Similar to other types of cancer, mesothelioma is not curable for many people. Presently, there is not enough information to support more comprehensive studies about this illness. According to the Mayo Clinic, asbestos exposure is a primary risk of mesothelioma, and those who now have a diagnosis of this disease likely worked with asbestos 20 …
Our personal injury lawyers report on the common concerns of mesothelioma, the different causes, types, symptoms, and treatment for the condition, with input from medical experts. Any additional questions can be answered via phone consultation with a member of our legal team. We look forward to helping you, or your loved one, get through this difficult time and possibly seek compensation, depending on the specifics of your case.
How Do You Get Malignant Mesothelioma?
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of cancer that primarily results from long-term asbestos exposure. Typically, this exposure takes place in the workplace, as asbestos is present in many products, such as insulation, and work environments, such as mining and construction sites. Radiation treatment for other cancers also may result in malignant mesothelioma …
What Are the Symptoms of Malignant Mesothelioma?
In most cases, the symptoms of malignant mesothelioma include respiratory issues such as coughing and chest pain. Other types of the disease have different symptoms, but all forms of malignant mesothelioma may give the sufferer general symptoms such as fever and fatigue, so your doctor may not diagnose you with mesothelioma right away. According to …
What Is Advanced Mesothelioma?
Advanced mesothelioma is a severe form of mesothelioma in which the cancer has spread to multiple parts of the body. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), about 3,000 people receive a mesothelioma diagnosis every year in the United States. Many of these cases are diagnosed in the advanced stage. Different types of cancer can …
What Causes Abdominal Mesothelioma?
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 3,000 people in the United States receive a mesothelioma diagnosis each year. Of the numerous types of cancer, mesothelioma is rare but also aggressive and deadly. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that the annual number of malignant mesothelioma deaths is increasing. Mesothelioma can …
Does Anyone Survive Mesothelioma?
A person diagnosed with mesothelioma can survive this cancer if it is detected and treated in its early stages. Due to the long latency of the disease, mesothelioma may not even show symptoms until 10 to 20 years after the initial exposure to asbestos, according to the British Journal of Cancer. Asbestos is a carcinogen …
What Is Mesothelioma Caused By?
Mesothelioma is caused by repeated exposure to asbestos, according to the American Cancer Society. About 80% of mesothelioma patients had exposure to asbestos. When people breathe in asbestos fibers, they travel through a person’s airways and eventually lodge in the thin layer of tissue around their lungs. The fibers then inflame and scar the lung …
What Else Causes Mesothelioma?
Mineral fibers other than asbestos, radiation, inflammation, and genetics may cause or contribute to mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer that can spread to other organs and lymph nodes. It has a long latency period and is often not diagnosed until it has reached an advanced stage. When mesothelioma is finally detected, patients …
How Long Can You Live with Stage 4 Mesothelioma?
Patients with stage 4 mesothelioma generally live less than 12 months after being diagnosed, according to the National Institute of Cancer (NIC). When mesothelioma has reached stage 4, the cancer has metastasized, or spread to other parts of the body, and is terminal. Possible Treatments for Stage 4 Mesothelioma For patients with stage 4 mesothelioma, …
Can You Survive Pleural Mesothelioma?
Some patients with pleural mesothelioma survive the illness for many years. According to the American Cancer Society, survival rates are based on data for patients with the same forms of pleural mesothelioma who survived for five years. If your pleural mesothelioma is localized or if it has not spread, you have a 20% chance of …
Does Mesothelioma Show Up on a CT Scan?
Mesothelioma could show up on a CT scan, or computed tomography scan, especially if the CT scan is intentionally trying to look for it. The Journal of Thoracic Disease indicates that not only does mesothelioma show up on a CT scan, but it is the preferred diagnostic tool of choice for advanced stage mesothelioma cases. …
How Long Can You Live With Mesothelioma?
If physicians diagnose you with mesothelioma, one of the first questions you will likely ask is how long you have left. Survival rates are based on the stage of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. The rate is the percentage of patients who live for five years, categorized by how far the cancer has …
How Early Can You Detect Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a potentially fatal cancer that you can develop after getting exposed to asbestos. It starts on the thin membranes around your internal organs, most commonly on the lungs and abdominal area. If it reaches other organs, it can be too advanced to treat successfully. How early you can detect mesothelioma often depends on …
How Does Mesothelioma Affect the Body?
Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer primarily caused by asbestos exposure. When the asbestos fibers get in your body, it may stick to the tissue membranes that cover your internal organs. How mesothelioma affects the body largely depends on how much asbestos you inhaled or ingested throughout the years. Mesothelioma commonly occurs in the lung, …
Facts About How Mesothelioma Patients Die
Mesothelioma is an aggressive, highly fatal form of cancer occurring in the mesothelium—the lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 45,221 people reportedly died from mesothelioma in the U.S. between 1999 and 2015. Most of the diagnosed patients died from lung complications arising from …
What Test Shows Mesothelioma?
Several tests show mesothelioma, including computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, ultrasound, and X-rays. The American Cancer Society also explains how blood tests can detect biomarkers that indicate you might have mesothelioma, and that a biopsy confirms the diagnosis. Your doctor will decide what diagnostic tests to run to determine if you …
What Is the Life Expectancy of a Person with Mesothelioma?
The life expectancy of a person with mesothelioma depends on what stage the disease has progressed to when they receive the diagnosis, but across all stages, Lung Cancer International research showed a life expectancy range of one to 15 years. Another study documented in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicates that the life expectancy …
What Happens in the Final Stages of Mesothelioma?
According to the Mayo Clinic, the following symptoms are what happens in the final stages of different types of mesothelioma: Pleural mesothelioma – The final stages of pleural mesothelioma that surrounds the lungs include painful coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, and lumps of tissue under the skin in the chest area. …
Can Peritoneal Mesothelioma Spread to the Lungs?
Research from UT Southwestern Medical Center indicates that peritoneal mesothelioma can spread to other organs, such as the lungs, in the last and most serious stage of this cancer, stage 4A or stage 4B. Understanding Peritoneal Mesothelioma According to the National Cancer Institute, the peritoneum is the layer of tissue that lines the entire abdominal …
What Is the Main Cause of Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a life-threatening form of cancer that usually begins in the lining of the lungs. The main cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. The majority of people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mesothelioma is a particularly deadly form of …