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Many millions of homes across the United States contain the construction material, asbestos. This is because, the majority of the 20th century, asbestos was highly regarded for its fire-proofing qualities. Therefore the material can be found in the average American home: the walls, the roofs, chimneys, floor and ceiling tiles, insulation material, ducting and heating systems.
When left undisturbed asbestos is perfectly safe and there is no need to be alarmed. However, if there is any damage or disturbance to asbestos, it can cause asbestos fibers to become airborne. These fibers may be come lodged within an individual’s lungs. Once lodged these hazardous fibers can cause a number of life-threatening illnesses. Such fibers are identified with difficulty as they do not show up in conventional x-rays.
The dangers of asbestos have been known for a considerable period of time. However many manufacturers of construction materials and employers continued to expose homeowners and employees to the material.
The illnesses that are most likely to affect those exposed to asbestos are asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These illnesses and, in particular, mesothelioma is life-threatening as they can take many years to diagnose. Diagnosis is only real possible once the symptoms become apparent. It is a feature of asbestos exposure that symptoms can take many years to manifest themselves. By the time symptoms do become apparent, it is often too late for the doctors to successfully treat the sufferer. That is not to say sufferers cannot be treated but treatment is difficult.
If you or anyone you know have been exposed to asbestos, or have worked in the construction industry, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the person or party responsible for your exposure. A mesothelioma law firm will be able to help you in this case. Filing a lawsuit can be a technical exercise and therefore you should only consider appointing a firm of lawyers who have experience in bringing such cases. A court may award you compensation for the exposure, there could be an award of medical bills, as well as further treatment costs.
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The Legal Background
People who find out that they are suffering from mesothelioma (often as a result of working with asbestos) usually have an excellent chance of recovering substantial money damages -- either from the company that manufactured or installed the asbestos, or from an asbestos victims' trust fund. But these cases can get complex, especially from a medical standpoint, since mesothelioma often shows up 10 to 40 years after exposure to asbestos. Having an experienced attorney on your side -- especially one with a record of success in mesothelioma cases -- can make all the difference. (To learn more about mesothelioma cases, read Nolo's article Asbestos and Mesothelioma Lawsuits: What to Expect.)Finding the right mesothelioma lawyer can be key to your case, but it can also take time and effort. If you are not feeling well, make sure you get help from a consumer savvy relative or friend. As discussed below, you'll get the best results if you do careful research as to a lawyer's qualifications and track record and then interview several. You also may need to bargain as to the amount of the contingency fee and other costs.
Ways to Find the Right Mesothelioma Lawyer
Ask former colleagues. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, chances are good that people who you worked with at the time of your exposure also suffer from it and may have already hired a lawyer and filed a lawsuit. If they have achieved a good result through a lawyer they like and respect, this is one good place to start.Check Nolo's online Lawyer Directory. Some attorneys featured in Nolo's lawyer directory handle mesothelioma cases (full disclosure: lawyers pay a fee to list with Nolo). These attorneys have filled out a detailed profile containing valuable information about their schooling, professional background, legal specialties, and personal attitudes. While there are also a number of other legal directories, we believe Nolo's provides the most consumer friendly information. Go to the Mesothelioma - Asbestos section of Nolo's Lawyer Directory to find a mesothelioma attorney in your area.
Investigate lawyers online. Because mesothelioma cases can be so profitable, many law firms spend big dollars on Internet ads and websites. Just Google mesothelioma lawyer and you'll find a long list. Click on a few ads or websites and you'll see that everyone claims to be the best of the best. How do you cut through all this hype to focus on a short list of hopefully excellent mesothelioma lawyers? We recommend that you carefully read the legal information each lawyer provides. In our experience lawyers who provide well-written, in-depth information demonstrate a superior sensitivity to client needs. By the same token, we distrust lawyers who say little more than "I can get you millions pronto -- trust me."
How to Choose the Right Mesothelioma Lawyer
Check a lawyer's references. A good mesothelioma lawyer should be able to provide you with the name and contact information of a few satisfied clients. Of course, the lawyer will have to get the permission of the client, but this can usually be arranged. Although you'll only be given the names of very satisfied clients, it can still be very helpful to talk to someone who has worked with the lawyer you are considering in a mesothelioma case.Interview the lawyers. Once you develop a short list of mesothelioma lawyers, contact their offices (again, get help if you are very ill). Request a case evaluation and, if possible, arrange a personal interview. Ask who exactly will manage your case (often a case manager, who is a non-lawyer in larger firms). Find out who you can call or email if you have questions, and how long it will take to get back to you. Anticipating these questions, many law firms will give you a written overview of what to expect. Especially if it's detailed and guarantees that all calls and emails will be returned in 24 hours, this is a good sign.
