Maine Occupational Disease Surveillance Program: Mesothelioma

Intro to the Maine Occupational Mesothelioma Disease program.

The attorneys at the personal injury law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg have decades of experience defending victims’ rights in practice areas that include: accidents/general injury, dangerous drugs, medical malpractice, and environmental pollutants.

NEWS UPDATE:

Read more about how the Maine Occupational Disease Surveillance Program classifies mesothelioma, a serious form of lung cancer stemming from exposure to asbestos.

Malignant mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum is an extremely rare tumor in the general population, but it has been observed to account for up to 10 percent of deaths in several asbestos-exposed cohorts.

The absence of other recognized etiologies for this malignancy makes the diagnosis quite specific for a past history of asbestos exposure. After diagnosis, few individuals with malignant mesothelioma survive beyond one year, regardless of therapy.

Mesothelioma can occur from low-level, transient, and indirect exposure. It shares with asbestos-induced lung cancer a long latency period (decades), but differs from it by exhibiting no association with cigarette smoking.

Major Occupations at Risk

Examples of occupations where there may be asbestos exposure include: