Diffuse Malignant of Mesothelioma

Diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma, or DMM, is a rare but highly aggressive type of cancer. It occurs in the thin layer of tissue, the pleura, lining the chest cavity and lungs. Once diagnosed with DMM, most patients do not survive beyond one year. This cancer is more common in men than in women, and in older people.

Most people with DMM have a history of exposure to asbestos; however, if they are not aware that such exposure occurred, they may be unaware that they are at risk. A patient with DMM typically has one or more of the following signs and symptoms: chest pain, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, fever, or a cough. An x-ray usually shows that the pleural tissue around the lungs has thickened due to the development of a number of nodules or small cancerous growths. Sometimes, there may be a single large growth. When a biopsy of the cancer tissue is done, the types of cells that make up the cancer may be epithelioid, mixed, or sarcomatoid. People with epithelioid cell cancers tend to survive somewhat longer; those with sarcomatoid cancers usually have the shortest survival.

DMM is always treated as aggressively as possible. The type of treatment depends on the dominant cell type the cancer is made of, the extent of spread of the cancer, and the overall health of the person undergoing treatment. Surgery is a preferred option where the bulk of the cancer can be removed. Many anti-cancer drugs are being tried to treat DMM, with varying levels of short-term success. Radiotherapy may also be an option. A number of clinical trials are currently underway to try and find a treatment that may improve the outlook for DMM patients. However, only seven percent of people with DMM survive beyond five years.

Malignant Mesothelioma provides detailed information about malignant mesothelioma, diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma, malignant mesothelioma diagnosis, malignant mesothelioma lawyer and more. Malignant Mesothelioma is the sister site of Peritoneal Mesothelioma Lawyers [http://www.WetPluto.com/A-Guide-To-Malignant-Peritoneal-Mesothelioma.html].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Elizabeth_Morgan/44833

Asbestos Lung Cancer Treatment

The most commonly used treatments for lung cancer are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. 
The exact asbestos lung cancer treatment patient receives will depend on several factors. These include the type of cancer, the stage or extent to which it has spread at the time of diagnosis, and the overall health of the patient.


Non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for about 80 percent of lung cancer cases, is treated depending on its stage at diagnosis. Lung surgery is the mainstay of treatment for the early stages of lung cancer. Cancerous tissue, along with a margin of healthy tissue, is removed. Patients who are unable to have surgery may be treated with radiotherapy. While cure rates for early lung cancer are good, it is rarely detected in its early stages. As non-small cell cancer spreads within the chest, it is treated with some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Once cancer has spread to other parts of the body, chemotherapy and radiotherapy replace surgery as the main treatment options. A number of drugs are available, and many more are being tested in clinical trials. Radiotherapy is palliative, and while it may ease symptoms such as pain and cough, it will not stop cancer growth. If the cancer obstructs a major airway, using a laser, freezing the tumor or keeping the airway open with a stent or tube may remove the obstruction.

Small cell lung cancer, which is found in about 20 percent of lung cancer patients, is more aggressive and more likely to have spread by the time of diagnosis. It is therefore treated primarily with chemotherapy. Radiotherapy to the chest may also be used to kill off remaining cancer cells. This type of cancer often spreads to the brain. This is why radiotherapy to the brain may be used as a prophylactic even if no cancer is detected in the brain.

Lung Cancer provides detailed information on Asbestos Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer Stages, Lung Cancer Survival Rate and more. Lung Cancer is affiliated with Asbestos Exposure.

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Top Mesothelioma Lawyers

Prolonged exposure to asbestos can give rise to lung cancer. Asbestos cancer attorneys are lawyers who represent victims who have contracted this dreadful disease through prolonged contact with asbestos. Their aim is to obtain compensation for their clients from those responsible for causing the damage.

The top mesothelioma lawyers have forcefully and fruitfully fought for asbestos workers and their families. There are a large number of cancer attorney firms in the US, with a sizeable number of asbestos claimants, and they have won substantial compensation for their affected clients. Asbestos cancer attorneys usually employ top medical professionals and scientists to assist them in developing a case.


These attorneys are devoted to making sure that each of their clients obtains the consideration his or her case is worthy of. If one is suffering from cancer due to extensive exposure to asbestos, the straightforward reality is that the more clients the attorneys stand for, the better the chance of negotiating with the companies that caused the dreaded disease.

According to the National Cancer Institute, around 3,000 cases of malignant cancer from asbestos exposure are being reported in the United States each year, and the occurrence seems to be rising. The syndrome is three times more widespread in men than in women. In men, the incidence of asbestos related cancer is ten times higher in men between the ages of 60 and 70 than in men between the ages of 30 and 40. Work-related exposure to asbestos over the past fifty years in the United States is estimated to have happened to roughly eight million people, and up to 300,000 new cases are anticipated to take place by the year 2030.

