Sunday, July 20, 2008

Prevention


n terms of asbestos, mesothelioma prevention is extremely important to reduce the risks of this serious cancer . Mesothelioma is a fatal cancer that affects the lining of the heart, lung, or abdominal cavity. Mesothelioma has been almost exclusively linked to asbestos exposure, a group of hazardous fibers that were manufactured in hundreds of industries around the world. There are many ways that people to protect themselves against workplace or non-occupational exposure to asbestos in an effort to prevent mesothelioma.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has enacted a number of workplace asbestos regulations to aid in mesothelioma prevention. Under workplace asbestos laws , the permissible level of exposure is 01. fibers per cubic centimeter for an eight-hour work day and one fiber per cubic centimeter in any thirty minute time frame.

Furthermore, workplace regulations to prevent asbestos exposure require employers to frequently monitor and regulate the work environment in addition to providing their employees with protective clothing and respiratory equipment, sufficient hygiene facilities, routine medical exams, and training .

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends a number of steps and precautions people can take to help protect themselves against non-occupational asbestos exposure that may lead to mesothelioma. These mesothelioma prevention methods include, but are not limited to:

Regular inspection and monitoring of asbestos-containing products or materials around the home since asbestos was commonly used in the production of roof shingles, insulation, flooring, and more.

Don't attempt to remove any asbestos-containing materials. It is vital that you enlist the help of an asbestos removal professional who is properly trained to handle the material and can ensure safe removal.

Avoid vacuuming, sweeping, drilling, sanding, or scraping any surfaces that may contain asbestos fibers. Once these fibers are airborne, they may be inhaled or ingested greatly increasing the risk of mesothelioma.

Quit smoking, especially if you work in an industry in which you are frequently exposed to high levels of asbestos. Studies have indicated that asbestos workers who smoke cigarettes have a 50 to 100 times greater risk of dying from mesothelioma or lung cancer.

If you or a loved one is suffering from mesothelioma side effects, it is vital that you seek immediate medical attention at the first sign of symptoms such as chest pains, shortness of breath, coughs, severe weight loss, and more . Early diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma is the best form of prevention and can produce the most favorable outcome of the disease.

Please contact us today to learn more about mesothelioma prevention or to speak with an experienced and qualified mesothelioma attorney FREE of charge.

Types of Mesothelioma


Mesothelioma can attack the pleural lining around the lungs. It can also attack the peritoneum, a tissue that surrounds the GI tract. Mesothelioma can attack the stomach lining, other internal organs, or even the pericardium (the tissue sac covering the heart). Thus, mesothelioma can be generally classified into the following types:

* Pleural — 75% of all mesothelioma cases
* Peritoneal — 10%–20%
* Pericardial — 5%

Mesothelioma can also be classified by the cancer type rather than the location of the cancer:

* Epithelioid — most common, best survival rate
* Sarcomatoid — most severe, but more rare
* Mixed/biphasic — a mixture of epithelioid and sarcomatoid cancer

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

The symptoms of mesothelioma differ somewhat according to the location of the cancer cells. In addition, each mesothelioma patient may have a different combination of symptoms. Tumors that affect the pleura may result in the following signs:

* Wheezing, cough, and/or hoarseness
* Anemia, fatigue
* Bloody sputum
* Shortness of breath
* Chest wall pain, or pain under the rib cage
* Pleural effusion (fluid surrounding the lung)

Mesothelioma in the abdominal cavity often doesn't show symptoms until it's at a late stage. These symptoms may include:

* A mass in the abdomen
* Abdominal pain and/or swelling
* Weight loss
* Bowel problems
* Ascites (an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen)

Treatments for Mesothelioma

Research into new and more effective treatments for mesothelioma is ongoing. There is no cure as yet for mesothelioma. The standard treatments that attempt to hold back the progression of this cancer are:

* Surgery — to remove part of all of the affected body tissues
* Radiation therapy — to target and kill the mesothelioma cells
* Chemotherapy — the use of drugs, injected or taken orally, to kill or stop the growth of the cancer cells

Learn More about Mesothelioma

If mesothelioma has stricken you or your family member, you should learn all that you can about this deadly cancer. Contact us today for a free consultation about mesothelioma.

Related Mesothelioma News

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June 24, 2008 - Children Developing Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Cancer


esothelioma is a dreaded cancer that is nearly always caused by just one factor: exposure to asbestos. It's an unfortunate truth that millions of Americans and people all over the world have been poisoned by toxic levels of asbestos, putting them at risk for mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other deadly diseases that are directly caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers.
Causes of Mesothelioma

Before the grave dangers of asbestos were known, and even for years after the dangers were known, asbestos was used in literally thousands of products that humans and animals encounter every day — particularly in building components such as ceiling and floor tiles, walls, bricks and stucco, and in automotive parts such as brakes and clutches.

click here to find a mesothelioma lawyer

People who worked in the asbestos industry or in fields in which asbestos is used as a component of a product are most at risk for mesothelioma. Many individuals who have mesothelioma labored for years or even decades in jobs that required frequent contact with asbestos. When this mineral is mined, processed, woven, sprayed or otherwise manipulated, its microscopic fibers can be released into the air, where they may be inhaled, initiating the development of mesothelioma.