Robert J. Boumis  |  September 29, 2014

Category: Consumer News

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asbestos lung cancerA small, but important, study of mesothelioma patients has revealed promising data on an aggressive treatment for the deadly cancer.

In the August edition of Annals of Surgical Oncology, researchers looked at the outcomes of 161 mesothelioma patients who had a form of mesothelioma and had a combination of Sytoreductive Surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). In this combination of procedures, surgeons went directly to the site of the mesothelioma inside the body and bathed it in heated chemotherapy drugs. Researchers found encouraging news, Asbestos.com reported.

According to the study, most patients who had this combination of procedures typically survived ten years or more beyond their doctor’s initial prognosis. Additionally, a second procedure continued to have nearly as positive an outcome even if their mesothelioma came back. A second procedure had a median survival time of 55 months.

The study was performed on only 161 patients. This is partially because mesothelioma is a relatively rare cancer and the procedure is somewhat invasive.

Head researcher Dr. Chukwuemeka Ihemelandu stated that “we’ve proven it can be done safely,” and that the procedure is promising, even in the face of recurrence.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that starts in the mesothelia, a group of membranes that surround various organs and cavities in the body. These protective membranes all grow from the same group of tissues in an embryo, though they are scattered throughout the body.

Most mesothelioma affects the pleura, a membrane that surrounds the chest cavity. For this reason, many people mistakenly think that mesothelioma is a lung cancer, since it often starts very near the lungs and causes similar symptoms.

Mesothelioma typically has a very poor prognosis, with only 6 to 12 months to live after the initial diagnosis. And mesothelioma is almost exclusively linked to asbestos exposure.

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that came into widespread use during the Industrial Revolution. The material is effectively fireproof, and heat-resistant, even at industrial temperatures, which led to its widespread use in house construction, shipyards, and even in common vehicle components like break pads. As a result, many people were exposed to asbestos.

It was rapidly discovered that asbestos workers had increased rates of lung cancer and a disease called asbestosis. Asbestosis is disease similar to emphysema, but it is caused by scarring from microscopic asbestos particles in the lungs.

Mesothelioma is among the serious diseases and cancers associated with asbestos exposure. Despite the fact that medical professionals observed a link between asbestos exposure and asbestos cancers like mesothelioma and lung cancer, it wasn’t until the 1970s and ’80s when the material was ultimately phased out and banned in the United States.

Asbestos Mesothelioma Class Action Lawsuits

Asbestos lawsuits have been filed by mesothelioma patients and sufferers of other diseases related to asbestos exposure. These asbestos lawsuits typically allege that various companies exposed their workers to asbestos, despite the fact that the medical community was aware of some of these risks as early as the 1900s.

Asbestos lawsuits by mesothelioma patients and their survivors typically seek to recoup the cost of treatment, as well as lost wages and lost income potential, and legal fees related to their lawsuits.

Asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits have broken records with multi-million dollar settlements, leading some companies that worked with asbestos to set up large trust funds to deal with asbestos settlements.

In general, mesothelioma lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

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If you or a loved one were exposed to asbestos and developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, or cancer in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or chest cavity, you may be able to take legal action against the companies responsible. Don’t delay – in most states the statute of limitations is two years to file an asbestos lawsuit after you’re diagnosed. Obtain a free and confidential case evaluation be filling out the form below.

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