Negotiate fees with the lawyer. Mesothelioma lawyers charge a contingency fee for their legal representation, plus additional costs to prepare your case. One good approach is to contact several lawyers, making it clear that you'll take your time before signing a fee agreement. Your goal is to find a good quality lawyer who will represent you for 25% to 30% of your recovery, instead of 33% to 40%. But keep in mind that mesothelioma cases can be very complex. If you find an attorney who comes well-recommended and has a lot of experience (and a record of success) representing mesothelioma clients, a few percentage points on a contingency fee probably shouldn't dictate whether or not you hire that attorney.
Find out how are costs handled. A good attorney will deduct costs (things like filing fees and expert witnesses' compensation) off the top of any settlement or award, before the money is divided and the attorney takes their agreed-upon percentage. That way you and the attorney share payment of the costs. And a good attorney will give you receipts showing that all costs incurred were specific to your case -- meaning you're not being saddled with part of the bill for the firm's general operating expenses.
Mesothelioma (or, more precisely, malignant mesothelioma) is a rare form of cancer that develops from cells of the mesothelium, the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. Mesothelioma is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos.[1] The most common anatomical site for mesothelioma is the pleura (the outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it can also arise in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the pericardium (the sac that surrounds the heart),[2] or the tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testis).
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers, or were exposed to airborne asbestos dust and fibers in other ways. Washing clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos also creates a risk for developing mesothelioma.[3] Unlike lung cancer, there seems to be no association between mesothelioma and tobacco smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos-induced cancers.[4]
Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall), chest wall pain, and constitutional signs such as unexplained weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected based on chest X-ray and CT scan findings, but must be confirmed either by examining serous effusion cytology or with a biopsy (removing a sample of the suspicious tissue). A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to acquire biopsy material, and allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (a procedure called pleurodesis), preventing more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, mesothelioma carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms or signs of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years (or more) after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space (pleural effusion) are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.[5]Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.
Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:[5]
- Chest wall pain
- Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue or anemia
- Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
- Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)
Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain
- Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
- A mass in the abdomen
- Problems with bowel function
- Weight loss
- Blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
- Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
- Jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
- Low blood sugar level
- Pleural effusion
- Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
- Severe ascites
Cause
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma.[6] In the United States, asbestos is the major cause of malignant mesothelioma[7] and has been considered "indisputably"[8] associated with the development of mesothelioma. Indeed, the relationship between asbestos and mesothelioma is so strong that many consider mesothelioma a “signal” or “sentinel” tumor.[9][10][11][12] A history of asbestos exposure exists in most cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. In rare cases, mesothelioma has also been associated with irradiation, intrapleural thorium dioxide (Thorotrast), and inhalation of other fibrous silicates, such as erionite. Some studies suggest that simian virus 40 (SV40) may act as a cofactor in the development of mesothelioma. This has been confirmed in animal studies,[13][14] but studies in humans are inconclusive.[13][15][16]Asbestos was known in antiquity, but it was not mined and widely used commercially until the late 19th century. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not publicly known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the official position of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. EPA is that protections and "permissible exposure limits" required by U.S. regulations, while adequate to prevent most asbestos-related non-malignant disease, they are not adequate to prevent or protect against asbestos-related cancers such as mesothelioma.[17] Likewise, the British Government's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states formally that any threshold for mesothelioma must be at a very low level and it is widely agreed that if any such threshold does exist at all, then it cannot currently be quantified. For practical purposes, therefore, HSE assumes that no such "safe" threshold exists. Others have noted as well that there is no evidence of a threshold level below which there is no risk of mesothelioma.[18] There appears to be a linear, dose-response relationship, with increasing dose producing increasing disease.[19] Nevertheless, mesothelioma may be related to brief, low level or indirect exposures to asbestos.[8] The dose necessary for effect appears to be lower for asbestos-induced mesothelioma than for pulmonary asbestosis or lung cancer.[8] Again, there is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos as it relates to increased risk of mesothelioma.
The duration of exposure to asbestos causing mesothelioma can be short. For example, cases of mesothelioma have been documented with only 1–3 months of exposure.[20][21] People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
Latency, the time from first exposure to manifestation of disease, is prolonged in the case of mesothelioma. It is virtually never less than fifteen years and peaks at 30–40 years.[8] In a review of occupationally related mesothelioma cases, the median latency was 32 years.[22] Based upon the data from Peto et al., the risk of mesothelioma appears to increase to the third or fourth power from first exposure.[19]
Environmental exposures
Incidence of mesothelioma had been found to be higher in populations living near naturally occurring asbestos. For example, in central Cappadocia, Turkey, mesothelioma was causing 50% of all deaths in three small villages—Tuzköy, Karain and Sarıhıdır. Initially, this was attributed to erionite, a zeolite mineral with similar properties to asbestos. Recently, however, detailed epidemiological investigation showed that erionite causes mesothelioma mostly in families with a genetic predisposition.[23][24] The documented presence of asbestos fibers in water supplies and food products has fostered concerns about the possible impact of long-term and, as yet, unknown exposure of the general population to these fibers.Occupational
Exposure to asbestos fibers has been recognized as an occupational health hazard since the early 20th century. Numerous epidemiological studies have associated occupational exposure to asbestos with the development of pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening, asbestosis, carcinoma of the lung and larynx, gastrointestinal tumors, and diffuse malignant mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, gaskets, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation.Commercial asbestos mining at Wittenoom, Western Australia, occurred between 1945 and 1966. A cohort study of miners employed at the mine reported that while no deaths occurred within the first 10 years after crocidolite exposure, 85 deaths attributable to mesothelioma had occurred by 1985. By 1994, 539 reported deaths due to mesothelioma had been reported in Western Australia.
Paraoccupational secondary exposure
Family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos related diseases.[25][26] This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibres, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.Asbestos in buildings
Many building materials used in both public and domestic premises prior to the banning of asbestos may contain asbestos. Those performing renovation works or DIY activities may expose themselves to asbestos dust. In the UK use of Chrysotile asbestos was banned at the end of 1999. Brown and blue asbestos was banned in the UK around 1985. Buildings built or renovated prior to these dates may contain asbestos materials.Diagnosis
Generally, a biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. A doctor removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. Alternatively, the chest surgeon might directly open the chest (thoracotomy). If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a laparoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small incision in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
Immunohistochemical studies play an important role for the pathologist in differentiating malignant mesothelioma from neoplastic mimics. There are numerous tests and panels available. No single test is perfect for distinguishing mesothelioma from carcinoma or even benign versus malignant. Currently, there is no FDA approved immunohistochemistry assay for the diagnosis of mesothelioma so different cancer centers use different panels.
| Positive | Negative |
| EMA (epithelial membrane antigen) in a membranous distribution | CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) |
| WT1 (Wilms' tumour 1) | B72.3 |
| Calretinin[5] | MOC-3 1 |
| Mesothelin-1 | CD15 |
| Cytokeratin 5/6[5] | Ber-EP4 |
| HBME-1 (human mesothelial cell 1) | TTF-1 (thyroid transcription factor-1) |
Staging
Staging of mesothelioma is based on the recommendation by the International Mesothelioma Interest Group.[28] TNM classification of the primary tumor, lymph node involvement, and distant metastasis is performed. Mesothelioma is staged Ia–IV (one-A to four) based on the TNM status.[28][29]Screening
There is no universally agreed protocol for screening people who have been exposed to asbestos. Screening tests might diagnose mesothelioma earlier than conventional methods thus improving the survival prospects for patients. The serum osteopontin level might be useful in screening asbestos-exposed people for mesothelioma. The level of soluble mesothelin-related protein is elevated in the serum of about 75% of patients at diagnosis and it has been suggested that it may be useful for screening.[30] Doctors have begun testing the Mesomark assay which measures levels of soluble mesothelin-related proteins (SMRPs) released by diseased mesothelioma cells.[31]Pathophysiology
Pleural contamination with asbestos or other mineral fibers has been shown to cause cancer. Long thin asbestos fibers (blue asbestos, amphibole fibers) are more potent carcinogens than "feathery fibers" (chrysotile or white asbestos fibers).[8] However, there is now evidence that smaller particles may be more dangerous than the larger fibers. They remain suspended in the air where they can be inhaled, and may penetrate more easily and deeper into the lungs. "We probably will find out a lot more about the health aspects of asbestos from [the World Trade Center attack], unfortunately," said Dr. Alan Fein, chief of pulmonary and critical-care medicine at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System. Dr. Fein has treated several patients for "World Trade Center syndrome" or respiratory ailments from brief exposures of only a day or two near the collapsed buildings.[32]
Mesothelioma development in rats has been demonstrated following intra-pleural inoculation of phosphorylated chrysotile fibers. It has been suggested that in humans, transport of fibers to the pleura is critical to the pathogenesis of mesothelioma. This is supported by the observed recruitment of significant numbers of macrophages and other cells of the immune system to localized lesions of accumulated asbestos fibers in the pleural and peritoneal cavities of rats. These lesions continued to attract and accumulate macrophages as the disease progressed, and cellular changes within the lesion culminated in a morphologically malignant tumor.
