain fluid buildup in around the lungs.
One drawback clinical massage treatments to relieve pain is the unfortunate reality that, in most cases, insurance providers will not pay for any therapy sessions. As a result, there may be substantial financial costs that accrue if treatments last for a prolonged amount of time and must be factored into the budget of the family dealing with the illness.
While clinical massages are effective to some extent with most patients suffering from mesothelioma, those who also suffer from bleeding disorders or weakened bones may run a risk of being injured during a treatment.
While undergoing treatment for mesothelioma, patients and their families who have questions about asbestos laws and the possibility of bringing a mesothelioma lawsuit against a company or former employer that led to their exposure should contact a mesothelioma lawyer to learn their rights.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Hypnosis
Hypnosis is another type of alternative treatment that patients who are dealing with chronic pain related to their mesothelioma cancer can utilize to ease their discomfort.
The power of medical hypnosis as a means to reduce pain lies in the ability of a licensed therapist to send patients into an altered state of mind in which they effectively ignore the conscious part of the brain. During the treatment, patients may slow their pulse and respiration cycle while increasing their alpha brain waves, enabling them to let go of distractions and pain they may be feeling as they relax.
Additionally, hypnosis sessions - which can last for as few as 15 minutes and as long as an hour in some cases - can also be used to help a patient shed negative thoughts they may be having about their illness and lead to a more positive mindset as well.
Using the hypnosis process, cancer patients have reported notable decreases in pain cause by their illness. A UK study that was presented in 2004 at the BA Festival of Science in Exeter found that children diagnosed with cancer who received hypnosis therapy in addition to local anesthetic all reported greater relief of their pain than those who only received the anesthetic. A panel for the National Institutes of Health also found hypnosis could help ease the amount of pain felt in cancer patients in 1996.
Prior to a patient’s first full hypnosis treatment, some doctors may first conduct a consultation and shorter 15-minute appointments to ensure that a patient is an ideal candidate to undergo the alternative form of therapy.
In addition to pursuing alternative means of pain relief while undergoing treatment for malignant mesothelioma, patients may also want to discuss their legal options with an asbestos lawyer if they feel a former employer may be at fault for their illness. Numerous asbestos laws in place could entitle a mesothelioma patient to a settlement if a link between their asbestos exposure and a company’s practices with the substance can be determined.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Biofeedback
Despite its somewhat scientific and modernized name, biofeedback pain management techniques are actually rooted in very basic mind and body training methods to help one compose their thoughts and bodily actions to deal with pain they may be suffering from due to mesothelioma cancer.
Biofeedback sessions often begin with patients being hooked up to a number of different sensors, including a thermistor to measure the temperature of a finger and electrodes that can detect any muscle tension in areas of the body that are in pain. After the sensors are connected to devices that can translate any changes that are detected into detailed graphs and figures, the patient undergoes a series of exercises to relax their body. As the body’s muscle’s react, even the smallest changes in temperature or activity are documented.
As the sessions - which are most often conducted by a therapist – continue, patients are taught methods to relax their body and enhance blood flow to release tension in the areas that are hurting them. In turn, when pain flares up, a patient is able to reference what they have learned and take steps to reduce the pain they are feeling.
In addition to treating the pain in cancer patients, biofeedback therapists have also used their methods to treat people who experience migraines, tension headaches, and other stress-related pain. It has not been found to be as effective for the treatment of sudden lower-back pain and discomfort felt by temporary injuries.
In addition to undergoing pain management treatment for mesothelioma and asbestos cancer symptoms, there may also be a desire to inquire about possible legal action against a company that did not adequately protect its employees or customers from unsafe levels of asbestos they were handling. In order to see if a mesothelioma settlement is a possibility, contact an asbestos attorney to learn about the proper information that must be gathered for a lawsuit.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Acupuncture
Another form of alternative pain management methods for patients who have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, or many other types of cancer, is acupuncture. Having been practiced in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years, the art has found its way over to the U.S. in the last 200 years, but is only now beginning to be regarded as an option to relieve pain in cancer patients.
According to the National Cancer Institute, a series of case studies involving 183 cancer patients who received acupuncture treatment to ease their pains, 52 percent of respondents said they were “significantly helped” by the process. It also found multiple treatments that occurred over the course of a one to four week period were required in order to achieve “significant and long-term pain control.”
Additionally, the use of acupuncture has been found to be an effective means to reduce the instances of nausea and vomiting that many cancer patients experience following chemotherapy treatments. Other types of acupuncture have also been found to treat hot flushes, tiredness, dry mouth, and breathlessness in some cases.
The reasons behind the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy have been attributed to different reasons by both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medical interpretations. Chinese medicine explained acupuncture as the placing of strategically placed needles into the skin to clear blockages in “Qi,” or vital energy, that circulate through channels called “Meridians.” Western medicine deemed the strategic placing of needles stimulates nerves in the body and lead to the release of morphine-like chemicals that ease pain, as well as serotonin to help the body and mind relax.
The side effects for acupuncture have been found to be relatively minimal and limited primarily to bruising, pain, or occasional bleeding around needle puncture points on the body.
There are a number of asbestos laws that have been put in place since the 1980s to protect those who worked in industries that knowingly exposed them to dangerous levels of asbestos and have developed mesothelioma or asbestos cancer in years since. If you or a loved one are suffering from any type of lung cancer and would like to pursue legal action while undergoing treatment for the illness, contact a mesothelioma lawyer to learn your rights and see if a lawsuit is possible.
Mesothelioma Pain and Management: Epidural and Intrathecal Pumps
Similar to a nerve block, epidural and intrathecal pumps that are controlled manually by the patient are additional pain relief methods used by doctors to minimize the amount of pain felt by malignant mesothelioma patients.
Unlike the precise nerves that are selected and numbed out during a nerve block, pumps provide more widespread relief to quell pain in more general areas of the body. After inserting a catheter into the intrathecal/epidural space in the spine so pain relief medication can be delivered to the areas in which the patient is hurting, computerized pumps are attached and are hooked to a device that allows a patient to deliver small doses of the medication when they feel pain.
Called a Patient Controlled Analgesia, the system can be customized to either send a continuous small dose of medication that can have additional doses added when the patient feels pain, or have no continuous dosage while leaving the patient to self administer their meds as they see fit.
While a patient must be old enough, and in a proper mental state, before being allowed to utilize PCA treatments, the computerized device do have built-in safety restrictions so patients never accidentally overmedicate themselves and put themselves in danger.
While undergoing treatment for mesothelioma or asbestos cancer, patients may have questions about asbestos laws and the possibility of suing a company or former employer that caused asbestos exposure. In order to determine if a lawsuit could result in a monetary mesothelioma settlement for a patient and their family, contact a mesothelioma attorney for a legal consultation to learn your rights.
Financial Assistance: Disability Insurance
Following a malignant mesothelioma diagnosis, patients who are still working may be able to utilize disability insurance coverage that is being offered by their employer. However, the process is sometimes made more complicated by companies that are unable, or unwilling, to accept mesothelioma as an illness that qualifies for coverage.
A great number of mesothelioma victims have been able to attribute the likely cause of their diagnosis to be from asbestos exposure they experienced while serving in the United States armed forces. As of 2003, 26 percent of all mesothelioma cancer cases were former military or naval shipyard workers.
However, while those who have served are eligible to apply for Veterans Affairs health and disability benefits, they are not afforded access to any Special Benefits programs. The reasoning for that is because, unlike Gulf War Illness and Agent Orange exposure, Veterans Affairs does not consider mesothelioma or any illness related to asbestos inhalation as a “service connected” medical condition.
Additionally, those who worked for companies that allowed asbestos to be exposed to their workers and have since run into health problems have also found it difficult in some instances to get the additional coverage they may need.
One such case in which a patient with mesothelioma has run into trouble regarding their disability payment occurred in 2009 out in Charleston, West Virginia. After working at Union Carbide for 40 years and regularly inhaling asbestos fibers, Gordon Conley was diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer and awarded a compensatory sum that also made him eligible for disability payments. Handled by Wells Fargo Disability Management, the payments were scheduled to be paid out over the course of a multi-year period.
However, due to the average lifespan of a mesothelioma patient, which averages anywhere from one year to 18 months, a restructuring of the payment plan was requested but ignored by Wells Fargo for three months, at which time the only response was that the request was still under review. While the payments would still go to Conley’s wife in the event of death, delays in payment and a lack of compassion in any disability insurance ruling may be something that families will have to deal with.
Those who were regularly exposed to asbestos products while working for a company or armed forces may be entitled to a substantial mesothelioma settlement if they develop the illness and can link the employer to being a source of exposure. Contact a mesothelioma attorney if you have any questions about laws surrounding mesothelioma or asbestos exposure and would like to see if a lawsuit is possible.
Financial Assistance: Social Security Disability insurance
Individuals who are diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer oftentimes undergo a rapid change in their daily life in which any type of career they are involved in must take a backseat to doctors’ visits and treatments. Because of that, patients and their families can very easily find themselves in financial trouble as they cover necessary costs on a suddenly-limited income.
However, families that find themselves struggling financially after a mesothelioma diagnosis may be able to take advantage of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability programs that have been put in place by the U.S. government to help provide financial assistance to workers who have become disabled and can no longer provide an appropriate level of income for their family.
The ability to apply for SSDI programs depends on whether or not one qualifies under the program’s unique definition of what it is to be disabled. Unlike clinical understandings of what is means to be disabled, the definition of “disability” under in regard to receiving insurance payments is strictly based on one’s ability to work.
One can be defined as “disabled” in the eyes of SSDI if one is no longer able to do what they had done for work before an injury or illness, cannot adjust to any other type of work following an injury or illness, or are hampered in a way that will affect one’s ability to work for the minimum of one year or until death.
