what is mesothelioma

WHAT IS MESOTHELIOMA

Mesothelioma & Suggested Steps Following Diagnosis

Exposure to asbestos has proven to result in a wide range of health conditions, including mesothelioma, a deadly cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs, heart or abdomen. This rare form of cancer is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure.

mesothelioma cancer
A range of tests are used to diagnose mesothelioma, such as imaging scans & biopsies.
Due to a long latency period, mesothelioma symptoms (shortness of breath, severe cough, chest pain) may not appear for 20 or more years. For this reason, mesothelioma is often diagnosed in later stages of development, which severely complicates treatment and chances of survival.
To learn more about this elusive and often puzzling disease, please review our extensive resources, featuring information on mesothelioma causes, symptoms, diagnosis and more.

Mesothelioma Treatments

We've compiled the most comprehensive and updated information on mesothelioma treatments, including traditional and unconventional treatments, other therapies, and the latest in clinical trials and mesothelioma research.

mesothelioma treatments
Radiation & chemotherapy are common mesothelioma treatment options.
Highlighting topics such as top doctors, associated tests, and cancer centers, our treatment section offers the most helpful information available to mesothelioma victims.
Recent clinical studies have found positive results with immunotherapy and photodynmamic therapy that may prove to be beneficial in mesothelioma treatment. Other clinical trials have investigated various combinations of chemotherapy drugs along with other medications or dietary supplements that may improve the effectiveness of mesothelioma chemotherapy.
Additionally, some studies are examining the prognostic factors involved in mesothelioma that help doctors decide what treatments are most beneficial for each individual patient. Research into diagnostic factors is also progressively improving mesothelioma diagnosis and leading to enhanced mesothelioma testing. Make sure to check back frequently for current research and advancements in mesothelioma treatments.

Mesothelioma Cancer and Asbestos Exposure Among Veterans

From the 1930s through the 1970s, the U.S. Navy used hundreds of asbestos-contaminated products in all of its vessels, which led to hazardous asbestos exposure among thousands of veterans.

veterans and mesothelioma
Millions of veterans have been exposed to asbestos while serving the country.
Many veterans who worked in shipyards and aboard warships and submarines were heavily exposed to asbestos through standard operations.
As a result, more than 30 percent of mesothelioma victims are veterans. In addition to mesothelioma, Navy veterans account for 16 percent of asbestos-related lung cancer. To learn more about when, where, and how veterans were exposed, visit our informative veterans and mesothelioma section.
To enhance our resources for veterans, we have recently added a comprehensive index of Navy ships that have a history of asbestos contamination. In addition, the Mesothelioma Center now offers free assistance to veterans with VA claims, which can often be a complicated and exhausting process.

Asbestos-Related Cancer Resources

For many decades asbestos exposure has been known to cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma cancer. However, a battery of scientific studies linking asbestos to an assortment of other cancers and illnesses has failed to be addressed within the community of asbestos awareness.

asbestos cancer
A number of various cancers have been linked to asbestos, including gastrointestinal and colon cancer.
Through extensive research efforts, the Mesothelioma Center has gathered comprehensive information from a multitude of clinical studies that have observed a link between asbestos exposure and a range of serious diseases.
Please take a moment to visit our new asbestos cancer section, featuring scientific and clinically based information on a variety of cancers and diseases that may share a causal relationship with asbestos exposure.

Hazardous Jobsites: Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure

Despite growing numbers of asbestos-related illness among those who have never worked with asbestos, the majority of people diagnosed with an asbestos-induced disease received exposure in an occupational setting. This is largely due to the likelihood of repeated exposures, as well as elevated levels of exposure, that occur throughout a range of occupations, industries, and jobsites.

occupational asbestos exposure
Numerous occupations, ranging from electricians to firefighters, share a history of asbestos exposure.
Some jobsites are widely known to be occupational sources of asbestos exposure, such as asbestos mines, processing plants, and manufacturing plants where asbestos products are produced. But a variety of other jobsites, ranging from shipyards to chemical and power plants to oil refineries, also bear a history of asbestos exposure.
If you think you've been exposed to asbestos and have developed mesothelioma you can visit our mesothelioma lawyer section for more information on how you can receive compensation.