Sunday, April 13, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Need to talk about mesothelioma with a lawyer?
If you have any questions or would like to explore your legal rights about asbestos or mesothelioma with a lawyer please contact us by e-mail: mass_haz_zard-kakza@hotmail.com
Mesothelioma Lawyer - Your Legal Rights
Corporations that manufacture asbestos products have known about the dangers of asbestos-related diseases for more than six decades. In an effort to increase profit, they kept this information quiet, putting workers and families at risk.
Working with asbestos causes serious diseases. Unfortunately, many corporations thought they would be able to cut corners and make a large profit at the expense of endangering workers. Fortunately, there are laws that help to protect those individuals that have been harmed by exposure to asbestos-related products.
Working with asbestos causes serious diseases. Unfortunately, many corporations thought they would be able to cut corners and make a large profit at the expense of endangering workers. Fortunately, there are laws that help to protect those individuals that have been harmed by exposure to asbestos-related products.
Coping with Mesothelioma and Serious Illness
A life-threatening illness is terribly emotional. It has a broad impact and affects many people - family, friends and co-workers.
In this section, you can learn more about the stages of life-threatening illnesses and end-of-life decisions that you may face. You'll find of information for adults and children on coping with feelings of grief, frustration and shock. And you'll find out how cultural considerations may play a part of coping with grief.
Click on the links above to learn more about coping, the decisions you face and options for counseling and therapy that may be helpful to you in times of personal and family turmoil.
Message To Families of Mesothelioma Patients Coping With Grief and Loss - From Motley Rice
Coping With Grief and Loss
Many Motley Rice clients and their families have suffered the loss of a loved one due to Mesothelioma or an asbestos-related lung cancer. We often receive requests for advice about coping with loss. There are many resources available, and we have compiled this information while we worked with grieving clients and their families. We hope it will be helpful to you as you work through this difficult time.
When a loved one receives a diagnosis of a life threatening illness, such as Mesothelioma, the patient and his or her family may experience pain and grief before the illness has run its course, and if treatment is unsuccessful, long after the loved one has passed away. Grief is a normal process that everyone goes through, and you should remember that there is no right way to deal with this pain. Each individual experiences grief differently and uniquely, and it can be experienced in many ways - including mentally, physically, socially and emotionally. Sometimes it can cause you to have problems eating, sleeping, and handling every day activities. You may lash out in anger, have difficulty in handling the smallest emotions, or regress into a state where you want to be alone. Grief is not an indicator of how much we loved someone we have lost, or a measure of our worth. Sometimes, it can seem overwhelming, and brings uncertainties about your own life. It is not an end, or the end of the person you have lost. Rather, it is the beginning of the process of healing and accepting the pain of separation. The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone, and that there are numerous resources available to help you work through the pain that you may be experiencing.
Some people must learn to cope with grief before a loved one actually passes away. With a life threatening illness such as Mesothelioma, you may begin to experience grief in anticipation of death. Even as you try to stay focused on treatment and survival, focus will shift from prolonging life to providing comfort and relief to the patient. If treatment is unsuccessful, there will be an interest in the idea of dying with dignity. This is a good time for Hospice to become involved in your care. Hospice treatment is given in the patient's home and is focused on making the patient as comfortable as possible. Hospice care varies, but generally they provide medical care, nursing care, homemaker services, social work services, grief & counseling services, volunteer assistance and spiritual care. Hospice can provide relief and support to family members that have been overwhelmed with caring for a loved one during a lengthy illness and transition them into working through the grief that is to come.
At some point in our lives, we must all experience grief and learn to work through the process. Everyone's grief is unique, and we all handle it differently. It is important to remember that there are many resources out there that can offer help: books, websites, hospice groups, support groups, counselors, priests or other religious figures, family and friends. National organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, AARP, and Hospice Foundation of America offer information and programs that can assist you. There are also local programs in cities all around the United States. All of these can help you to acknowledge your feelings and help you learn to work through them as you move through this difficult time in your life.