Additionally, Social Security programs do assume that working families have access to other resources such as workers’ compensation, insurance, and savings so they can whether any short-term financial troubles.
In 2009, almost 51 million Americans received $673 billion in Social Security benefits. Of those, 7.6 million were disabled and received an average monthly benefit of $1,062. 1.8 million dependents of disabled workers also split $0.6 billion in benefits.
In addition to pursuing possible SSDI programs to ease the financial burdens that come with a mesothelioma diagnosis, patients and their families may also be able to pursue a monetary mesothelioma settlement from a former employer that may be liable for causing the illness by exposing their workers to dangerous levels of asbestos.
Contact a mesothelioma lawyer for a legal consultation to learn more details of asbestos laws and see if a lawsuit may be brought against a company if you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Financial Assistance: Workers’ Compensation
Because of the long-held reluctance by many employers that required the handling of asbestos to acknowledge the health risks that the fibers presented to their workers, it should come as little surprise that the issue of workers’ compensation for an employee stricken with malignant mesothelioma has become a similarly complicated issue.
The inner workings of workers’ compensation programs across the country are somewhat difficult to describe, as their requirements and details can vary from state to state. However, in general terms, a worker who is injured while on a job is entitled to appropriate compensations that cover medical expenses and a portion of the wages that were lost while away from work. Those who are diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos cancer can apply for benefits from an employer that may have caused their asbestos exposure in addition to any other compensation claims they have also filed.
While many workers’ compensation requirements vary from state to state, there are some national standards that are upheld by U.S. Department of Labor. The Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs handles four major disability programs that “provide wage replacement benefits, medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation and other benefits to certain workers or their dependents that experience work-related injury or occupational disease.”
The four programs managed by the OWCP are the Division of Federal Employees’ Compensation, Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation, Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation, and the Division of Coal Mine Workers’ Compensation. For more information on the requirements and processes involved for each program, visit the department’s website.
Despite the laws in place, there are still a number of cases that are disputed by employers in attempts to get out of paying workers compensation to the family of a former employee following a mesothelioma diagnosis. An administrative law judge ruling that New Orleans Stevedores was liable for $150,000 in compensation to Betrand Ibos – a former employee of the company who was killed by mesothelioma in 1996 – and his family that was determined by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act had to be taken to the U.S. Court of Appeals before it was finally upheld.
In addition to any type of workers’ compensation requests, families who have been affected by mesothelioma cancer may wish to pursue additional legal procedures to try and get more compensation from a former employer that may be responsible for the asbestos exposure. Contact a mesothelioma attorney for a legal consultation if you wanto learn more about the intricacies of asbestos laws and see if a lawsuit is a possibility.
Financial Assistance: Health Insurance
Simply put, having and maintaining healthcare coverage following a mesothelioma cancer is a requirement for any family who is not financially prepared to handle the onslaught of tests and treatments that will follow. With medical costs that can hit nearly a quarter million dollars if paid out-of-pocket, patients are best served finding some type of health insurance coverage that is either paid through an employer or state/national coverage.
Because a number of adults who are diagnosed with mesothelioma are over the age of 65, one way that a patient can protect themselves from enduring the high costs of treatments is to enroll in Medicare, which is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In general, one is eligible for the insurance program once they or their spouse has worked in Medicare-covered employment for at least 10 years, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and at least 65-years-old.
Those with certain disabilities or are in the end stages of Renal disease may also be able to qualify for Medicare before the age of 65.
Private health insurance providers are made available through employers in most cases. However, even when one is fully covered by a plan provided through an employer, individuals can find themselves in trouble following a mesothelioma diagnosis in some cases.
Until certain laws associated with the health care reform bill go into effect in 2014, an unfortunate reality that will likely continue to haunt those suffering from malignant mesothelioma is the prospect that private insurance companies may deny claims and attempt to force the patient to pay for care on their own. The reason used in some denials of patients by healthcare companies has been that the client is not suffering from mesothelioma, but rather another pre-existing condition that can remove their requirement to provide coverage. One aspect of the healthcare reform bill removes the ability of providers to deny claims based on pre-existing conditions.
In the event of a denial, patients can appeal through the insurance company and take on a case manager (who is oftentimes a medical professional such a nurse) to act as a liaison. Additionally, patients can contact their home state’s Insurance Commissioner to urge that an investigation be initiated.
Regardless of whatever health insurance coverage one is able to get, either prior to or following a mesothelioma diagnosis, there will be a great number of costs that mesothelioma cancer patients will have to handle, likely draining them financially to some extent. However, consulting a mesothelioma attorney may be useful in helping to link a diagnosis with a former employer that exposed its workers to asbestos, the results of which could lead to a mesothelioma settlement for the patient and their family.
Financial Assistance: Clinical Trials
It is no secret that there are a number of costs that families affected by a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis must find a way to cover, including transportation, medical treatments, doctors appointments, and numerous changes in how a household is run on a day-to-day basis. In some cases, the costs may end up being too much, and force families to look for reduced costs in whatever ways they can find.
One option that a mesothelioma patient can take in order to receive world-class cancer care without having to pay the full sticker price is to enroll in any clinical trials that may benefit them. Before a form of treatment can become certified for regular use, it must go through a long series of tests and studies to make sure it is both safe and effective. One phase of this process is testing it on patients who may be able to benefit from it, hence the need for clinical testing.
In order to qualify for a clinical test, mesothelioma patients often have to fit very specific criteria, including requirements to be in a certain age range, have certain types of mesothelioma cancer, be in a certain stage of the disease, or have a history of a specific mixture of treatments. The reason for the strict measures is because the trials are often testing a type of drug or treatment that is only meant to treat a very specific type of cancer, mesothelioma and asbestos cancer included.
However, aside from the very obvious possible medical and health benefits that patients may experience during the treatment, clinical trials can help a patient in that they require little to no out-of-pocket costs on their part. In many cases, any research costs that are required as part of the trial are covered by the company sponsoring the study. Many routine and extra care costs associated with the trial can be covered by the company as well, but even in the event they are not the costs can often be handled as part of a health insurance plan.
The only costs that a patient is most likely to accrue are extra tests that are not directly related to the study and may not be covered by the company or an insurer.
While battling malignant mesothelioma, patients and their families may want to pursue legal action against a product of former employer that may be responsible for the asbestos exposure that led to their illness. In order to find out more details about the process one must go through to attain a mesothelioma settlement, contact an asbestos attorney for a legal consultation to learn more about the intricacies of different asbestos laws.
Diet and Nutrition Tips: Benefits of Exercise
In the wake of a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis, the amount of daily activity in one’s life is almost certainly going to see a decrease as effects of the illness begin to become noticeable and more time is taken up by doctors’ appointments and treatments. However, any type of movements or activities that can be done without putting too much stress on the lungs and body may be able to ease pain and even help with the effectiveness of some treatments.
In general, exercise has been found in studies to be effective in either reducing the risk of, or decreasing the mortality rate for, various types of cancers for those who are able to take part in it. By keeping the mind and body active on a regular basis, the chances of developing common side effects of long-term bed rest (such as stiff joints, weak muscles, breathing problems, skin sores, and constipation) can be decreased sizably while also helping a patient’s emotional state remain positive.
Recent studies have gone so far as to speculate that exercise may help increase a body’s energy levels and therefore make it more receptive to cancer treatments it is undergoing.
However, because a majority of malignant mesothelioma cases occur in the pleural lining of the lungs – severely impacting one’s ability to breathe comfortable in some cases without the help of machines or oxygen tanks – getting significant exercise is not a possibility to most patients. The fact that most patients are in the later stages of their lives at the time of diagnosis also complicates the ability for some patients to exercise on a regular basis.
Nonetheless, patients and their families may want to speak to their doctor and see if any types of physical activities, ranging from physical therapy to a short walk on some occasions, may be something that is worth pursuing. Depending on how the patient feels, any type of daily activity could help and improve their morale, appetite, and decrease some aches and pains in the process.
Those who have been affected by a mesothelioma diagnosis that they feel can be linked to a former employer that exposed them to dangerous amounts of asbestos may want to speak to a mesothelioma attorney for a legal consultation to see if there is any legal action that can be taken. If a diagnosis can be linked to the actions of a former employer, you may be entitled to a mesothelioma settlement for either you or your loved ones.
Diet and Nutrition Tips: Diarrhea
One common side effect of malignant mesothelioma that many patients can find themselves facing during treatment is stomach problems and diarrhea. Caused by the effects of chemotherapy on the body as well as potential dieting miscues, the symptoms can be eased with the proper adjustments to the way one eats on a daily basis.
The primary reason for patient patients with mesothelioma or asbestos cancer to develop stomach problems and diarrhea is because of the damaging effect that many chemotherapy medications have on the cell linings of the intestines and stomach as they try to kill cancerous cells. However, eating large meals on a regular basis has also been found as a contributor to worse stomach problems. Instead, doctors recommend splitting meals up into smaller amounts that are eaten throughout the day and easier to digest.
Keeping track of the food one eats may also help and ease symptoms somewhat if certain foods can be singled out as ones that worsen (or improve) stomach problems.
Additionally, drinking as much fluid as possible is also recommended by many doctors. In addition to being easy on the stomach, liquid based food and drinks will prevent the body from getting dehydrated by compensating for any fluids that have been lost. Vegetable broths and electrolyte-based sports drinks are among the more effective in helping patients deal with diarrhea.
If diarrhea continues for more than 24 hours, or is accompanied by pain, bleeding, or a loss of energy, a doctor should be consulted in order to prescribe stronger medications and provide a steady dose of liquid and nutrients through intravenous fluid.
In addition to receiving treatment for mesothelioma, patients and their families may also want to pursue possible legal action against a company or former employer if the diagnosis can be attributed to asbestos exposure they caused. Contact a mesothelioma attorney if you have questions about asbestos laws and would like to see if there are grounds for a mesotheolioma lawsuit following a confirmed diagnosis.
Diet and Nutrition Tips: Changes in Diet
Some of the hardest aspects of living with mesothelioma cancer do not concern treatment schedules and doctors appointments, but rather day-to-day activities and events that previously took little thought but are now more difficult and needs adjusting. Among the more predominant facets of one’s life that a patient feels a change in immediately are their eating and dieting habits, both of which usually see adjustments following a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Especially after the beginning of treatment for malignant mesothelioma, or any type of asbestos cancer for that matter, patients often find that their appetite is affected significantly. Some patients find it more effective to have more nutrient-dense foods in smaller portions that are sectioned out throughout the day.
Meals should also not be missed when one’s appetite is strong, primarily due to the fact that the body may need the extra nutrients to last through days when not as much food is eaten due to a decreased appetite.
On days when an appetite is not as strong, doctors recommend making sure that one’s fluid intake remain high no matter what. Oftentimes, an appetite may be stronger during the morning hours, and taken advantage of if so. Sticking to liquid meal replacement drinks or softer foods like mashed potatoes, yogurt, or pudding may be easier to handle on such days.
While mesothelioma patients may not be able to resume their normal activities, being able to take part in any type of exercises may also help to improve one’s appetite while also, according to some studies, help the body respond better to treatments.
Those dealing with mesothelioma or asbestos cancer may want to make a former employer that led to asbestos exposure pay financially for the oversights that may have caused their illness. Contact a mesothelioma lawyer if you think that a diagnosis may be attributable to work at an employer that exposed workers to asbestos, there may be a possibility of pursuing a mesothelioma settlement.
What is Mesothelioma: Asbestos use has still not been banned in the United States
Contrary to popular belief, and the laws that have been put in place by more than 50 countries, the use of asbestos is still very much legal in the United States under some circumstances.
After having few to no regulations limiting the use of asbestos in everyday products for more than half of the century, laws put into place during the 1970s and 1980s finally put some limitations on how, and when, the fibers could be used in asbestos products and exposed to workers who did not have adequate protective gear.
However attempts to impose a comprehensive ban have not been as successful. In 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency initially was able to pass a ban on asbestos before it was overturned by a ruling in the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which received a great deal of corporate pressures to do so. Other attempts to ban the use of the fibers have been introduced since – including the Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007 by U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) –but have not yet been able to be passed into law.
The lack of a ban on asbestos in the U.S. comes despite the fiber’s classification as being dangerous by a number of notable organizations, including the Environmental Protection Agency, World Health Organization, International Labor Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the American Cancer Society.
For more information on what you can do about getting asbestos banned in the United States, visit our Ban Asbestos Now (BAN) page here.
For those who would like more information on how to pursue a mesothelioma settlement if they feel a company directly led to the mesothelioma cancer diagnosis of themselves or a loved one, contact a mesothelioma lawyer in order to learn more details on asbestos law.
The dangers of asbestos exposure were hidden from the public for much of the 20th century
One of the more frustrating aspects of asbestos exposure and the rise of mesothelioma cancer throughout the 20th Century is that many of the health risks attributed to the fibers were known, and yet ignored, by companies who ended up putting many of their employees in harm’s way as a result.
Asbestos has been used in the creation of a number of products for hundreds of years, dating all the way back to Marco Polo during his travels in China and their use of the fibers for insulation or braiding or ropes that could be used as wicks in their candles.
In terms of its use – and medical consequences - in the modern age, asbestos products such asinsulation for steam and fire-powered machinery became increasingly popular in the United States. As the years wore on, the fire-retardant fibers were also used in a number of other products, including concrete, ceiling insulation, flooring and roofing tiles, and many parts for ships being built for use in the Navy.
However, as asbestos’ popularity grew, there were already signs that people who were exposed to asbestos were developing health problems. As early as the 1st Century, Roman historian Pliny the Elder had noted that slaves in asbestos mines had been coming down with respiratory diseases in increased numbers. In 1906, the first attributable death to asbestos was declared officially, and mesothelioma – as well as its connection with asbestos inhalation – had been documented in medical literature by the 1940s.
Despite the growing medical evidence, which eventually included a landmark article published by a British medical journal in 1960 that showed undeniable links between mesothelioma and asbestos – companies continued to use the fibers and expose their workers to them without proper protective equipment. It was not until 1970 that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency passed the Clean Air Act - which classified asbestos as a hazardous air pollutant.
One year later, a federal court upheld the first awarding of damages to a worker from an asbestos maker. However, asbestos production did not hit its peak until 1976, and the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act – which tightened restriction on asbestos use - was not passed by Congress until 1986.
If you or a loved one was exposed to asbestos on a regular basis while working for an employer that did not adequately protect them from the fibers and has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or asbestosis, there may be legal options that can be pursued. Contact a mesothelioma attorney to learn more about the steps that must be taken in order to bring about a lawsuit against the employer that could result in a monetary settlement.
EWG estimates at least 43,000 Americans died from mesothelioma and asbestosis between 1979 and 2001
According to a 2004 report from the Washington DC-based Environmental Working Group Action Fund, which specializes in analyzing federal mortality records, asbestos-related deaths have become something of an epidemic that could claim more than 150,000 lives in the United States alone.
The study found that more than 43,000 Americans have died due to mesothelioma, asbestosis, or other lung cancers related to asbestos exposure since 1979. Furthermore, the study found that because death totals for the illness were estimated until 1999, there could be as many as 60,000 dead because of mesothelioma cancer. The data also found that 4,273 asbestos-related deaths had occurred in California alone.
Additionally, with an estimated +1 million people across the country still working in facilities that contain asbestos, the study approximated that 30 million pounds of the fibers were still being used throughout the country every year. It concluded that a minimum of 100,000 people would likely succumb to a disease that was caused by the fibers by 2014, and that the number of mesothelioma and asbestosis were both still on the rise nationally.
"Think of how asbestos was used for years in thousands of products," said Dr. Michael Lax, an asbestos expert and director of the occupational health clinic at University Hospital in Syracuse, New York. "The numbers of people exposed is in the tens of millions. The potential for illness is tremendous."
While likely not factored into any mortality records as early as 2004, the impact of the 9/11 attacks will also likely lead to an increase in mesothelioma cases in and around New York City. Because so many workers and citizens inhaled fibers from the World Trade Center – which was built while asbestos was still used – following its destruction, the prolonged exposure has some worried that there may be a bump up in the number of cases as more years go by.
Malignant mesothelioma patients who are able to link their illness to exposure that was caused by a former employer may be able to pursue a legal settlement in which they receive monetary compensation. In order to find out if you or a loved one may be eligible for a settlement, contact a mesothelioma lawyer for a legal consultation to learn your rights.
The Average Survival Time After a Person Has Been Diagnosed With Mesothelioma is One Year
One of the more tragic aspects of mesothelioma cancer is that, upon diagnosis, there is usually not a long lifespan for most patients. Due to the fact that it is incurable and diagnosed in its later stages in most cases, many patients are lucky if they can survive with the disease for longer than one year.
Because of the long latency period of up to 50 years that mesothelioma can have, most patients do not show signs of the disease and begin receiving medical care for it until they are in their 50s or 60s. As a result, patients are not usually in optimal shape, and may not be in the best condition to fight the disease and receive aggressive treatment methods.
Additionally, because mesothelioma is itself an aggressive disease and is incurable in most cases, it usually spreads much quicker and has a debilitating effect on its patients than other forms of lung cancer do.
The survival rate of a patient is usually dictated largely by stage that the disease is in, the size of any tumors and the type of malignant mesothelioma cells that are present, and the amount of fluid that has accumulated in the patient’s chest. If surgical treatments are a possibility to remove tumors and drain fluid, a patient’s survival rate may increase drastically when compared to those in which surgery is not possible.
Additionally, recent studies have revealed that the combination of certain methods may be effective in increasing a patient’s lifespan following a diagnosis. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2009 by a team of scientists at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City found that patients who underwent trimodality therapy were able to survive with mesothelioma for a prolonged time period.
Patients who went through chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy for the study showed a median survival time of 29.1 months, while 61.2 percent of patients lived for more than two years. Patients who only had one or two of the treatment types had a median survival time of only 17 months.
No matter what the chances of survival are, consulting an asbestos attorney following a mesothelioma diagnosis may be well worth the while of a patient and their family if they can link the diagnosis to asbestos exposure that was caused by a former employer. If the appropriate links between the illness and the employer can be determined, a patient and their family may be able to receive a significant mesothelioma settlement that could ease any financial burdens accrued during the treatment process.
Most people who get mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they breathed in asbestos fibers
Because malignant mesothelioma is primarily caused by asbestos exposure, it should come as no surprise that many who end up being diagnosed with the illness were connected in some way with a company or industry that required regular interactions with the substance.
Throughout much of the 1900s, millions of employees worked in either shipyards or construction sites that used large amounts of asbestos on a daily basis. During World War II alone, it is estimated that 4.5 million workers were employed at shipyards. During that same time period, asbestos was used as both a fire retardant and a heat insulator for the boilers, steam pipes, and nuclear reactors located on board the ships they were constructing.
While shipyards began winding down their use of asbestos in the 1980s, the damage to many workers had already been done. With some former employers developing asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other lung cancers after as little as two months of daily exposure to the fibers, those in the shipbuilding industry had the second highest number of asbestosis deaths from 1990 to 1999.
Similarly, those who have worked in the construction industry have also had to deal with the increased risk of developing mesothelioma later in life. Asbestos was used in the construction of buildings for decades, serving as insulation for welding rods and floor/ceiling tiles. Until the 1970s there were no significant regulations regarding the use of the fibers, meaning that millions of workers used it on a daily basis until that time.
Furthermore, even those working in construction now are at risk of being exposed to asbestos during projects in which a building is being renovated and stripped of the asbestos products that had been installed previously. More than one million workers are thought to still be working in conditions that force them to work with asbestos regularly.
If a link between asbestos exposure at the workplace and a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis can be determined, patients and their families may be entitled to a significant monetary settlement. Contact a mesothelioma attorney if you have questions regarding a potential lawsuit and want to learn more about your rights in regard to asbestos law.
What is Mesothelioma?: Mesothelioma can take 25 to 40 years to develop after the initial exposure
One of the more unique aspects of mesothelioma that differentiates it from other types of cancer is that it has an extremely long lapse in the time between a patient’s initial exposure to asbestos and the first mesothelioma symptoms of the disease displaying themselves. Mesothelioma cancer cases are very commonly diagnosed between 25-50 years after the initial exposure when the disease is already in its later stages.
The latency period before a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis can vary slightly, depending on where it is located. While peritoneal mesothelioma has an average latency period of approximately 28 years, pleural mesothelioma has an average lapse of 35 years before a diagnosis occurs.
Additionally, the levels of asbestos that a patient was exposed to can also adjust the length of a latency period, with workers who regularly inhaled fibers usually having a shorter latency period than that of those who were only exposed to them intermittently.
Another contributor to the long latency period is mesothelioma’s unique characteristic in that it is able to remain dormant and not show symptoms that can be picked up in some screening tests that would detect early forms of other cancers. While those who regularly handle asbestos can have imaging tests and x-rays conducted to try and detect any signs of the disease as early as possible, they have not proven to be effective.
In recent years, doctors have found that mesothelioma patients often have higher levels of osteopontin and soluble mesothin-related peptides in their blood, and that testing for the presence of such substances may eventually lead to some type of early detection for the illness.
However, in the time being, a majority of mesothelioma cases are not detected until a patient comes in for an appointment complaining of symptoms. Because the patient is older in age, and battling the disease in its latter stages, they are usually not given a long life expectancy.
Because many malignant mesothelioma patients can attribute the asbestos exposure that led to their diagnosis to a former employer that did not protect them adequately from the fibers, there may be legal action that can be taken that could net them a monetary settlement. In order to learn more about the intricacies of asbestos law, contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney who can advise on what legal action, if any, can be taken.
What is Mesothelioma: Approximately three-quarters of these cases are pleural mesothelioma
Individuals who are stricken with malignant mesothelioma are most often diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, or mesothelioma that primarily affects the chest wall lining and lungs. On an annual basis, pleural mesothelioma accounts for 75 percent of all new diagnoses, with the remaining 25 percent split between peritoneal, pericardial, and testicular mesothelioma.
Pleural mesothelioma primarily affects the mesothelium that protects the organs and makes it easier for them to move against each other inside the pleura, or chest area. A diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma does not mean that the cancer will remain in the chest area, only that it is where the cancer originated. It is the type of mesothelioma that is most often caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers.
The primary symptoms that patients must deal with when diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma cancer are pain in the lower back or the side of the chest, shortness of breath and a couch, sweating, fatigue, weight loss, swelling in the face and arms, and muscle weakness among other symptoms.
In addition to CT scans, PET scans, MRIs, a review of a patient’s medical record, and other tests, one of the most important tools used to see if the symptoms being displayed are pleural mesothelioma or another type of lung cancer or condition is to take a biopsy. The usual method for conducting a biopsy in the chest area is to perform a thoracentesis, or the removal of fluid from the chest cavity through a long, hollow needle.
Once the fluid is removed, it can be examined under a microscope by doctors who look for abnormalities that could signify the presence of cancerous cells. In many cases, a sample of the pleural tissue is removed as well to provide additional evidence towards a diagnosis.
An overwhelming majority of pleural mesothelioma cases are not curable. However, palliative care and the use of radiation therapy, surgerical treatments, and chemotherapy can be utilized to prolong a patient’s life and make it as pain-free as possible.
Following any type of malignant mesothelioma diagnosis, especially if it is located in the chest area, there may be a way for patients and their families to receive a mesothelioma settlement from a former employer that regularly exposed them to asbestos. Contact an asbestos attorney for a legal consultation if you have questions about how a mesothelioma diagnosis can be linked to an employer and result in a lawsuit.
Mesothelioma Doctors and Healthcare Professionals: Psychiatrists
Following a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis for either oneself or a loved one, there are quite a few feelings that may be experienced, ranging from shock and sadness to guilt and fear. In order for individuals to come to terms with their emotions and learn to deal with them in a rational and effective manner, psychiatrists are often brought in to help manage the situation.
Because the exceeding majority of mesothelioma diagnoses are terminal, the patient and their family often react to the news with raw and extreme emotion. In such cases, those who have been emotionally affected often turn to psychiatrists to help make sense of their emotions and put the situation in some sort of perspective.
Unlike support groups, which provide some personalized care and attention but most often deal with more general topics that affect most mesothelioma patients, individualized care from a psychiatrist can allow for more sensitive and unique aspects of a situation to be delved into. Additionally, medications can be prescribed to address any chemical imbalances or emotions that need immediate attention.
It should be noted that, while similar, psychiatrists and psychologists are different in that the former is allowed to prescribe medications to help deal with an emotional issue, while the latter can only provide person-to-person and non-medicinal care.
In addition to the severe mental anguish that can come with a malignant mesothelioma diagnosis, patients and their families may also be struggling financially after accounting for treatments and lifestyle changes they had not budgeted for. However, if a company or former employer can be linked as a cause of the asbestos exposure that caused the illness, there may be a substantial monetary mesothelioma settlement that may be available to some patients.
In order to find out if you or a loved one may be able to pursue a settlement, contact a mesothelioma lawyer for a legal consultation to learn more about what is required of a client before a case can proceed.
Mesothelioma Doctors and Healthcare Professionals: Surgeons
Most types of diagnostic and treatment options for malignant mesothelioma include some type of surgical procedure to either investigate or treat any potential tumors. Because of that, thoracic surgeons are among the most important players in a multidisciplinary team that treat a patient.
Thoracic surgeons are physicians who specialize in the treatment of a number of ailments that manifest themselves in the chest cavity, such as lung cancer, chest wall tumors, and emphysema as well as handling lung transplants.
An example of a procedure that surgeons often utilize to treat mesothelioma if the situation calls for it is a pneumonectomy, or the removal of the part of the lung that is infected with malignant mesothelioma. After putting the mesothelioma patient under using general anesthesia, the surgeon cuts a large opening from the shoulder blade to the ribs in the front of the chest - called a posterolateral thoracotomy incision - into the same side of the chest as the diseased lung before removing the infected section. In some cases, part of the fifth rib is removed in order to have better access to the diseased portion.
The lung is then deflated, while the blood vessels are tied off in order to prevent any bleeding into the chest cavity and the bronchus will be stitched up in order to make sure no air escapes. A temporary drainage tube will also be inserted in order to draw air, fluid, and blood out of the pleural space before the chest is clamped shut.
In addition to processes that are carried out by thoracic surgeons that are meant to directly deal with mesothelioma cancer, general surgeons are also often utilized to perform more common procedures that are part of a cancer treatment plan.
While receiving treatment for malignant mesothelioma, patients who are interested in pursuing legal action against a former employer that may have cause their asbestos exposure may want to contact a mesothelioma attorney in order to learn their rights and see what their possibilities regarding a settlement are.
Mesothelioma Doctors and Healthcare Professionals: Social Workers
While not a part of most medical teams that treat mesothelioma cancer, many hospitals and cancer centers across the country also employ a number of social workers on their staff to help patients and their families with various counseling and support group options to help them make sense of the emotions they may be feeling.
In an attempt to provide patients with customizable care to fit their unique situations instead of only offering a general “one-size-fits-all” option to help those who have questions following a mesothelioma diagnosis, social workers provide individual or family counseling options to offer guidance for those who need it.
Because mesothelioma is type of lung cancer that is very aggressive and terminal in most cases, emotions for patients and their families may sometimes run high. In order to provide a calming influence and help those who need it make sense of their emotions, social workers often offer sessions in which they talk with patients and their families about the effects it has on daily life.
Social workers also teach various coping mechanisms for those affected by the disease to draw on during the treatment process in order to reduce their stress and anxiety and putting them in the best mindset possible while receiving their treatment.
Additionally, social workers can help families deal with any issues that may arise at home because of the illness, and put those in need of additional help in contact with the proper experts or authorities necessary to help them.
Families who must face the harsh realities that come with the malignant mesothelioma diagnosis of a loved one may also be saddled with a number of new expenses that saddle them with debt as they pay for doctors and treatments.
For those who feel a former employer may have caused their asbestos exposure, contacting a mesothelioma attorney for a legal consultation may help lead to a monetary mesothelioma settlement that could go a long way towards easing their financial burdens.
Mesothelioma Doctors and Healthcare Professionals: Respiratory Therapist
One of the most debilitating and serious physical ailments that occurs in most cases of malignant mesothelioma is difficulty breathing. Oftentimes relegated to an oxygen tank and/or a life of little to no physical activities, patients seek out the advice and care of respiratory therapists to help make breathing as easy and pain-free as it possibly can be.
According to the American Association for Respiratory Care, there are approximately 100,000 respiratory therapists across the country who are currently helping patients address their breathing problems. A majority of therapists are housed in departments at hospitals that perform intensive care, critical care, and neonatal procedures under the direction of a physician.
Most procedures performed by a respiratory therapist can be classified into one of two categories: Diagnosis and Treatment. Diagnosis procedures can include obtaining of sputum and blood specimens to analyze the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in them, measuring the capacity of a patient’s lungs, performing stress tests on the patient’s cardiopulmonary system, the study of patients who are suffering from breath-related sleep disorders.
Some treatment options that respiratory therapists handle are the utilization of mechanical ventilation devices for those who cannot breathe well enough on their own, monitoring a patient following a procedure to help them recover their lung function, conducting low-aerobic rehabilitation activities, helping patients with their smoking cessation programs so they can kick their smoking addiction.
For those suffering from mesothelioma cancer, asbestosis, or any other form of lung cancer, respiratory therapists will likely perform procedures to remove fluid from the area surrounding the lungs that can make breathing for patients extremely difficult and painful. They can also perform chest physiotherapy in order to remove any mucus buildup from inside the lungs.
In addition to receiving treatment for malignant mesothelioma cancer, patients and their families may also want to consult an asbestos attorney to see if it is in their rights to bring forth a lawsuit against a former employer that led to their asbestos exposure. If it is determined that a company may be at fault for your mesothelioma, you may be entitled to a monetary mesothelioma settlement.
Mesothelioma Doctors and Healthcare Professionals: Pathologist
While oncologists are generally responsible for handling a number of the responsibilities and procedures involved in the diagnosis of any type of cancer, including lung cancers such as mesothelioma, the role of pathologists is very important the process of diagnosing a cancer as well.
Specializing in the examination of human body tissues, pathologists are responsible for handling and studying biopsies before forming their own opinion and providing feedback to oncologists. Once a biopsy is performed on a tumor that is thought to be cancerous, the tissue is sent over to a pathologist for examination.
Parts of the sample are cut into thin slices (called a frozen section) that are stained and observed under a microscope during the operation, enabling a pathologist to immediately make his observations and report back to a surgeon while the patient is still on the operating table.
Following the initial procedure, pathologists then draft a pathology report that describes the patient, the type and location of the biopsy that surgeons performed, and the clinical diagnosis that had been decided on prior to the procedure.
A detailed “gross description” of the sample and a more detailed description of the microscopic examination are also given, along with a detailed diagnosis that describes the type of lung cancer, any spreading to the lymph nodes, and the grade of the tumor cell. After the information is compiled, the report is sent to the oncologists who are handling the patient so they can formulate their final diagnosis and treatment plans.
Oftentimes, patients can requests copies of their pathology report if they have any questions. However, in certain situations patients may not be allowed access to the information.
Patients who are dealing with a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis likely have a number of expenses they had not previously planned for that suddenly are a requirement, and may be struggling financially because of it. Because asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma, and laws have been put in place to award former employers of companies that ignored safety precautions, some exposed workers may be entitled to a mesothelioma settlement.
In order to learn more about what settlement options one may have, contact a mesothelioma lawyer for a legal consultation about their rights for those who have been exposed to asbestos.
Mesothelioma Doctors and Healthcare Professionals: Oncologists
Once the initial suspicions of an asbestos cancer diagnosis have been confirmed by a general practitioner, further tests and research to work towards a diagnosis for malignant mesothelioma or asbestosis are performed by medical oncologists who have a more detailed and focused knowledge regarding cancer care.
With their title derived from the term “Oncology,” which is the study of cancerous tumors and hematologic malignancies, an oncologist often plays a central role in the final diagnosis of a type of cancer while usually playing the role of a primary care provider as well.
In order for a doctor to become a certified oncologist, they must graduate from an accredited medical school. Doctors must then enter into both specialist and subspecialist training programs that focus on specific oncological fields, all of which can be filed under one of three general disciplines: medical oncology, surgical oncology, and radiation oncology.
The three fields of oncology are generally dictated by the type of cancer treatment that a doctor wants to specialize in, with medical oncologists focusing on medicinal or chemotherapy, surgical oncologists specializing in treatments involving surgery and the removal of tumors as well as staging techniques and biopsies, and radiation oncologists dedicating themselves to performing various forms of radiation therapy.
When receiving treatment from a cancer center that features a multidisciplinary focus, a number of oncologists from all three fields will be present and working with patients while also conferring in order to produce a definitive diagnosis and treatment plan that may include ideas and procedures from some or all of their respective fields.
While undergoing treatment for mesothelioma cancer, a patient and their family may want to pursue legal action as well if they feel that asbestos exposure that caused the illness was caused by the negligence of a former employer. Contact a mesothelioma attorney who has knowledge about the ins and outs of asbestos laws for a legal consultation if you want to learn more about a possible lawsuit and see if a monetary settlement could be a possible outcome.
Mesothelioma Doctors and Healthcare Professionals: General Practitioners
In many cases, general practitioners are the first line of defense against a potential mesothelioma cancer diagnosis, as they may be the first to encounter any symptoms of the illness.
General practitioners, or GPs, are more commonly known in most households as family doctors. The primary responsibility of GPs is to handle a wide-ranging variety of ailments and conditions, making use of their schooling that teaches them more “big picture” ideas of most medical practices instead of focusing on a specialty.
GPs are also responsible for their patients’ yearly checkups to make sure there are no serious medical problems are making themselves evident. It may be during one of these appointments that the early symptoms of malignant mesothelioma may make themselves known. In such cases, a GP will usually begin evaluating one’s symptoms while also ordering an x-ray, CT, and MRI scans in order to study the pleura. A PET scan may also be ordered in order to see if there are any cancerous cells.
Additionally, many GPs will looking begin the process of looking into one’s occupational history to see if the patient may have been exposed to large quantities of asbestos during their life.
However, if there is reason to believe that asbestos exposure may have occurred, or if cancer cells are detected by the PET scan, the next step for many GPs will be to refer the patient to an oncologist in order to perform more specific tests and procedures as information is gathered before a definitive diagnosis can be decided upon.
For those who are being have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, or any other type of lung cancer, and are in the midst of establishing a treatment schedule, there may also be a desire to do further research regarding what responsibility a former employer may have had in any asbestos exposure that could have caused the disease.
In order to learn more about asbestos laws in place that could require a company to pay a mesothelioma settlement because of a diagnosis, contact a mesothelioma lawyer to learn more about what a lawsuit would require.
Living with Mesothelioma: Hospice Education Institute
Founded in 1985 as an independent non-profit organization, the Hospice Education Institute seeks to help members of the public who have been affected in some way by any type of cancer, including lung cancers such as malignant mesothelioma, by providing information to connect them with any of the 3,000 local hospice and palliative care programs across the country.
Because a majority of mesothelioma cases are unable to be stopped through curative therapy and are instead best managed by palliative therapies to extend life and alleviate pain, hospices are often utilized to handle a majority of patients. Care can be offered in the home, a hospital, or in a nursing home depending on the age of the patient and the stage the disease is in.
In order to help patients and their families find the appropriate hospice to help them receive care for their illness, the HEI offers HOSPICELINK, a program that continually updates a computerized database and directory of all hospice and palliative care programs across the country.
In addition to offering a free telephone number (800-331-1620) for patients and their families to call and get information on different programs as well as referrals, HOSPICELINK also acts as an outlet for those affected by cancer to discuss their worries and share their experiences through a “sympathetic listening” program. Patients and caregivers are encouraged to discuss the concerns and uncertainties they are facing as they deal with mesothelioma and other cancers with other people are going through similar issues and worries.
HOSPICELINK also offers a number of seminars in 31 states that are led by international experts in hospice and palliative care. Education grants and small gift programs for patients enduring non-medical needs are also offered through the program.
For mesothelioma cancer patients who are receiving hospice or palliative care, there may be a desire to get back at a product or former employer that may have knowingly exposed them to asbestos despite knowing of its dangers. In such cases, asbestos laws in place may dictate that the patient is entitled to a settlement.
In order to learn your rights regarding a possible asbestos lawsuit, please contact a mesothelioma lawyer for a legal consultation on the matter.
Diagnosed with Mesothelioma: Imaging Studies
During the initial visits to a medical professional in order to find out if a patient is suffering from mesothelioma cancer, some of the first tests that are scheduled are done in an attempt to get a clear look at the organs inside the chest through multiple imaging studies. Utilizing a number of technologies and different scan methods, the size, location, and stage of any tumors can be located and studied so a treatment schedule can be developed.
When asbestosis or some type of lung cancer is suspected by a doctor, a basic chest x-ray is among the first tests that are prescribed along with a pulmonary function test in order to detect any differences in lung function while checking for any scarring, lesions, or excessive liquid build up around the pleura.
In addition to a basic x-ray, some doctors may also call for a Computed Tomography scan, or a CT scan. Using a donut-shaped x-ray machine that the patient is slowly led through while lying down, the scan is more effective in not only diagnosing a more precise size of any tumor or abnormality that could be a sign of malignant mesothelioma, but can also detect any differences in tissue density.
The use of Positron Emission Tomography scans, or PET scans, can be utilized to help with a diagnosis as well. After receiving an injection of radioactive molecules that highlights glucose usage in the body, tumors can be quickly noted on the scan because they utilize more glucose than other tissues in the body.
Along with a patient’s medical record, and the knowledge of any symptoms that may be manifesting themselves, the addition of imaging studies and a biopsy are usually among the more important pieces of data used by multidisciplinary teams of doctors when determining a final diagnosis for all types of cancer, including malignant mesothelioma.
Because the inhalation of asbestos fibers is far and away the leading cause of most types of mesothelioma – and factoring in the widespread usage of asbestos by many companies until the 1980’s, despite data showing it was deadly to those who inhale it – there may be reason for a patient to pursue legal action in the hopes of receiving a mesothelioma settlement. In order to learn about your legal rights and options regarding a lawsuit, contact a mesothelioma attorney who has the most up to date information regarding asbestos law for a legal consultation.
Diagnosed with Mesothelioma: Blood Testing
Blood tests are one of the many diagnostic evaluations that doctors perform when gathering information to diagnose a potential mesothelioma cancer case. They are usually accompanied with imaging studies of the chest to detect any abnormalities in the chest and a biopsy to find out if any tumors that are found may be malignant.
During testing that us undergone before a diagnosis, blood tests are often taken to serve a number of purposes. An uncontaminated blood sample is usually stored by a doctor so it can be referenced in the future once any treatments have begun.
Additionally, blood tests that are taken from a patient are also put through a number of diagnostics in order to determine the presence of any infections, diseases, or general health problems that either are a symptom of cancer or could provide an additional health risk in the event of a diagnosis.
When testing a potential mesothelioma patient, their blood is also screened for elevated levels of osteopontin. A protein made up primarily of amino acids that is an organic component of bone, researchers have found that osteopontin levels increase drastically in the blood during the early stages if malignant mesothelioma.
As newer test are developed to detect high levels of the protein, there may be greater chances of detecting mesothelioma in its earliest stages when there still is some hope of potentially treating it successfully.
Many patients who are diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer can trace the roots of their health problems to a product or former job they held that exposed them to high levels of asbestos despite the fibers’ known dangers to those who inhale them. If you or a loved one suspects that asbestos exposure led to health problems, contact a mesothelioma lawyer to learn about your legal rights and see if you may be entitled to a mesothelioma settlement.
Diagnosed with Mesothelioma: Biopsy
While not the first step in the process of diagnosing a mesothelioma case, a biopsy may be one of the most conclusive steps in establishing a diagnosis following x-rays, lung function tests, fluid removal, and blood testing.
A biopsy is a minor surgical process in which a doctor removes a sample of the tissue from a tumor that has been found so it can be examined under a microscope by a pathologist in order to determine if it is cancerous. If the growth is found to be cancerous, a biopsy can also determine whether it is mesothelioma cancer or another type of lung cancer that may require different treatments.
There are different methods that a surgeon can use when performing a biopsy. A fine needle aspiration biopsy is performed when a doctor uses a syringe and fine needle to remove a small piece of a tumor. In many cases, the fine needle method is used to make a general distinction as to whether a mass is a benign tumor or cyst, or related to another medical problem or infection that may not be related to cancer.
A core needle biopsy, or a Tru-Cut biopsy, is an outpatient procedure in which a 1.5 millimeter cylindrical tissue sample is removed from a tumor for study. The process requires the patient to go under using general anesthesia, and is considered to be less invasive than a more traditional incisional biopsy. In many cases, a patient is able to go home immediately following the procedure.
An incisional biopsy usually requires a one-day admission into a hospital and is used less than it was years ago before the invention of less invasive methods. For this method, surgeons must cut through the skin to remove a section of the tumor that is then studied under a microscope.
For patients who are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, there may be asbestos laws in place that entitle you or your loved ones to a mesothelioma settlement from companies or former employers that knowingly exposed them to the dangerous substance. In order to learn more about your legal rights contact a mesothelioma attorney for a legal consultation and see if a lawsuit could be a possibility.
Benefits of Companion Pets: Animal Assisted Activities/Therapy
Because malignant mesothelioma is usually a terminal disease that can be very aggressive in many cases, it may be hard to find much to feel positive about following a diagnosis. However, in addition to attending therapy sessions and meetings with psychiatrists and social workers, Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Therapy are also used as a means to brighten a patient’s life as they deal with a terminal illness.
AAA/T is meant to utilize animals and well-trained professionals to provide “opportunities for motivational, educational, recreational and/or therapeutic benefits to enhance the quality of life” for patients suffering from painful or terminal diseases.
According to the Delta Society, most AAA/T sessions are usually comprised of casual meet-and-greet sessions in which patients and their families can play with pets under the supervision of a program volunteer. Some examples of what a session may look like are a group of volunteers taking their dogs and cats to a nursing home to assist in activities with the elderly, or pets being brought to a hospital to play with patients who are suffering from life-threatening injuries or illnesses.
Unlike other types of treatments to improve a patient’s mindset, AAA/T meetings do not have specific goals that need to be addressed each session. Additionally, the environment of the meetings – which can last for as long or short a time period as is necessary – are meant to be relaxed and non-clinical. Volunteers are not required to take any notes during the meetings other than signing in and out of the hospital or care center they are visiting.
Mesothelioma cancer patients who feel their illness has been caused by asbestos fibers they inhaled while working for a company that did not put proper safety measures in place may be entitled to a settlement if the company is proven to be at fault. In order to learn more about the legal specific regarding a mesothelioma settlement, contact an asbestos attorney who is aware of the latest laws and decisions that have been made regarding asbestos law for a legal consultation.
Choosing a Mesothelioma Treatment Center: National Cancer Institute
Initially authorized by the National Cancer Act of 1937 as the Federal Government’s principal agency for handling research, training, diagnostics, and the treatment of all types of cancer, the National Cancer Institute has become one of the world’s most accomplished cancer prevention organizations and been part of a number of scientific breakthroughs.
In order for a cancer hospital to become an “NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center,” an application must be evaluated by the NCI via a two-step process. Initially, a peer review must be conducted in order to see if the center fulfills broad scientific and interactive requirements that demonstrate its ability to provide comprehensive care.
The NCI’s scientific requirements for care at a clinic or hospital to be “comprehensive” includes proof that “more than state-of-the-art care and services” are provided along with a “strong research base” for prevention, care, education, information and dissemination activities.
Following the review, the center in question is asked to submit a summary that details all of their community programs, professional outreach, and education services. The programs are also reviewed by the NCI’s Parent Committee to determine whether they show comprehensive care abilities as well.
Once designated as either a Comprehensive Cancer Center or simply a Cancer Center, the hospital is provided with financial support from the NCI, and has its designation re-evaluated every 3-5 years. No difference in the quality of a hospital’s patient care is demonstrated in whether it receives the “Comprehensive” designation, only the type of grant it receives.
The NCI has been involved in research and clinical studies that involve the treatment of malignant mesothelioma. One such study involving the use of pemetrexed, a chemotherapy drug made by Alimta, with the common chemotherapy agent cisplatin, led to patients with mesothelioma living longer and with less pain than previous methods.
Because a majority of malignant mesothelioma cases are caused by exposure to asbestos, laws in place for patients may enable the possibility for legal action against certain companies or former employers that used the fibers. Contact a asbestos lawyer for a legal consultation if you want to learn more about the connection between mesothelioma and asbestos, and have any legal questions about your situation.
Choosing a Mesothelioma Treatment Center: “Magnet” Hospitals
Hospitals and cancer care centers that have been designated “Magnet” status are institutions that had been singled out by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for Nursing Excellence.
The Magnet Recognition Program was established in 1983 after an American Academy of Nurses Task Force surveyed 163 hospitals to programs that retained nurses who provided high-quality care to their patients, and defined the variables (called ”Forces of Magnetism”) that created an ideal environment for them to work properly. Forty-one of the hospitals surveyed were designated “magnet” hospitals, due to their holding of the characteristics.
In 2009, nearly 120 hospitals across the country had received the ANCC designation.
According to the ANCC, Magnet hospitals are designated to recognize institutions that retain nurses who offer quality patient care while providing “consumers with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of care that they can expect to receive.” The rank of an institution in the annual “America’s Best Hospitals" listing is based in part on whether or not it has received a Magnet designation. In 2009, 71 percent of the Top 21 hospitals in the listing were Magnet hospitals.
Mesothelioma cancer patients who are either receiving treatment or palliative care may find themselves often being helped by a hospital’s nurses instead of their primary physicians. Because of this, it is important that those searching for hospitals to provide malignant mesothelioma or asbestosis care look for institutions that have achieved Magnet status.
In addition to looking for the proper forms of mesothelioma treatment, patients and their families may also want to learn more about asbestos laws to see if a possible mesothelioma lawsuit, and monetary settlement, against a company that led to asbestos exposure is a possibility. If you have legal questions regarding a situation involving an asbestos-related disease, contact a mesothelioma lawyer for a legal consultation to learn more information about what can be done.
Choosing a Mesothelioma Treatment Center: Commission on Cancer
The Commission on Cancer Accreditation Program is one of six accreditation/verification initiatives that has been established by the American College of Surgeons, and is the one most closely focused on the care of mesothelioma patients.
The COC accreditation program, which a cancer center can voluntarily apply for, is reserved for institutions that can “provide the best in cancer diagnosis and treatment and are able to comply with established COC standards,” according to the ACS website.
In order to become accredited by the Commission on Cancer, a cancer program must meet 36 standards that detail five distinct aspects of an acceptable program:
1. The service must provide state-of-the-art care from the early stages of evaluation, through diagnosis and past follow-up care for those in need of primary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary care.
2. Goals set forth by the COC regarding activities, care, and patient outcomes at the center.
3. Cancer conferences must be utilized to increase physician education and act as a forum for patient consultations.
4. A quality improvement program must help to improve the outcomes of patients who are treated at the clinic or hospital.
5. The cancer registry and database must be used to monitor the quality of care at the establishment.
Additionally, a COC-accredited cancer program must also offer a minimum set of a basic services for its patients, and receive one of twelve possible “Categories of Approval” that best describe the focus of the cancer care services they offer.
In order to receive approval, cancer center programs must complete an online Survey Application Record that documents the services of their institution. The application is subjected to an independent review by a Cancer Program Specialist team member, and sometimes by a multi-disciplinary Program Review Subcommittee. Based on the compliance with the 36 standards, programs are either denied accreditation, deferred, or receive accreditations that last for three-year terms.
There are over 1,400 COC-accredited cancer programs across the country that handle approximately 71 percent of all newly diagnosed cancer patients.
In addition to searching for an appropriate and properly certified cancer treatment center following a malignant mesothelioma diagnosis, patients and their families may also want to schedule a legal consultation with a mesothelioma attorney to learn about their rights regarding a potential lawsuit in order to receive an mesothelioma settlement.
