Though there is no one clear path to a mesothelioma diagnosis for each patient, it is very important that this rare disease is caught in its early stages of development. After possible exposure to asbestos, seeing your primary care physician for possible testing is the best chance to confirm or deny the contraction of the disease. Continue reading “Diagnosing Mesothelioma: How Can You Identify its Stages?”
Asbestos, which is present in millions of homes, schools and other public building across the United States, is notoriously toxic. It is the only definitively known cause of mesothelioma, a virulent cancer that causes thousands of death annually. Experts on public health and safety have determined that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. Even the slightest exposure can result in serious illnesses, including lung cancer, asbestosis, and a number of other cancers. However, the mere presences of asbestos isn’t a hazard. Rather, it only becomes dangerous when it is friable – a word that means easily crumbled – or when it is disturbed or broken, such as often happens during renovations in older homes and buildings. Continue reading “Safe Asbestos Cleanups – What You Need to Know”
Many patients diagnosed with mesothelioma face an additional challenge – finding an appropriate cancer treatment center for their particular diagnosis. Because mesothelioma is one of the rarer types of cancer, those seeking specialist treatment may have to travel some distance to access the best care. This is especially true for those who qualify for clinical trials and experimental treatments for mesothelioma. Continue reading “Places to Stay During Mesothelioma Treatment for Patients and Their Families”
The passage of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act in June 2016 was widely lauded for providing the first real chance to advance a total ban on asbestos-containing products in the United States since 1989. While most people believe that the use of asbestos has been banned in the U.S. since the 1970s, in reality, U.S. manufacturers still import and use hundreds of tons of asbestos Continue reading “Lautenberg Act and Asbestos – EPA Evaluation of Asbestos Risk”
Mesothelioma is a particularly virulent type of cancer with one known cause – exposure to asbestos fibers. Approximately 80 percent of diagnosed mesothelioma cases can be definitively linked to asbestos exposure, generally over a long period of time, and usually in an occupational setting. However, not everyone who was exposed to asbestos develops the deadly cancer but genetics may affect mesothelioma. Researchers estimate that between 2 and 10 percent of those with heavy, long-term exposure to asbestos eventually develop pleural mesothelioma, which is the most common type of the cancer. Continue reading “How Genetics May Affect Mesothelioma”