Asbestos - Mesothelioma

Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous mineral found in the ground and mined all over the world. It is so small it can only be identified under a microscope. In the past, asbestos was added to various products such as insulation to increase fire resistant properties. Asbestos exposure, especially of an extended duration, has been linked to mesothelioma and other health problems, including lung cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects cells in the lining of the chest and abdomen. The tissues in these areas are called the mesothelium, and they produce a lubricating fluid that allows the organs to move easily and without irritation or injury in the torso cavity.

Asbestos fibers attach themselves to the lining of the lungs or other parts of the respiratory tract and remain there indefinitely. Asbestos is most dangerous when it is airborne. The fibers are small and light and can stay afloat for a long time and can travel great distances from their source. Since asbestos fibers are microscopic and airborne, people can breathe in asbestos fibers for many years without realizing it. Workers in environments in which construction materials, especially insulation, are handled are at greatest risk. Starting in the 1940s, workers, unaware of the danger, regularly handled and were exposed to large amounts of asbestos, often for long durations. Trades that involved especially high levels of exposure included asbestos production related fields like mining, milling, asbestos tile manufacture, and the manufacture of products that used asbestos. Other industries with high levels of possible exposure included shipbuilding, construction, car repair, and any form of demolition. Today, worker's exposure to asbestos has been reduced due to government regulations. Still, however, demolition workers are at risk when they disturb antiquated materials that contain asbestos in older structures. It can take anywhere from 10 to 40 years for symptoms of an asbestos related disease to surface.

Critics have charged that asbestos manufacturers knew of the dangers of asbestos exposure many years before alerting the public of potential health risks. Despite the dangers associated with asbestos, the substance can still be found in thousands of products today. Because of its airborne mobility, its microscopic size and harmful properties, professional assistance is required to remove asbestos. There are professional abatement services that will remove asbestos from homes or other buildings. Asbestos is most harmful when the structure containing it is disturbed, releasing asbestos fibers into the air.

Some observers contend that asbestos product liability lawsuits have resulted in over $100 billion in claims and bankrupted over 100 companies.

Wayne Walker is president of CapTran, the leader in litigation financial services. http://www.captran.com

© 2005 Capital Transaction Group Inc

Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center Commend Massachusetts ...
TransWorldNews (press release), GA - Jul 3, 2008
Asbestos has been definitively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a deadly lung cancer that affects the pleural lining of the lungs and has a ...

Man died from asbestos exposure
Gloucestershire Gazette, UK - Jul 3, 2008
By By Court Reporter A MAN died from a lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure when he worked for a power company, an inquest has been told. ...

Why are our schools full of deadly asbestos and why isn't anything ...
Daily Mail, UK - Jun 30, 2008
This is a highly aggressive cancer of the lung lining caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is not the same as cancer of the lung; this can also be ...

Archive for the ‘Mesothelioma’ Category
Asbestos.com, Florida - Jul 1, 2008
Caregiving arrangements often involve the adult children of those affected, as asbestos-related illnesses, including mesothelioma, can have a latency period ...

Asbestos.com offers free Assistance to Military Veterans
Asbestos.com, Florida - Jul 2, 2008
This exposure has lead to pleural mesothelioma with many veterans, which occurs in the lining of the lungs (a form of lung cancer) and is one of the ...

New clinical trial for patients with asbestos-associated lung cancer
EurekAlert (press release), DC - Jun 26, 2008
From 1940 through 1979, approximately 28 million US workers were exposed to asbestos at work. An estimated 3000 people died of mesothelioma in the late ...
Treatment for asbestos-caused mesothelioma United Press International
Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center Acknowledges New TransWorldNews (press release)
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NW Evening Mail
Asbestos: A killer in the midst
NW Evening Mail, UK - Jun 26, 2008
One in four victims of the fatal asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma is now somebody from the construction trade. “In Barrow we see usually around 15 cases ...
‘What I want to know is, when are they going to get a cure?’ NW Evening Mail
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Family get £140000 after ex-council man's death
Tottenham, Wood Green and Edmonton Journal, UK - Jul 2, 2008
Jim Crowe, of Wood Green, died in June last year aged 79 from the deadly lung cancer Mesothelioma after years of exposure to asbestos while working for the ...

The Mesothelioma And Asbestos Awareness Center Hails Supreme
TransWorldNews (press release), GA - Jun 24, 2008
Asbestos exposure has been conclusively linked to the onset of mesothelioma, a deadly form of lung cancer that has a survival rate of less than 1%. ...

Do 1980s ceilings contain asbestos?
Mortage 101 - Jul 2, 2008
Inhaled in large amounts, asbestos can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the chest and the ...

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Frequently Asked Questions About Mesothelioma