What is Mesothelioma: An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year
While those who have experience large amounts of asbestos exposure may be frightened by the dire statistics regarding the survival of mesothelioma, they may be able to take some solace in the fact that it is a relatively rare form of cancer and is most common in the later stages of one’s life.
Even taking into account the rise in the number of diagnoses in recent years as those who lived substantial amounts of their life around asbestos products enter their later years, the number of new mesothelioma cases is still rather low. The annual number of new cases usually ranges between 2,000 to 3,000 people and is more common in men than women.
In comparison, the American Cancer Society reported 106,100 new cases of colon cancer – the third most deadly type of cancer - across the country in 2009.
Mesothelioma is almost often attributed to the inhalation of asbestos fibers into the lungs. After irritating the mesothelium, a protective membrane that covers the body’s organs, the asbestos can lead to the creation of malignant cells in the mesothelium lining the chest, abdomen, or heart. Approximately three-quarters of all mesothelioma cases are diagnosed as pleural mesothelioma.
After a diagnosis, which can occur more than 30 years after last exposure to any type of asbestos, the average lifespan of a patient is approximately one year. Because regulations put in place during the 1970’s began limiting the public’s access to asbestos, the number of mesothelioma cases across the country has gradually been in decline during recent years.
However, while mesothelioma cases are declining across the U.S., the same cannot be said for other countries that have dealt with asbestos and mesothelioma are still experiencing peaks in their diagnoses. In Australia, where a number of asbestos mines used to gather the fiber during the twentieth century are located, the amount of mesothelioma cases are not expected to hit their peaks until 2014-2017.
A recently released report from Safe Work Australia found that mesothelioma deaths had generally increased between 1997 and 2007 as well.
Have you been diagnosed with Mesothelioma?
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related disease from workplace or home exposure to asbestos, contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer immediately for a legal consultation. Mesothelioma attorneys have helped thousands of mesothelioma patients win compensation for lost wages and medical costs.
Mesothelioma Causes: Exposed to asbestos for a long period of time
Even after decades of increased regulatory efforts, there are not many places that are completely free of asbestos. In other words, while the substance’s particles have been linked as a primary cause of mesothelioma, altogether avoiding the inhalation of them is still essentially unavoidable.
Instead, one can only hope that the extend of their asbestos exposure, as well as the length of the time period over which they did so, does not increase the likelihood of them ingesting it.
With that in mind, even more than two decades after government initiatives were created to help reduce the amount of asbestos that is exposed to the public there still are many Americans who have regularly been exposed to asbestos throughout their lives and therefore may be at an increased risk of developing mesothelioma.
While asbestos products, or products that contain even small amounts of the fiber, are not always immediately dangerous to humans around them and may be sealed properly, the risk of being affected by asbestos increases drastically when tiny fibers escape into the air and can be inhaled. Once in the lungs, the fibers can eventually cause scarring and inflammation that can lead to the development of pleural disease, asbestosis, mesothelioma, and many other forms of lung cancer.
Because the development of mesothelioma is primarily a result of asbestos exposure, those who have inhaled larger quantities over longer periods of time may find themselves at an increased risk of the deadly illness. For decades before stricter regulations were put in place, workers in construction, ship building, mining, the military, and many other industries regularly inhaled potentially dangerous amounts of asbestos.
Furthermore, many family members or housemates of those who regularly dealt with asbestos also found themselves regularly exposed to asbestos as fibers that were not cleaned off of work clothing found their way into homes. Those living in households located at or near mines or plants that dealt with large amounts of asbestos also may experience long term exposure to the substance and have an increased risk of developing the disease.
One of the most well known, and tragic, examples of long-term exposure to asbestos-related materials and the consequences that come with it can be seen in Libby, Montana. The town, which is located six miles south of sites that were the basis of vermiculite mining operations from the Zonolite Corporation and W.R. Grace from 1919-1990, has seen approximately 400 of its residents succumb to asbestos-related diseases.
According to a recently released report by the Associated Press, residents of the town during the earlier parts of the 20th century regularly saw thin snow-like linings of vermiculite - which consists of a naturally occurring asbestos mixture – that had drifted down from the mining operations.
Combined with a large population of workers at the plant who regularly kept their dusty work clothes near other family members at home, and the contaminated ground that went untreated until the Environmental Protection Agency finally intervened in 1999, the AP reported that 1,500 local residents had asbestos scarring in their lungs.
According to the Center for Asbestos Related Disease, long-term exposure to vermiculite has led to a unique illness seen in the town that has been named Libby amphibole asbestos.
Mesothelioma Causes: Exposed to high levels of asbestos
Along with the risks of developing mesothelioma that comes with being exposed to steady amounts of asbestos over a long period of time, a risk of developing asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis or esophegeal cancer can also increase for people who are exposed to high and concentrated amounts of asbestos products or fibers.
For much of the first half of the twentieth century, products containing asbestos were used in a large portion of military, insulation, and mechanical products that could benefit from its fire retardant qualities. For those who lived or worked in buildings containing the fibers, the risks of asbestos exposure through eroded deposits, or even the water supply, was a distinct possibility.
Even following the reduction of asbestos use for many products, the fibers are still used in many products, albeit in improved casing to limit their exposure to the public. However, breaks in the protective seals could result in asbestos exposure to an unknown number of people and increase their risk of developing mesothelioma.
While its full effect may not be seen for decades, one event that may have exposed millions of people to high levels of asbestos is the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. Reports differ on the extent that asbestos was used as a fire retardant in the building’s construction - but some estimates suggest that up to 400 tons of asbestos fibers may have been released into the Manhattan air and inhaled by those living in the city.
Because of the long latency period of mesothelioma symptoms that can keep the disease hidden for close to 40 years, there has not yet been a significant increase in diagnoses for the illness akin to jumps in mesothelioma cases for those working in mining, military, or construction sites that contain asbestos.
However, that does not mean that there have not been warning signs. On May 17, 2010 Robert Oswain, a police officer from the Bronx who helped in the recovery efforts at the WTC site following the attacks, died of lung cancer at the age of 42. According to the New York Daily News, Oswain’s family suspects that the cancer may have been caused by dust he inhaled while working at Ground Zero.
If you believe you may have been exposed to asbestos causing an asbestos-related disease, such as malignant mesothelioma, you may wish to visit the How Can I Get Tested? section of our website to find more information on the various medical tests available for detecting the presence of asbestos-related illnesses. Additionally, speaking to an asbestos attorney will also help learn more about possibly pursuing a mesothelioma settlement
Mesothelioma Causes: Exposed to Asbestos at a Young Age
Due to the long latency period that often occurs before symptoms of mesothelioma begins to manifest itself in its victims, a diagnosis of the disease may in some cases be related to exposure to asbestos that occurred decades earlier while the patients was a youth.
For years, many children with parents who worked in environments that contained asbestos products were exposed to asbestos fibers that were tracked into the home on clothes that were not properly cleaned following a day of work.
As a result, families connected with industries such as construction, automobiles, shipbuilding, and metal craftsmanship may have exposed their children to asbestos fibers throughout their youth.
In addition to possible exposure at the home, the use of asbestos-containing materials as thermal insulate and in fire-resistant products at schools across the country led to decades-worth of children possibly being exposed to the fiber as well. It was not until the passing of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), a provision of the Toxic Substances Control Act, in 1986 that schools were mandated to inspect their buildings and “prevent or reduce asbestos hazards,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
While efforts have been put in place to limit the number of products that contain asbestos, exposure of the fibers to minors has continued well into the 2000’s. During the 2007 holiday season, a number of popular children’s toys, including the CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit and the Art Skills Clay Bucket were revealed to contain asbestos fibers by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization.
Additionally, in July 2009, a former maintenance supervisor at Harrah’s Las Vegas - sued the hotel and casino after alleging that he had been exposed to asbestos at the hotel during renovations. The hotel had been notified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that they were in violation of a number of requirements involving asbestos exposure and usage.
However, in addition to the health problems that he suspected were caused by asbestos exposure, the employee also alleged that his three-year-old son may have developed respiratory problems from asbestos fibers that were unknowingly brought home on his work clothing.
Were You Exposed to Asbestos as a Youth?
If you were exposed to asbestos while as a youth, you may be entitled to financial compensation. To learn more about your options and schedule a legal consultation, please contact one of our asbestos attorneys for a free, no-obligation evaluation and to see if a mesothelioma lawsuit is a possibility.
Getting Organized: How to obtain medical information for a patient
Prior to a diagnosis of mesothelioma, or a decision on whether or not to pursue legal action, patients will almost always be required to provide copies of their medical records to doctors and asbestos attorneys for reference and legal consultation. While getting a copy of one’s medical records is not difficult, there are details to the process that mesothelioma patients and their families may not be aware of.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) established a set of standards for medical information that required health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses to adopt national standards regarding medical information.
Among the terms in the act, permanent holders of medical data are allowed to release it to the individual that the information is concerning if it is requested. Medical information may also be released by a covered entity for treatment by a health care provider, or for the “payment activities” and “health care operations” of another covered entity without a need to obtain authorization by the individual.
However, information that is not for use concerning the aforementioned reasons - excluding certain limited circumstances that include situations in which the individual is incapacitated - may not be released by a covered entity unless it receives written authorization from the individual.
It is also important to note that most state laws that run contrary to the HIPAA Privacy Rule are pre-empted by the federal requirements and cannot be used as a means to access medical data without authorization.
Medical records may be kept in either paper or electronic form, and can be stored at most types of medical offices. If the records are in paper form, the individual may be responsible for any copy or mailing fees that are applicable.
In order to pursue any type of legal action against a former employer following the diagnosis of lung cancer, mesothelioma, or asbestosis, having full and complete medical records for a patient is required before any work towards a potential mesothelioma settlement can get underway.