Experimental evidence suggests that asbestos acts as a complete carcinogen with the development of mesothelioma occurring in sequential stages of initiation and promotion. The molecular mechanisms underlying the malignant transformation of normal mesothelial cells by asbestos fibers remain unclear despite the demonstration of its oncogenic capabilities (see next-but-one paragraph). However, complete in vitro transformation of normal human mesothelial cells to malignant phenotype following exposure to asbestos fibers has not yet been achieved. In general, asbestos fibers are thought to act through direct physical interactions with the cells of the mesothelium in conjunction with indirect effects following interaction with inflammatory cells such as macrophages.
Analysis of the interactions between asbestos fibers and DNA has shown that phagocytosed fibers are able to make contact with chromosomes, often adhering to the chromatin fibers or becoming entangled within the chromosome. This contact between the asbestos fiber and the chromosomes or structural proteins of the spindle apparatus can induce complex abnormalities. The most common abnormality is monosomy of chromosome 22. Other frequent abnormalities include structural rearrangement of 1p, 3p, 9p and 6q chromosome arms.
Common gene abnormalities in mesothelioma cell lines include deletion of the tumor suppressor genes:
- Neurofibromatosis type 2 at 22q12
- P16INK4A
- P14ARF
- Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes
- Activation of oncogenes
- Activation of proto-oncogenes due to incorporation of foreign DNA containing a promoter region
- Activation of DNA repair enzymes, which may be prone to error
- Activation of telomerase
- Prevention of apoptosis
Asbestos also may possess immunosuppressive properties. For example, chrysotile fibres have been shown to depress the in vitro proliferation of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes, suppress natural killer cell lysis and significantly reduce lymphokine-activated killer cell viability and recovery. Furthermore, genetic alterations in asbestos-activated macrophages may result in the release of potent mesothelial cell mitogens such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) which in turn, may induce the chronic stimulation and proliferation of mesothelial cells after injury by asbestos fibres.
Treatment
The prognosis for malignant mesothelioma remains disappointing, although there have been some modest improvements in prognosis from newer chemotherapies and multimodality treatments.[33] Treatment of malignant mesothelioma at earlier stages has a better prognosis, but cures are exceedingly rare. Clinical behavior of the malignancy is affected by several factors including the continuous mesothelial surface of the pleural cavity which favors local metastasis via exfoliated cells, invasion to underlying tissue and other organs within the pleural cavity, and the extremely long latency period between asbestos exposure and development of the disease. The histological subtype and the patient's age and health status also help predict prognosis. The epithelioid histology responds better to treatment and has a survival advantage over sarcomatoid histology.[34]Surgery
Surgery, by itself, has proved disappointing. In one large series, the median survival with surgery (including extrapleural pneumonectomy) was only 11.7 months.[33] However, research indicates varied success when used in combination with radiation and chemotherapy (Duke, 2008), or with one of the latter. A pleurectomy/decortication is the most common surgery, in which the lining of the chest is removed. Less common is an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), in which the lung, lining of the inside of the chest, the hemi-diaphragm and the pericardium are removed.Radiation
For patients with localized disease, and who can tolerate a radical surgery, radiation can be given post-operatively as a consolidative treatment. The entire hemi-thorax is treated with radiation therapy, often given simultaneously with chemotherapy. Delivering radiation and chemotherapy after a radical surgery has led to extended life expectancy in selected patient populations. It also can induce severe side-effects, including fatal pneumonitis.[35] As part of a curative approach to mesothelioma, radiotherapy is commonly applied to the sites of chest drain insertion, in order to prevent growth of the tumor along the track in the chest wall.Although mesothelioma is generally resistant to curative treatment with radiotherapy alone, palliative treatment regimens are sometimes used to relieve symptoms arising from tumor growth, such as obstruction of a major blood vessel. Radiation therapy when given alone with curative intent has never been shown to improve survival from mesothelioma. The necessary radiation dose to treat mesothelioma that has not been surgically removed would be very toxic.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the only treatment for mesothelioma that has been proven to improve survival in randomised and controlled trials. The landmark study published in 2003 by Vogelzang and colleagues compared cisplatin chemotherapy alone with a combination of cisplatin and pemetrexed (brand name Alimta) chemotherapy in patients who had not received chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma[36] previously and were not candidates for more aggressive "curative" surgery.[37] This trial was the first to report a survival advantage from chemotherapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma, showing a statistically significant improvement in median survival from 10 months in the patients treated with cisplatin alone to 13.3 months in the group of patients treated with cisplatin in the combination with pemetrexed and who also received supplementation with folate and vitamin B12. Vitamin supplementation was given to most patients in the trial and pemetrexed related side effects were significantly less in patients receiving pemetrexed when they also received daily oral folate 500mcg and intramuscular vitamin B12 1000mcg every 9 weeks compared with patients receiving pemetrexed without vitamin supplementation. The objective response rate increased from 20% in the cisplatin group to 46% in the combination pemetrexed group. Some side effects such as nausea and vomiting, stomatitis, and diarrhoea were more common in the combination pemetrexed group but only affected a minority of patients and overall the combination of pemetrexed and cisplatin was well tolerated when patients received vitamin supplementation; both quality of life and lung function tests improved in the combination pemetrexed group. In February 2004, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved pemetrexed for treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. However, there are still unanswered questions about the optimal use of chemotherapy, including when to start treatment, and the optimal number of cycles to give.Cisplatin in combination with raltitrexed has shown an improvement in survival similar to that reported for pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin, but raltitrexed is no longer commercially available for this indication. For patients unable to tolerate pemetrexed, cisplatin in combination with gemcitabine or vinorelbine is an alternative, or vinorelbine on its own, although a survival benefit has not been shown for these drugs. For patients in whom cisplatin cannot be used, carboplatin can be substituted but non-randomised data have shown lower response rates and high rates of haematological toxicity for carboplatin-based combinations, albeit with similar survival figures to patients receiving cisplatin.[38]
In January 2009, the United States FDA approved using conventional therapies such as surgery in combination with radiation and or chemotherapy on stage I or II Mesothelioma after research conducted by a nationwide study by Duke University concluded an almost 50 point increase in remission rates.
Immunotherapy
Treatment regimens involving immunotherapy have yielded variable results. For example, intrapleural inoculation of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in an attempt to boost the immune response, was found to be of no benefit to the patient (while it may benefit patients with bladder cancer). Mesothelioma cells proved susceptible to in vitro lysis by LAK cells following activation by interleukin-2 (IL-2), but patients undergoing this particular therapy experienced major side effects. Indeed, this trial was suspended in view of the unacceptably high levels of IL-2 toxicity and the severity of side effects such as fever and cachexia. Nonetheless, other trials involving interferon alpha have proved more encouraging with 20% of patients experiencing a greater than 50% reduction in tumor mass combined with minimal side effects.Heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy
This technique is used in conjunction with surgery,[39] including in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.[40] The surgeon removes as much of the tumor as possible followed by the direct administration of a chemotherapy agent, heated to between 40 and 48°C, in the abdomen. The fluid is perfused for 60 to 120 minutes and then drained. High concentrations of selected drugs are then administered into the abdominal and pelvic surfaces. Heating the chemotherapy treatment increases the penetration of the drugs into tissues. Also, heating itself damages the malignant cells more than the normal cells.Multimodality therapy
All of the standard approaches to treating solid tumors—radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery—have been investigated in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Although surgery, by itself, is not very effective, surgery combined with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation (trimodality therapy) has produced significant survival extension (3–14 years) among patients with favorable prognostic factors.[41] However, other large series of examining multimodality treatment have only demonstrated modest improvement in survival (median survival 14.5 months and only 29.6% surviving 2 years).[33] Reducing the bulk of the tumor with cytoreductive surgery is key to extending survival. Two surgeries have been developed: extrapleural pneumonectomy and pleurectomy/decortication. The indications for performing these operations are unique. The choice of operation namely depends on the size of the patient's tumor. This is an important consideration because tumor volume has been identified as a prognostic factor in mesothelioma.[42] Pleurectomy/decortication spares the underlying lung and is performed in patients with early stage disease when the intention is to remove all gross visible tumor (macroscopic complete resection), not simply palliation.[43] Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a more extensive operation that involves resection of the parietal and visceral pleurae, underlying lung, ipsilateral diaphragm, and ipsilateral pericardium. This operation is indicated for a subset of patients with more advanced tumors, who can tolerate a pneumonectomy.[44]Alternative medicine
The medicinal plant Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has long been used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine. An extract of this plant, Withaferin A (WA), has been tested in vitro and in vivo as a treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). The authors of these tests have concluded that their data "convincingly demonstrate that WA targets multiple pathways to suppress MPM growth in vitro and in vivo, and underscore its potential as a future anti-MPM therapy".[45] Ashwagandha extracts are commercially manufactured and widely available.Epidemiology
Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. The incidence rate varies from one country to another, from a low rate of less than 1 per 1,000,000 in Tunisia and Morocco, to the highest rate in Britain, Australia and Belgium: 30 per 1,000,000 per year.[46] For comparison, populations with high levels of smoking can have a lung cancer incidence of over 1,000 per 1,000,000. Incidence of malignant mesothelioma currently ranges from about 7 to 40 per 1,000,000 in industrialized Western nations, depending on the amount of asbestos exposure of the populations during the past several decades.[47] It has been estimated that incidence may have peaked at 15 per 1,000,000 in the United States in 2004. Incidence is expected to continue increasing in other parts of the world. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. Approximately one fifth to one third of all mesotheliomas are peritoneal.Between 1940 and 1979, approximately 27.5 million people were occupationally exposed to asbestos in the United States.[48] Between 1973 and 1984, the incidence of pleural mesothelioma among Caucasian males increased 300%. From 1980 to the late 1990s, the death rate from mesothelioma in the USA increased from 2,000 per year to 3,000, with men four times more likely to acquire it than women.
The incidence of peritoneal mesothelioma is 0.5–3.0 per million per year in men, and 0.2–2.0 per million per year in women.[49]
Society and culture
Notable cases
Mesothelioma, though rare, has had a number of notable patients:- Bernie Banton, an Australian workers' rights activist, fought a long battle for compensation from James Hardie after he contracted mesothelioma after working for that company. He claimed James Hardie knew of the dangers of asbestos before he began work with the substance making insulation for power stations. Mesothelioma eventually took his life along with his brothers and hundreds of James Hardie workers. James Hardie made an undisclosed settlement with Banton only when his mesothelioma had reached its final stages and he was expected to have no more than 48 hours to live. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd mentioned Banton's extended struggle in his acceptance speech after winning the 2007 Australian federal election.
- Bob Bellear, Australian anti-racism activist, died in 2005.
- Frank Bender, American forensic sculptor and co-founder of the Vidocq Society, died in 2011.
- Michael G. Coney, British science fiction writer, responsible for nearly 100 works, died in 2005.
- Paul Gleason, American film and television actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of Principal Richard Vernon in the 1985 film The Breakfast Club, died in 2006.
- Christie Hennessy, the influential Irish singer-songwriter, died of mesothelioma in 2007, and had stridently refused to accept the prognosis in the weeks before his death.[50] Hennessy's mesothelioma has been attributed to his younger years spent working on building sites in London.[51]
- Richard J. Herrnstein, psychologist and co-author of The Bell Curve, died in 1994.
- Harold Hopkins, Australian actor who appeared in films such as The Club, Don's Party, Gallipoli, and the TV mini series Sara Dane died from mesothelioma on December 11, 2011 in a Sydney hospital.[52]
- Hamilton Jordan, Chief of Staff for U.S. President Jimmy Carter and lifelong cancer activist, died in 2008.
- Lincoln Hall, pioneering Australian mountaineer and a founding director of the Australian Himalayan Foundation. He had previously survived against slim odds stranded near the summit of Mount Everest with altitude sickness in 2006. He passed from mesothelioma in 2012.
- Peter Leonard, Australian journalist and news presenter from Canberra, died September 23, 2008.
- Malcolm McLaren, former manager of New York Dolls and Sex Pistols, died on 8 April 2010.