In this section, you can learn more about the stages of life-threatening illnesses and end-of-life decisions that you may face. You'll find of information for adults and children on coping with feelings of grief, frustration and shock. And you'll find out how cultural considerations may play a part of coping with grief.
Click on the links above to learn more about coping, the decisions you face and options for counseling and therapy that may be helpful to you in times of personal and family turmoil.
Message To Families of Mesothelioma Patients Coping With Grief and Loss - From Motley Rice
Coping With Grief and Loss
Many Motley Rice clients and their families have suffered the loss of a loved one due to Mesothelioma or an asbestos-related lung cancer. We often receive requests for advice about coping with loss. There are many resources available, and we have compiled this information while we worked with grieving clients and their families. We hope it will be helpful to you as you work through this difficult time.
When a loved one receives a diagnosis of a life threatening illness, such as Mesothelioma, the patient and his or her family may experience pain and grief before the illness has run its course, and if treatment is unsuccessful, long after the loved one has passed away. Grief is a normal process that everyone goes through, and you should remember that there is no right way to deal with this pain. Each individual experiences grief differently and uniquely, and it can be experienced in many ways - including mentally, physically, socially and emotionally. Sometimes it can cause you to have problems eating, sleeping, and handling every day activities. You may lash out in anger, have difficulty in handling the smallest emotions, or regress into a state where you want to be alone. Grief is not an indicator of how much we loved someone we have lost, or a measure of our worth. Sometimes, it can seem overwhelming, and brings uncertainties about your own life. It is not an end, or the end of the person you have lost. Rather, it is the beginning of the process of healing and accepting the pain of separation. The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone, and that there are numerous resources available to help you work through the pain that you may be experiencing.
Some people must learn to cope with grief before a loved one actually passes away. With a life threatening illness such as Mesothelioma, you may begin to experience grief in anticipation of death. Even as you try to stay focused on treatment and survival, focus will shift from prolonging life to providing comfort and relief to the patient. If treatment is unsuccessful, there will be an interest in the idea of dying with dignity. This is a good time for Hospice to become involved in your care. Hospice treatment is given in the patient's home and is focused on making the patient as comfortable as possible. Hospice care varies, but generally they provide medical care, nursing care, homemaker services, social work services, grief & counseling services, volunteer assistance and spiritual care. Hospice can provide relief and support to family members that have been overwhelmed with caring for a loved one during a lengthy illness and transition them into working through the grief that is to come.
At some point in our lives, we must all experience grief and learn to work through the process. Everyone's grief is unique, and we all handle it differently. It is important to remember that there are many resources out there that can offer help: books, websites, hospice groups, support groups, counselors, priests or other religious figures, family and friends. National organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, AARP, and Hospice Foundation of America offer information and programs that can assist you. There are also local programs in cities all around the United States. All of these can help you to acknowledge your feelings and help you learn to work through them as you move through this difficult time in your life.
Pain Management For Cancer Patients With Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma patients often suffer from a great deal of pain as a result of their illness. There are many sources of pain for those suffering from various forms of cancer, including Mesothelioma. These tumors can press on nerves, organs or bones and cause pain ranging from mild to severe. There can be pain associated with the mesothelioma treatment itself - whether treatment is from surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. There is psychological pain associated with the knowledge that you have cancer, the burden that you believe that cancer places on your family and related issues. You can also have other pains not related to your cancer that can add to the burden. Patients are often afraid to speak up for themselves and let doctors know that they are in pain.
The medical community is working to improve the management of the mesothelioma patient's pain. Many patients are unaware of the numerous resources available that can help them feel better - some of them at no cost. Your doctor will explain that there is no benefit to enduring this pain - it can cause problems sleeping, problems with activity and movement, make you less likely to eat, increase depression, and interfere with how you interact with family and friends. Untreated, pain can diminish your quality of life. And keeping a positive outlook will be key as you move ahead. With the numerous resources and methods available for treating pain, no one should suffer from unmanageable pain. Many hospitals monitor pain closely. The Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center refers to it as the "5th Vital Sign" - believing it should be monitored and addressed.
f you want to better understand what your doctors and health care workers are doing to help you manage your condition, understanding tools available for pain management may help. The three most common types of pain are chronic, acute and breakthrough. Chronic pain can be varying in degree from mild to severe, and persists over a long time. Acute pain is short in duration, quite sudden and can be severe. Someone who experiences pain, when his or her chronic pain is normally controlled by medication is said to have "Breakthrough" pain.
There are several things that can be done to control pain, but you must first help your doctor assess your pain. You can keep a record or journal of your pain to share with your doctor. You are the only one who knows where your pain is located, how intense it is, how often it occurs, and what helps you feel better. Once you have determined how much pain you are having, you can inform your doctor. He cannot help you unless you let him know that you are experiencing pain. You should also let him know if you are experiencing any new pain or any changes in pain that you have had. Together, you can develop a plan to effectively minimize your pain. [Note: Your doctor will manage your care. This information may help you as you move ahead.]
Your particular mesothelioma treatment, whether it is from surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or immune therapy, may provide some relief as they rid your body of the underlying cancer. Your doctor may want you to consider other pain management tools. These methods include the use of medications/anesthesia. There are several ways that medications are administered - orally, intravenously, suppositories, patches, and shots. Medications are divided into groups: Non-Opioids, Opioids, and Rapid-Onset Opioids. Non-Opioids are non-narcotic drugs that are used for mild to moderate pain. This can include over the counter medications, such as Tylenol. Opioids are narcotics that are prescribed for moderate to severe pain. Rapid-Onset Opioids are narcotics used to treat breakthrough pain. Epidurals, nerve blocks, or implanted pain pumps can also help. Some medications will cause side effects, but these can usually be managed by your doctor if you advise him of your problems.
Neurosurgery is another option to help reduce your pain. Basically, this method alters or interrupts nerve pathways to reduce pain. It can also be used to implant drug-delivery devices. Some mesothelioma patients have been helped with neurosurgery.
Psychological and Social Approaches are vital to helping you and your family deal with anxiety and depression that you may be experiencing. It can also help you to devise coping skills for handling your pain, and teaching your loved ones how to step in and help you when you are experiencing pain. It can also provide support to help you and your family manage your illness. By learning how to cope with your pain and asking for help, you are improving your own quality of life.
There are also many alternative/complementary methods to help ease your pain. Relaxation, distraction, meditation, visualization, and hypnosis methods allow you to focus your energy on something other than your pain. Some of these techniques are described in the National Cancer Institute's cancer information website www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/supportivecare/pain. Music has been found to be a very helpful tool and relatively easy to incorporate into a daily routine. Massage therapy can provide relief by stimulating muscles and nerves. Physical and Aquatic therapy can help you with mobility. Acupuncture may also offer relief for some patients. Some of these methods can be done at no cost - even a loved one can give you a massage.
No one should suffer from unmanageable pain. A combination of the above methods will help to reduce, and in some cases eliminate, pain you may be experiencing. The following list of pain management resources can help you and your family understand and explore the various options available.
Mesothelioma Treatment Facilities
The top treatment facilities in the nation have been picked for their groundbreaking work and ongoing clinical trials as well as for their successful execution of widely accepted treatments. This is not a complete list, just a place to start looking.National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health
1-800-4 CANCER or 301-496-5583
Clinical Trials Web site: www.cancer.gov/clinical_trials/
Mesothelioma Treatment Paths
Treatment depends on where the cancer is, how far it has spread, and the patient's age and general health.
Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Not all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may have more side effects than are desired.
For these reasons, clinical trials are designed to find better ways to treat cancer patients and are based on the most up-to-date information. Clinical trials are ongoing in many parts of the country for many patients with malignant mesothelioma.
To learn more about clinical trials, call the Cancer Information Service at:
1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)
TTY (for the hearing impaired) at 1-800-332-8615
Mesothelioma Treatment Options
Like most cancers, malignant mesothelioma is best treated when it is diagnosed early. The specific treatment of mesothelioma depends on which stage the cancer is in.