Worldwide Asbestos Exposure: Russia
Like India, Russia has also become known in recent years for its attempts to skirt around topics involving the dangers of asbestos as they attempt to maintain a market for one of their largest exports.
According to a study published in the June 2005 newsletter for the European Trade Union Institute’s Health and Safety Department, the former Soviet Union/Russia produced approximately 67.1 billion tons of asbestos between 1900 and 2000 and took over the position as the leading producer of the fibers in 1975.
Production of asbestos and asbestos products has continued into the new millennium as Russia has not yet instituted any types of mesothelioma laws or bans regarding it. In addition to a number of studies from Russian doctors who have gone so far as to declare properly handled chrystotile (or white asbestos) as safe, other lobbyists and media outlets have attempted to frame pressure from the United States and European Union to ban asbestos as an attempt to “westernize” the country.
Despite the prevalence of asbestos throughout Russia, it is difficult to find definitive data on how many Russians are afflicted with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or other lung cancers due to asbestos exposure. According to an unnamed source interviewed for a report from the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat at a Mesothelioma Symposium in 2009, there isn’t public information available concerning death rates associated with diseases related with asbestos. The reason for doing so, the source adds, is to support beliefs within the country that white asbestos is safe as long as they are not broken.
“But they say nothing about releases into the air which are faced by citizens in the communities nearby asbestos production factories,” the source added.
An article published on Slate in 2009 profiled a town with a population of 76,000 named Asbest. While similar to the town of Asbestos, Canada in that it was developed and sustained almost entirely from work done at a nearby asbestos mine, Asbest still houses an active mine that is owned by the company UralAsbest.
Worldwide Asbestos Exposure: South Africa
After becoming one of the most prominent exporters of asbestos during the late-1800 and 1900s, South Africa has been able to completely shift its stance on asbestos use while transforming itself into an example of how to effectively institute mesothelioma laws and ban the use of the dangerous fibers.
South Africa was a leading manufacturer of asbestos for much of the twentieth century, as many of its mines were owned and operated by British companies including Cape Asbestos Pty, Turner & Newell, and Griqualand Exploration and Finance Company Limited. According to the European Trade Union Institute, asbestos output peaked at 379,000 tons in 1977 before new operations in Canada and Russia created competition and led to the closure of many mines.
Additionally, because many of the European companies did not choose to apply safety standards that would have been required in their homeland, by the 1980s workers in some South African mines were being exposed to more than 250 times the levels of asbestos fibers in the air that workers in British companies were dealing with.
Following the end of apartheid and the desire for many South Africans to rid themselves of any reminders of their British oppressors during that part of their history, the phase out of asbestos from their culture and economy has been easier to get achieved than it has been in many other areas. Following the stoppage of mining in the 2000s, the use, processing, manufacturing, import, and export of asbestos or asbestos-laden materials was banned altogether in 2008.
Additionally, the ETUI reported that 7,500 former miners and their families received the first out-of-court mesothelioma settlements in 2001 from Cape plc for damages caused to their health in asbestos mines. Other mesothelioma lawsuits against companies that ran unsafe asbestos mines have been introduced by former South African miners in the time that has passed since.
Worldwide Asbestos Exposure: England
While the United States, which is finally beginning to see declines in the number of newly diagnosed mesothelioma cases, England has not been as fortunate.
According to the UK-based Health and Safety Executive, England is still in the midst of seeing the number of cases increase gradually on an annual basis. While the total number of deaths attributed to mesothelioma and asbestos exposure was only reported to be 153 in 1968, the figure had skyrocketed to 2,156 in 2007.
The most common victims of mesothelioma in England were found to be men who had worked in construction as electricians, carpenters, plumbers, or heating/ventilating engineers. The HSE concluded that male deaths attributed to mesothelioma would likely increase until peaking at 2,038 in 2016.
The information supported data that had been published in the British Journal of Cancer in 2005 that predicted that mesothelioma death rates would not begin to decline until 2015.
The increase in cases may be due in part to the history of industrial labor that was predominant in much of the country for most of the twentieth century that likely included the creation of a number of products that utilized asbestos and led to workers inhaling the fibers.
Similarly, the town of Armley in Leeds that housed an asbestos factory for J W Roberts until 1950 exposed many of its residents to high quantities of asbestos on a regular basis. According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, the asbestos dust that was regularly shot out of the building was so abundant that children would make “snowballs” using the dust and play games with them
Following bans of Blue and Brown asbestos products in the 1980s, the European Union instituted additional asbestos laws when it put a ban on all chrystotile (or white) asbestos in 1999. Additionally, the Control of Asbestos Regulations was introduced in 2006 to further limit the use of asbestos-laden products in the workplace and “ensure that the number of his employees who are exposed to asbestos at any one time is as low as is reasonably practicable.”
Despite the numerous examples of the dangers caused by asbestos fibers, many producers of the fibers - including many in Canada - have since attempted to fight the EU’s ban and attempt to block any further restrictions on the fibers’ usage from being implemented.
Worldwide Asbestos Exposure: East Timor
East Timor’s history with asbestos is not as much an example of how exposure to the fibers can come through long-term exposure caused by living near asbestos mines or working with products containing the fiber. Instead, East Timor is an example of the disastrous consequences that can come when countries don’t make concerted efforts to remove asbestos from buildings that used the fibers in their insulation and linings.
Following a vote in 1999 in which residents of East Timor overwhelmingly voted in support of independence from Indonesia, anti-independence militias led violent attacks throughout the country that left a path of destruction across the Republic until it was quelled.
Along with the 1,000 people who were killed in the attacks was a significant amount of buildings that were destroyed and left as rubble. Unfortunately, many of those buildings had been built in the 1960s or 1970s and contained asbestos that was released into the air.
The problem only worsened when workers paid minimal wages sent in by The World Bank to help clean up the destruction and remove the asbestos particles were not properly warned of the dangers of inhaling the fibers, or given the proper protective materials and clothing to keep them from inhaling particles in the air. These workers and thousands of others, had an increased risk of developing an asbestos-related disease, including mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure.
Similarly, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor has also been accused of knowing the extent of the danger associated with asbestos in the air, but not taking proper actions to keep workers and residents from being exposed to it. Both organizations have been criticized in the years since the cleanup in the region got underway for mishandling the situation and putting their monetary gain ahead of utilizing safe practices.
Worldwide Asbestos Exposure: Sweden
While a number of countries that are currently suffering from an increasing number of lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis cases due to asbestos exposure caused by mining within their borders, Sweden’s history with the substance is much more brief and limited only to exports used as part of the war recovery efforts in the mid-1900s.
Sweden’s first experiences with asbestos came following World War II when large amounts of it were imported into the country to help build homes and ships. However, after only a few decades, the first limitations on asbestos use in some workplaces in Europe were instituted in the 1970s. Sweden was among the first countries to accept the limitations and suddenly cut back their usage of the mineral in 1976.
However, the damage caused in the three decades that Sweden saw widespread usage of asbestos had already been done. According to an article published in Industrial Health 2007 titled “Malignant Mesothelioma: Global Incidence and Relationship with Asbestos,” annual new pleural mesothelioma cases among men increased from 15 in 1969 to 89 in 2001 and has hovered near 100 for some time.
Additionally, it was found that the volume of mesothelioma cases were higher in counties that had contained large shipyards.
However, there has been increased optimism that, because Sweden was quick to adopt stricter regulations regarding asbestos in the 1970s, that the number of asbestos-related disease diagnoses was at or near its peak. Because of the long latency period before any symptoms of mesothelioma make themselves known, a 2004 report in the British Journal of Cancer predicted that cases could reach their highest figure between 2003 and 2013 before beginning to decline.
Sweden went on to institute further asbestos laws and ban the use, processing, and treatment of asbestos products in 1982, only allowing it to be used when no better alternative was available. A 2003 report from the Swedish Work Environment Authority found that no new products that use asbestos have been produced in the country since 1996, leaving the few remaining risks of asbestos exposure in the country at sites where old buildings are being torn down.
Worldwide Asbestos Exposure: India
India’s stance on the mining and use of asbestos products continues to be a hotly contested and controversial topic on the world stage because its government’s relative unwillingness to institute any ban or regulatory requirements concerning asbestos.
As a result, many citizens of India are regularly exposed to asbestos fibers while many fear that a health crisis may be on the horizon if nothing is changed.
The problems regarding asbestos and the number of mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other forms of lung cancer in India have been attributed primarily to sudden economic developments that occurred in the last century and led to rapid needs for expansion. However, amid the rushed process of constructing buildings, many of which contained asbestos products, workers dealt with regular asbestos exposure to particles in the air with little-to-no protective gear. In some cases, workers cleaned asbestos fibers that had come out of machines off the floor with their bare hands.
In total, a 2008 report titled “India’s Asbestos Time Bomb” that was published by the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat found that 6.7 million tons of asbestos had been used in India between 1960 and 2006 and had likely exceeded 7 million tons in the time since the period the data was taken.
While India’s Supreme Court has ordered that the country to abide by asbestos restrictions set in place by International Labour Organization regulations in 2006, the government still chose not to comply, leading some to believe that the decision was influenced by asbestos stakeholders in both India and Canada. The avoidance of the regulations was only one of many examples of India’s state and local governments holding off on addressing the dangers of developing mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases due to exposure to the fibers.
With no restrictions on asbestos use being implemented in India, a growing number of groups and protestors have ramped up their efforts to show the catastrophic consequences of unregulated asbestos use that could occur in the country in the near future, while also pusing for the implementation of mesothelioma laws. Workers in India continue to be exposed to asbestos both in mines - the IBAS reported that the asbestos cement industry in India had a 9 percent annual growth rate in 2008 – or in homes that were built using the dangerous fibers.
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