PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA CANCER

Eighty percent of all pleural mesothelioma cases stem from worksite asbestos exposure, says National Cancer Institute

Pleural mesothelioma cancer is a preventable disease.

October 6, 2010 – Pleural mesothelioma cancer represents 75 percent of all types of mesothelioma cases diagnosed in the United States, say medical authorities.

Pleural mesothelioma is a malignant cancer primarily caused by the inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers at an unprotected industrial worksite. According to the National Cancer Institute, a history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in up to 80 percent of all workers diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma cancer.

Occupational asbestos exposure occurs most often when workers in the construction, automotive and maritime industries accidentally inhale asbestos fibers, which imbed themselves in “the pleura,” or the tissue membrane that surrounds the lungs and the chest wall cavity.

Doctors sometimes refer to this disease as “mesothelioma of the pleura.”

Asbestos diseases have a long latency period. Over time – sometimes decades after exposure – these microscopic fibers cause chronic tissue inflammation that eventually leads to the growth of cancerous tumors.

What are the symptoms?

Pleural symptoms. The most common symptom of pleural mesothelioma cancer is chest pain. The pain can also appear in the shoulder or upper abdomen, as well. Shortness of breath is another sign. Coughing, weight loss and anorexia are present in some patients, but are less common.

As pleural mesothelioma cancer tumors grow, they enlarge the pleural space between the lungs and the tissue lining of the lungs, causing the space to fill with fluid. The buildup of fluid (known as a pleural effusion) causes the painful symptoms normally associated with the initial detection of the disease.

Draining the fluid from the enlarged pleural space helps reduce the pain. It is often one of the first medical procedures doctors take when they diagnose pleural mesothelioma cancer in a patient.

The government steps in

Pleural mesothelioma cancer is a preventable disease because it is most often caused by the negligence of employers and asbestos product manufacturers who knew of the health dangers of their products, but deliberately chose fast corporate profits over the expense of maintaining safe working conditions.

Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulate asbestos-containing materials in the workplace and enforce the law governing the handling of this extremely toxic material.

Prior to government intervention and the enactment of worksite safety laws some 30 years ago, thousands of workers endured occupational asbestos exposure on a daily basis.

Many workers (some already retired) are being diagnosed today with pleural mesothelioma cancer because asbestos diseases take decades to develop before recognizable indicators appear. Unfortunately, the cancer can be in a late stage of development by then, offering limited treatment options.

Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C. – Law firm for injured workers

If you worked professionally with asbestos-based products any time in the past, and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease like pleural mesothelioma cancer, you may be eligible for financial compensation under the law.

For a free consultation and case review with a mesothelioma attorney, please use the form on this page. A representative from our firm will respond to all your questions, at no cost.