No matter what stage the cancer is in, there are several types of treatments that have the possibility to be used in patients with malignant mesothelioma. Additionally, new treatments are always in development.
Alimta (pemetrexed disodium) new
Photodynamic therapy new
Onconase new
Immunotherapy new
Gene therapy new
Surgery (taking out the cancer)
Radiation therapy (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells)
Chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer)
Your Mesothelioma Medical Options
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer which occurs in the lining of the lung (the pleura) or in the abdomen (the peritoneum). In very rare cases, mesothelioma can occur in other areas of the body as well. The major known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Although science is not certain as to the exact mechanism which causes mesothelioma, it is thought that the asbestos fibers puncture the parenchyma, become lodged in the pleura, and by process of irritation create the change in the cells which causes the mesothelioma.
The chance of recovery for a person with mesothelioma depends on several factors, including:
Size of the cancer
Location of the cancer
Spread of the cancer throughout the body
Response to treatment
Appearance of the cells under a microscope
Age of the patient
Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. Virtually all cases of malignant mesothelioma are attributable to asbestos exposure.
These web pages contain useful mesothelioma information for the sufferers of malignant mesothelioma disease. Knowledge of available mesothelioma treatment options can be an essential weapon in the fight against the progression of this deadly disease.
The chance of recovery for a person with mesothelioma depends on several factors, including:
Size of the cancer
Location of the cancer
Spread of the cancer throughout the body
Response to treatment
Appearance of the cells under a microscope
Age of the patient
Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. Virtually all cases of malignant mesothelioma are attributable to asbestos exposure.
These web pages contain useful mesothelioma information for the sufferers of malignant mesothelioma disease. Knowledge of available mesothelioma treatment options can be an essential weapon in the fight against the progression of this deadly disease.
Who Is At Risk for Mesothelioma?
The only known cause of mesothelioma is previous exposure to asbestos fibers. Often times workers are not told they are working around asbestos, and even single exposures to very low doses of fibers can produce serious long-term consequences.
Asbestos diseases are said to follow the trail of exposure. That means that wherever people have received asbestos exposure, regardless of their trade, age, sex or race, they are at risk of cancer and other diseases.
Almost anyone who has inhaled asbestos dust is at risk. Even a worker's families and friends can be at risk, because asbestos can often be carried on clothing.
Exposure to asbestos dust can occur at major construction job sites, in shipyards, in industry, and during construction or renovation of commercial buildings. See the list at right for certain occupations that are known to be those where risk of exposure to asbestos is great, and the numbers of people in such occupations
contracting asbestos disease are high.
The Role of Asbestos in Mesothelioma
The generic name "asbestos" belongs to a group of minerals called "asbestiform" minerals. Asbestos is a fibrous material which is mined from serpentine rock. Basically, rock was mined and crushed. When the rock was crushed, fibrous stands of asbestos were extracted from the rock. The strands where put in bags and shipped to manufacturing facilities were the asbestos was used as an ingredient in insulation and other materials. The three most commonly used forms of asbestos in product manufacturing were chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite.
Although asbestos products have not been used in construction since approximately 1975, the products in place present a clear danger to individuals involved in repair work and the demolition of structures containing asbestos products.
Although asbestos products have not been used in construction since approximately 1975, the products in place present a clear danger to individuals involved in repair work and the demolition of structures containing asbestos products.
What Is Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon, but no longer rare, cancer that is difficult to diagnose and poorly responsive to therapy. Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases.
A layer of specialized cells called mesothelial cells lines the chest cavity, abdominal cavity, and the cavity around the heart. These cells also cover the outer surface of most internal organs. The tissue formed by these cells is called mesothelium.
The mesothelium helps protect the organs by producing a special lubricating fluid that allows organs to move around. For example, this fluid makes it easier for the lungs to move inside the chest during breathing. The mesothelium of the chest is called the pleura and the mesothelium of the abdomen is known as the peritoneum. The mesothelium of the pericardial cavity (the "sac-like" space around the heart) is called the pericardium.
Tumors of the mesothelium can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). A malignant tumor of the mesothelium is called a malignant mesothelioma. Because most mesothelial tumors are cancerous, malignant mesothelioma is often simply called mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma was recognized as a tumor of the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium in the late 1700's. However it was not until much later, in 1960, that this particular type of tumor was described in more detail and even more importantly, its association with asbestos exposure was recognized. The first report linking mesothelioma to asbestos exposure was written by J.C.Wagner, and described 32 cases of workers in the "Asbestos Hills" in South Africa. Since then, the relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure has been confirmed in studies around the world.
The incidence of mesothelioma in the United States remains very low, with 14 cases occurring per million people per year. Despite these numbers, the noticed threefold increase in mesothelioma in males between 1970 and 1984, is directly associated with environmental and occupational exposure to asbestos, mostly in areas of asbestos product plants and shipbuilding facilities.
Although the disease is much more commonly seen in 60-year-old men, it has been described in women and early childhood as well. The cause of the disease is not so well understood in these latter two groups, but there is some evidence of possible asbestos exposure for some of these cases as well.
Malignant mesothelioma is divided into three main types. About 50% to 70% of mesothelioma occurrences are the epithelioid type. This type has the best prognosis (outlook for survival). The other two types are the sarcomatoid type (7%-20%), and the mixed/biphasic type (20%-35%). Treatment options for all three types are the same.
About three-fourths of mesothelioma occurrences start in the chest cavity and is known as pleural mesothelioma. Another 10% to 20% begin in the abdomen and is called peritoneal mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma, starting in the cavity around the heart, is very rare. The covering layer of the testicles is actually an outpouching of peritoneum into the scrotum. Mesothelioma that affects this covering of the testicles is quite rare.
A layer of specialized cells called mesothelial cells lines the chest cavity, abdominal cavity, and the cavity around the heart. These cells also cover the outer surface of most internal organs. The tissue formed by these cells is called mesothelium.
The mesothelium helps protect the organs by producing a special lubricating fluid that allows organs to move around. For example, this fluid makes it easier for the lungs to move inside the chest during breathing. The mesothelium of the chest is called the pleura and the mesothelium of the abdomen is known as the peritoneum. The mesothelium of the pericardial cavity (the "sac-like" space around the heart) is called the pericardium.
Tumors of the mesothelium can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). A malignant tumor of the mesothelium is called a malignant mesothelioma. Because most mesothelial tumors are cancerous, malignant mesothelioma is often simply called mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma was recognized as a tumor of the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium in the late 1700's. However it was not until much later, in 1960, that this particular type of tumor was described in more detail and even more importantly, its association with asbestos exposure was recognized. The first report linking mesothelioma to asbestos exposure was written by J.C.Wagner, and described 32 cases of workers in the "Asbestos Hills" in South Africa. Since then, the relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure has been confirmed in studies around the world.
The incidence of mesothelioma in the United States remains very low, with 14 cases occurring per million people per year. Despite these numbers, the noticed threefold increase in mesothelioma in males between 1970 and 1984, is directly associated with environmental and occupational exposure to asbestos, mostly in areas of asbestos product plants and shipbuilding facilities.
Although the disease is much more commonly seen in 60-year-old men, it has been described in women and early childhood as well. The cause of the disease is not so well understood in these latter two groups, but there is some evidence of possible asbestos exposure for some of these cases as well.
Malignant mesothelioma is divided into three main types. About 50% to 70% of mesothelioma occurrences are the epithelioid type. This type has the best prognosis (outlook for survival). The other two types are the sarcomatoid type (7%-20%), and the mixed/biphasic type (20%-35%). Treatment options for all three types are the same.
About three-fourths of mesothelioma occurrences start in the chest cavity and is known as pleural mesothelioma. Another 10% to 20% begin in the abdomen and is called peritoneal mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma, starting in the cavity around the heart, is very rare. The covering layer of the testicles is actually an outpouching of peritoneum into the scrotum. Mesothelioma that affects this covering of the testicles is quite rare.
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