January 10th, 2010
There are various factors that can affect the prognosis and life expectancy (survival) of mesothelioma patients. Some of the factors have greater affect on the survival of mesothelioma patients than others. The common factors that influence survival and life expectancy of a mesothelioma patiets are:
- Type of mesothelioma: Generally three types of mesothelioma are common and they are pleural, peritoneal (lining of abdomen) and pericardial (covering of heart is known as pericardium) mesothelioma. There can also be other uncommon types of mesothelioma like testicular mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the commonest type which affects the pleura or the lining or the coverings of lungs. Generally patients with pleural mesothelioma lives longer, because it is the commonest form of mesothelioma and most of the research and treatment studies are done on pleural mesothelioma in compare to other less common types.
- Age of patient at diagnosis: Most (more than 75% of total) of the mesothelioma cases occur in older age group of 55 years or above. But recent reports suggest that the average age of onset of mesothelioma is declining, may be due to mesothelioma occurring in secondary exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma occurring in older individuals may succumb to the disease earlier than younger patients due to associated chronic and severe diseases like heart disease or chronic lung disease. The general health condition of older people also less favorable for better prognosis and better life expectancy.
- Smoking: Smoking can reduce the life expectancy of mesothelioma patient to a great extent, especially in pleural mesothelioma patients. Smoking can affect the disease process in a negative way. The ill effects of smoking on health are well known to all.
- The period taken to develop mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos also affects the prognosis and life expectancy of mesothelioma patienst. Sometimes it may take more than 30 years after the last exposure to asbestos to develop mesothelioma. The long latency period can cause difficulty in diagnosing the disease as well as delay in diagnosis. Most of the cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed when it is in the last stage when it may not be amenable to surgery. If diagnosis is in the late stage generally the treatment is only palliative to reduce suffering.
- Psychological aspect: The psychological status of the mesothelioma patient can influence the life expectancy (at least to some extent) of mesothelioma patient, as is the case in most of the chronic and serious diseases. A patient with sound psychology to withstand the serious disease like mesothelioma can have a positive effect on the outcome.
- Other associated chronic and serious diseases as well as the type of symptoms mesothelioma produce can affect the prognosis and quality of life of patient.
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December 7th, 2009
Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, so it is important to know the products that contain asbestos and we use it commonly. There are many products which we use in our daily life, which may contain asbestos and can make us victim of mesothelioma (as mesothelioma can occur if exposed to it only few time in small quantities, although the risk is proportional to the degree of exposure and duration of exposure to asbestos). To avoid getting exposure to asbestos and the risk of developing mesothelioma, it is very important to know which products contain asbestos that we are using regularly and which are part of our routine life.
The following are some of the commonly used products and items that may contain asbestos in them and we should be careful while using these items:
- boiler insulations, brake linings
- cables and wires, ceramic tiles, ceiling tiles, cement, cement (insulating), cement (refractory), some types of clay, some types of cloths, clutches
- emulsions
- floor tiles, fireproofing sprays
- gaskets of different items, gloves (hand)
- joint compounds
- mastic adhesives, millboard
- packing materials, paints, paper, paper tapes, pipe insulation preformed pipe wrap, plaster acoustical, putty (wall)
- roofing papers, roofing felts, roll board
- spackle.
The above are some of the examples of items that may contain asbestos in them. There are many more items which may contain asbestos in them that are not included here. Exposure to any of the list above may increase the risk of developing mesothelioma in the future (may be several decades later).
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November 30th, 2009
Pleural plaques are the most common injury caused by asbestos exposure. Pleural plaques are areas of fibrosis on the inner surface of the rib cage and diaphragm and are often calcified.
While the development of extensive pleural plaques has been shown to restrict lung function; pleural plaques themselves are benign and do not become cancerous.
You may be aware of the legal avenues for mesothelioma and asbestosis sufferers to claim compensation but not be aware of the options for those with pleural plaques. Currently it is not possible to claim compensation in England or Wales for pleural plaques. However, you can claim for compensation through the courts for pleural plaques in Scotland.
For more information and clear helpful advice, we suggest that you contact a professional law firm with experts in asbestos related conditions such as Simpson Millar LLP.
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November 4th, 2009
In the United States more than 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed every year and most of the cases are due to exposure to asbestos due to presence of asbestos in the work place of some indirect exposure to asbestos. It is only natural for the patient to know about the possible prognosis of the disease he/she has developed. The disease may be mild simple viral fever or a cancer like mesothelioma. Even it becomes a duty of the doctor diagnosing the mesothelioma or treating the disease to discuss the possible prognosis of mesothelioma or any other disease and also the probable influence mesothelioma will have on the normal functioning of the patient of mesothelioma.
The factors which may influence the prognosis of mesothelioma are many. The most important factor that influence the prognosis of mesothelioma is detection time, the earlier it is diagnosed the better is the prognosis; unfortunately most of the mesotheliomas are diagnosed when they are in late stage. The time taken by the mesothelioma cancer to become symptomatic is generally long, which is the reason of late stage diagnosis. Another reason for late diagnosis is the less serious symptoms mesothelioma produce and due to the less serious symptoms they may be taken as less serious problem. Due to the diagnosis of mesothelioma in the late stage of disease the prognosis of the disease is generally poor.
Another factor that has influence on the prognosis of mesothelioma is the type of mesothelioma. Generally mesotheliomas are pleural mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and testicular mesothelioma. Different type of mesothelioma have different prognosis, although in general they don’t differ much.
Other factors that may influence the prognosis of mesothelioma are smoking (if the mesothelioma patient is a smoker he/she will succumb to the disease earlier than a non smoker), size of the mesothelioma tumor (the bigger the tumor size the worst is the prognosis), the severity of the associated symptoms (like presence of fluid in lungs as in pleural mesothelioma or abdomen as in peritoneal mesothelioma),
and the location of tumor (which can determine if the tumor can be removed surgically, which if possible can give much better prognosis that tumor that can not be removed surgically).
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August 24th, 2009
If you are suffering from mesothelioma cancer and you are residing in San Diego or adjoining areas, it is important to know about the mesothelioma lawyers in San Diego. There are several mesothelioma lawyers in San Diego, as well as law firms in San Diego. These mesothelioma lawyers in San Diego and other parts of US also deals in many other legal domains along with mesothelioma and its related injuries and compensations.
As it is well known that mesothelioma is caused mainly by exposure to asbestos (and probably only by asbestos exposure). Mesothelioma may develop in individuals even after 30 years of exposure. So practically mesothelioma cancer may arise in an individual anytime in life after exposure to asbestos or its products. Many companies use asbestos in their products and they fail to take appropriate measures to warn their customers and their employees to take precautionary measures to effectively prevent mesothelioma cancer from affecting the individuals (customers who use the products manufactured with asbestos as one the component of the product and their employee who are engaged in production of these products).
Mesothelioma lawyers in San Diego have done great jobs in helping to get huge settlements for their clients and some of the settlements amounting to billions of dollars. The mesothelioma lawyers in San Diego started representing the just causes of the mesothelioma victims (generally workers of factories and offices which produce items which have asbestos in them and sometimes although rarely the users of these products). When the companies or factories of manufacturers of products of refuse to help the victims of mesothelioma the mesothelioma lawyers in San Diego and other parts of US can help in receiving the just compensation they deserve. As the cause of mesothelioma is always (almost always) related to exposure to asbestos. There are incidences of mesothelioma which were seen among other family members of worker of asbestos factory (which may be due to exposure of asbestos which comes to the home of the asbestos factory worker with the clothing of the worker).
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August 12th, 2009
Mesothelioma is a relatively rare cancer, but the outcome of the cancer is not favorable. The treatment options (generally surgical, radiotherapy and chemotherapy options are available for treatment of mesothelioma) that are available at present are not satisfactory.
At NCI (National Cancer Institute) there are certain modalities of treatment procedures are being studied. Several clinical trials (research studies involving people with mesothelioma and normal people without mesothelioma) are being done to find out the best available treatment option for mesothelioma. The clinical trials are for finding out the best ways to use among presently available treatment options and also to try to find out new treatment modalities.
Medical research institutes conduct clinical trials (generally many of them) before a new treatment modality can be declared and recommended as safe and effective for that particular disease. And for many patients participation in these types of clinical trials is an important treatment option, especially if the disease is rare and not curable.
If anybody or any patient of mesothelioma would like to participate in such clinical trials as conducted by ‘national cancer institute’ can find out on their own or they can get all the information regarding clinical trials regarding mesothelioma and other cancers in Cancer Information Service or CIS information database. National Cancer Institute also supply booklet regarding ‘Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies’. This booklet describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the Cancer Information Service or on the internet.
But unfortunately like any other incurable cancer, the chance of finding effective treatment for mesothelioma is also not very bright at present,
nonetheless research is being carried at various research centers across many countries around the globe and some effective treatment option will be found one day.
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