- John William MacDougall, Scottish Labour MP, died of mesothelioma on August 13, 2008, after fighting the disease for two years.[53]
- Steve McQueen, American actor, was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma on December 22, 1979. He was not offered surgery or chemotherapy because doctors felt the cancer was too advanced. McQueen subsequently sought alternative treatments at clinics in Mexico. He died of a heart attack on November 7, 1980, in Juárez, Mexico, following cancer surgery. He may have been exposed to asbestos while serving with the U.S. Marines as a young adult—asbestos was then commonly used to insulate ships' piping—or from its use as an insulating material in automobile racing suits (McQueen was an avid racing driver and fan).[54]
- Bob Miner, one of the founders of Software Development Labs, the forerunner of Oracle Corporation, died of mesothelioma in 1994.
- Terrence McCann, Olympic gold medalist and longtime Executive Director of Toastmasters, died of mesothelioma on June 7, 2006, at his home in Dana Point, California.
- Mickie Most, an English record producer, died of mesothelioma in 2003.
- Merlin Olsen, Pro Football Hall of Famer and television actor, died on March 10, 2010, from mesothelioma that had been diagnosed in 2009.
- Paul Rudolph, American architect, died in 1997.
- Sean Sasser, American AIDS activist and cast member of MTV's 1994 reality series, The Real World: San Francisco, died in August 2013.[55]
- Billy Vaughn, American bandleader, died in 1991.
- Bruce Vento, U.S. Congressman, died of mesothelioma in 2000. The Bruce Vento Hopebuilder award is given yearly by his wife at the MARF Symposium to persons or organizations who have done the most to support mesothelioma research and advocacy.
- Warren Zevon, rock and roll musician and songwriter. After a long period of untreated illness and pain, Zevon was diagnosed with inoperable mesothelioma in the fall of 2002. Refusing treatments that he believed might incapacitate him, Zevon focused his energies on recording his final album The Wind, including the song "Keep Me in Your Heart," which speaks of his failing breath. Zevon died at his home in Los Angeles, California, on September 7, 2003.
- Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, former head of the U.S. Navy [56]
- Ed Lauter, American actor and stand-up comedian. Died October 16, 2013.
People who have lived for some time with mesothelioma
Although life expectancy with this disease is typically limited, there are notable survivors. In July 1982, Stephen Jay Gould, a well-regarded paleontologist, was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. After his diagnosis, Gould wrote "The Median Isn't the Message",[57] in which he argued that statistics such as median survival are useful abstractions, not destiny. Gould lived for another 20 years, eventually succumbing to a cancer not linked to his mesothelioma.Paul Kraus, diagnosed in 1997, is considered the longest living mesothelioma survivor in the world.
Legal issues
Main article: Asbestos and the law
Some people who were exposed to asbestos have collected damages for
asbestos-related disease, including mesothelioma. Compensation via
asbestos funds or class action lawsuits is an important issue in law
practices regarding mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).The first lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers were in 1929. Since then, many lawsuits have been filed against asbestos manufacturers and employers, for neglecting to implement safety measures after the links between asbestos, asbestosis, and mesothelioma became known (some reports seem to place this as early as 1898). The liability resulting from the sheer number of lawsuits and people affected has reached billions of dollars.[58] The amounts and method of allocating compensation have been the source of many court cases, reaching up to the United States Supreme Court, and government attempts at resolution of existing and future cases. However, to date, the US Congress has not stepped in and there are no federal laws governing asbestos compensation.[59]
- History
In the town of Wittenoom, asbestos-containing mine waste was used to cover schoolyards and playgrounds. In 1965 an article in the British Journal of Industrial Medicine established that people who lived in the neighbourhoods of asbestos factories and mines, but did not work in them, had contracted mesothelioma.
Despite proof that the dust associated with asbestos mining and milling causes asbestos-related disease, mining began at Wittenoom in 1943 and continued until 1966. In 1974 the first public warnings of the dangers of blue asbestos were published in a cover story called "Is this Killer in Your Home?" in Australia's Bulletin magazine. In 1978 the Western Australian Government decided to phase out the town of Wittenoom, following the publication of a Health Dept. booklet, "The Health Hazard at Wittenoom", containing the results of air sampling and an appraisal of worldwide medical information.
By 1979 the first writs for negligence related to Wittenoom were issued against CSR and its subsidiary ABA, and the Asbestos Diseases Society was formed to represent the Wittenoom victims.
In Leeds, England the Armley asbestos disaster involved several court cases against Turner & Newall where local residents who contracted mesothelioma claimed compensation because of the asbestos pollution from the company's factory. One notable case was that of June Hancock, who contracted the disease in 1993 and died in 1997
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