Kim Gale  |  October 26, 2016

Category: Legal News

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Mesothelioma-testA new mesothelioma testcould save lives by detecting the asbestos-related cancer earlier than other diagnostic methods.

Belgian scientists used a new technology known as multi-capillary column-ion mobility spectrometry (MCC-IMS) to run breath analysis tests on 66 people.

MCC-IMS measures the different types and levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breath as it is exhaled into a machine.

These volatile organic compounds exist in a gaseous form at room temperature and include nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, chlorine and sulfur.

Mesothelioma Test Appears Highly Accurate

Doctors in the Departments of Respiratory and Internal Medicine at Ghent University analyzed the breath of 66 people.

Twenty-three of the subjects were confirmed patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung lining most often caused by asbestos exposure.

Breath analysis also was conducted on 22 people who had worked in an asbestos-related industry, but had no symptoms of mesothelioma, and on 21 healthy people who had no known asbestos exposure.

The mesothelioma test was 76 percent accurate at separating the mesothelioma patients from either the asbestos-exposed subjects or the healthy people.

When looking at test results for determining the asbestos-exposed people and the mesothelioma patients, the test was 87 percent accurate.

The study was published in the Journal of Breath Research.

Mesothelioma Test Truly Needed

Mesothelioma cancer is particularly difficult to diagnose because it is usually asymptomatic until the cancer reaches an advanced stage. Xrays, MRIs, CT scans, PET scans, biopsies and blood tests all can assist in the mesothelioma diagnosis.

While mesothelioma cancers can develop in other parts of the body, nearly 75 percent of mesothelioma tumors start in the lining of the lungs.

Asbestos fibers are tiny, easily inhaled particles that can fester for decades in the lung lining, eventually developing into cancer.

Belgian researchers are hoping the MCC-IMS mesothelioma test could prove to be a helpful analysis in the fight against the asbestos-related cancer.

Researchers said, “Breath analysis by MCC/IMS allows malignant pleural mesothelioma patients to be discriminated from controls and holds promise for further investigation as a screening tool for former asbestos-exposed persons at risk of developing malignant pleural mesothelioma.”

Mesothelioma and Treatments

Nearly 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States.

People who work in steel yards, ship yards, auto repair shops, old houses, schools and public buildings are at risk of asbestos exposure.

An experienced mesothelioma doctor can oversee a protocol that works best for someone with this rare cancer.

Mesothelioma specialists can be found in a variety of medical arenas: surgery, radiology, oncology, pathology and palliative care.

Participation in a class action lawsuit could help replace lost wages, compensate for pain and suffering, pay for treatment and hospitalization and other illness-related costs.

Companies that mined, manufactured and sold asbestos products when they knew the risks of asbestos exposure can be held responsible for the subsequent illnesses of employees.

As of 2011, the U.S. Government Accountability Office stated that $36.8 billion remained in asbestos trusts, money allocated to compensate victims of asbestos exposure and their families.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual mesothelioma lawsuit or asbestos class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, mesothelioma lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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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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