| > Causes | > What is Mesothelioma? | > What is Asbestos? |
| > Products with Asbestos | > Effects of Asbestos | > Diagnosis |
| > Types of Mesothelioma | > Risk Factors | > Treatments |
| > Do You Have a Case? |
The Baton Rouge, Louisiana personal injury attorneys at Murphy Law Firm handle cases involving asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. Below is some information that may be helpful to you if you were exposed to asbestos or are suffering from mesothelioma.
At some point in our lives, nearly all of us have been exposed to asbestos in the air we breathe and water we drink either from natural deposits in the earth or from the deterioration of asbestos products around us. Asbestos is a toxic occurring mineral that was found in thousands of products-from 1940-1980.
Asbestos exposure is the main cause of mesothelioma. The asbestos fibers are breathed in and when they reach the pleura, the mesothelial layer that surrounds the lungs they cause damage to the mesothelial cells. This can result in a condition called asbestosis, the replacement of lung tissue by scar tissue.
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Mesothelioma is the cancer of the mesothelium, the membrane that lines the interior of the chest and abdomen and surrounds the internal organs.
Mesothelioma mostly affects the pleura but it can also affect the peritoneum and the pericardium. These are the mesothelium of the abdominal cavity and the mesothelial lining around the heart, respectively.
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Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring silicate minerals that can be separated into fibers. These fibers are very strong, durable, and resistant to heat and fire.
Asbestos has been used in thousands of products during the twentieth century. These products range from consumer to building products. It has been estimated that about 30 million tons of asbestos have been used in various products.
· There are 2 main types of asbestos:
- Serpentine – curly and pliable
- Chrysotite – white asbestos, most widely used form of asbestos
- Amphiboles – thin, rod-like, most likely to cause cancer
- Amosite – brown asbestos
- Crocidolite – blue asbestos
Many of the products that are used for thermal insulation or products are subject to high amounts of heat were and sometimes are continued to be manufactured with some type of asbestos. Some of the most common products made with asbestos are products such as automotive brake pads, floor tiles, fire proofing material, pipe covering, different types of insulating materials, and packing materials.
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Exposure to asbestos does not normally cause immediate effects. Most injuries and illnesses are due to exposure for long periods of time. Many times the effects of asbestos exposure can take between 25 to 40 years to develop noticeable symptoms.
Exposure to asbestos can, in many cases, cause a condition called asbestosis, the formation of scar tissue in the lungs. This condition results from the interaction of the asbestos fibers with lung tissue due to inhalation. Asbestosis starts when the body begins its natural defenses against the foreign substances in the lungs. The body begins producing an acid in order to destroy the asbestos fibers. Because the asbestos fibers are very durable, most of the time, the acid has no affect on the fibers and instead scars the tissues of the lungs.
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There are different types of tests doctors may use to diagnose mesothelioma.
- Imaging Tests
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Many times in the case of suspected mesothelioma, the doctor may order a chest x-ray. This x-ray may show some irregular thickening of the pleura in the lungs, mineral deposits, decreased spaces between the lobes of the lungs, and fluid buildup in the pleural space.
Imaging tests such as X-rays, CT / CAT scans, and MRI scans can help determine the extent, size and location of the suspected cancer.
- Fluid tests and other tissue tests
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In cases when patients have a pleural effusion, a sample of this fluid can be removed by inserting a needle into the chest cavity. Using this fluid sample, doctors can test the sample in order to determine its chemical makeup and determine whether cancer cells are present.
If a patient has been found to have a tumor of some kind in the pleural space, a piece of that tumor can be removed using a technique called thoracoscopy. In this procedure, a small video camera is inserted into an incision in the patient’s chest. The doctor then removes a small sample using a set of specialized forceps.
In cases where the patient might have pleural mesothelioma, the doctor may perform a bronchoscopy. In this procedure, a small lighted tube is placed in the mouth, moved down the throat and maneuvered into the lung’s airways. This is done in order to detect if anything is blocking the patients airways.
There are a couple of different types of mesothelioma. They are categorized by where the cancerous cells are found.
| > Pleural | > Peritoneal | > Pericardial |
- Pleural
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This type of mesothelioma affects the pleural lining (the lining of the lungs). There are two main types of pleural mesothelioma, malignant and benign. The benign type can removed surgically and are not typically life threatening. Malignant types of pleural mesothelioma can be very dangerous. Luckily, only about 2,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year.
Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining around the outside of the lungs; the only known cause of this cancer in people living in the United States is exposure to asbestos. This type of mesothelioma is the most common and accounts for about 75% of all mesothelioma cases.
Some symptoms of this type of mesothelioma are shortness of breath, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, chest pains, lower back pains, persistent coughing or difficulty swallowing.
Due to the nature of this cancer, the spread of the tumor causes pleural thickening which can decrease the use of the patient’s lungs.
- Peritoneal
This type of mesothelioma affects the thin membrane that encases the organs in the abdomen. This thin membrane is called the peritoneum. The only known cause for this type of cancer is prolonged exposure to asbestos. It is believed that once the asbestos fibers are inhaled the fibers become lodged in mucus and are in turn swallowed. The fibers are then sometimes lodged into intestinal tract. Another believed explanation is that fibers lodged in the lungs migrate through the lymphatic system into the peritoneum. This type of mesothelioma makes up about 20% percent of all mesothelioma cases.
Some symptoms of this type of mesothelioma are abdominal pain, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal swelling. Due to the nature of this cancer, fluid can often accumulate in the peritoneal space. This condition is called ascites. If untreated, a tumor may grow and cause increasing pressure on the organs which may lead to bowel obstructions. - Pericardial
- Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat
- Chest pain
- Heart murmurs
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing (dyspnea)
- Orthopnea (dyspnea which occurs when lying down)
- Fatigue
- Fever or night sweats
This very rare type of mesothelioma is found in the pericardium, the lining around the heart.
Most pericardial mesothelioma symptoms are caused by the build-up of fluid and the thickening of pericardial layers.
The following symptoms may indicate pericardial mesothelioma:
Risk factors When dealing with mesothelioma there are certain factors that make a person more susceptible to contracting this type of cancer. The main factor is the prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers. A person’s chances of having lung cancer increases 7 fold just by being exposed to asbestos. In a recent study by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is believed that more than 700,000 schools and public buildings contain some type of asbestos material. The people most likely to be exposed to asbestos are miners, factory workers, and any person that dealt with the manufacturing of insulation. Also, since asbestos fibers mostly travel through the air, the families of those people that were exposed to asbestos are much more likely to develop mesothelioma than the average person.
Because of the time frame when asbestos products where mostly used the average age of a person diagnosed with mesothelioma is between 50-70 years old. Also, because much of the work force dealing with these materials were men, men are 5 times more likely to develop mesothelioma than women. Unfortunately, the severity of this cancer and the age at when this disease emerges in patients makes the survival rate of this cancer very low. The average survival time is one year. However, the early discovery of this disease helps prolong the patient’s life. When the disease is found early, approximately half of the patients live for about 2 years and almost 20% live for 5 years after being diagnosed.
A few other causes have been linked to malignant mesothelioma:
- Radiation: A material, thorium dioxide also known as thorotrast, which was formerly used in x-rays as been discovered to cause cancer.
- Simian Virus 40: The virus also known as SV40 has been shown to cause the growth of mesothelioma cells in humans and animals.
- Tobacco: It has been shown that smoking does not directly lead to mesothelioma. Although people who smoke and were involved with asbestos products were 50 to 90 times more likely to develop lung cancer.
- Surgery: This is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The affected area can be removed if the cancer is confined to a relatively small area. The doctor may choose to remove a piece of the mesothelial lining of the lung, the lung itself, or even part of the diaphragm depending of severity and spread of the disease.
- Radiation Therapy: The use of high energy x-rays may be used to kill the affected mesothelial cells. The radiation may be either machine produced or placing items inside the patient that produce radiation.
- Chemotherapy: A common way of dealing with cancer is the use of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill the affected cells. These drugs may either be given in pill form or in the form of a shot.
Do You Have A Case Involving Asbestos Exposure?
If you’ve developed asbestosis, mesothelioma, or asbestos exposure-related cancer, you may be entitled to compensation depending on how long ago you were exposed, where you were exposed and the location of the companies you believe are responsible for causing the illness.
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Many distributors and manufacturers of asbestos- containing products knew about the dangers of asbestos as early as the 1930’s and 1940’s, yet hid this information from the public. Today, workers and their families are paying the price and are entitled to compensation. If you believe you may be at risk, first seek medical attention then consult a personal injury attorney . At Murphy Law Firm, our lawyers specialize in handling pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, asbestosis , and lung cancer cases. We will answer any questions you may have regarding this deadly disease.
Please do not hesitate to contact the personal injury attorneys at Murphy Law Firm or call us now at 225.928.8800 if you are suffering from mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos.
Our Baton Rouge, Louisiana personal injury attorneys have one goal and one goal only; to make sure you were treated fairly after your accident and that you are satisfied with the results of Peyton Murphy and Scott Emonet. We work on a contingency basis which means we do not get paid unless you get paid. We handle cases dealing with personal injuries including but not limited to: auto accidents, 18 wheeler accidents, motorcycle accidents, boating accidents, offshore and maritime accidents, railroad accidents, medical malpractice, class action, defective drugs, defective products, chemical spill and toxic exposure, slip and fall, premises liability, workers’ compensation, wrongful death, asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, and hearing loss. Our lawyers practice law in the greater Baton Rouge area and the surrounding areas including but not limited to: Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Denham Springs, Port Allen, Baker, Brusly, Walker, Zachary, Plaquemine, Prairieville, Dutch Town, and all the surrounding areas.