An exceptional characteristic of asbestos-connected cancer is the long latency phase between exposure to asbestos and the beginning of the disease.

Asbestos Attorneys provides detailed information on Asbestos Attorneys, Asbestos Cancer Attorneys, Asbestos Litigation Attourneys, Asbestos Mesothelioma Attorneys and more. Asbestos Attorneys is affiliated with Asbestos Trial Lawyers.

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Mesothelioma Cancer Attorney

Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that affects the outer lining of the lungs. This deadly disease has only one known cause: exposure to the fibrous material asbestos. Asbestos was used extensively in the past for building materials, insulation and other applications. When inhaled, it can lodge in the lungs and lead to mesothelioma. But it takes years, even decades, for the disease to progress and show itself. Today, even though asbestos is a known risk that workers are protected against, many are suffering from mesothelioma. The exposures that occurred in the past are only recently manifesting into fully-fledged cancers.

One result of this has been legal action. Those who were exposed to hazardous asbestos are now calling for those who may have caused the exposure through negligence or carelessness to account for allowing workers to inhale the dangerous material. To aid them, several attorneys and law firms have veered toward specializing in mesothelioma cancer legal cases.

While there may be a mesothelioma cancer attorney offering to assist someone who is seeking recourse, there are those out there who would scam people in order to profit from the lucrative nature of mesothelioma lawsuits. It is therefore important for patients to know what to look for if they have decided to hire a cancer attorney.

Patients will first want to know how many asbestos or mesothelioma-related cases the attorney or law firm has handled. It is important to know if mesothelioma cancer is a specialty of the attorney or law firm and if they have been successful in handling those types of cases.

Of course, expense is a crucial factor to work out when dealing with a cancer attorney. A mesothelioma case could take a very long time to actually resolve, and patients should be fully informed of the cost associated with seeing the case to a conclusion, as well as of the process itself. Patients who are about to undergo the legal process should know what to expect from the procedure.

Patients should also be aware as to whether the attorney they contact and speak to will be the attorney who actually handles their case, or if the case will be passed off to another attorney.

These questions can be a starting point for mesothelioma sufferers considering taking legal action. Unlike in the past, today there are laws protecting the health and safety of workers who may have been exposed to asbestos at any point. Many of those exposed through their workplaces were employed as construction workers, auto mechanics, building engineers, railroad workers and shipyard employees. All of these worksites are known today as being hotspots of asbestos exposure.

But less conventional locations could also have exposed people to deadly asbestos fibers. Even schools were an exposure risk as those built before 1970 likely were constructed with materials containing asbestos. In fact, many buildings, including public buildings and residential homes, can pose a threat, if they were built prior to 1970. Materials like insulation and roofing found on these types of buildings used to, and my still, contain asbestos. Additionally, seemingly innocuous, everyday items like hairdryers and cosmetics could be dangerous.

Sometimes, the families of workers exposed to asbestos become sick. In this case, they have the very same rights as the worker who was exposed to asbestos. Anyone exposed to the material for any reason could potentially seek out a mesothelioma cancer attorney to represent them.


Adam Bradley is a book publisher of How-To and information books. While doing research on asbestos and how to hire a mesothelioma cancer attorney, he was shocked by the tremendous amount of bad information, scams, and bogus agencies. He felt that having to spend countless hours sorting articles and web pages just to find help during a period when time is of the essence was absurd. To help the victims and families of those exposed to asbestos, he and his research team compiled this information and offer a free 15 part Mini-Course at: Asbestos Cancer Resources.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Adam_J_Bradley/601311

Lawyer for Mesothelioma

A mesothelioma lawyer will need to be chosen that meets most of an asbestos-exposure victim's demands: proximity, reputation, convenience of meeting times, as well as rate. It will be significant for those filing a claim to encounter feelings of comfort as well as belief with the lawyer, as well as a sense which communication will stay well-defined, open, as well as timely. The plaintiff owns the case, and as such, should really be consulted by the lawyer prior to any legal decisions. It is very important to be wary of any lawyer who says the case may "definitely" be won, since it is actually impossible to ensure such a decision with any lawsuit. Though in that respect will be no means to guarantee an instance, seeking the service of competent as well as experienced mesothelioma attorney could mean a much better chance for victims to win their cases.

When seeking for a mesothelioma lawyer, it will be most effective to find a lawyer that has handled similar cases in the past. Mesothelioma could be hard to understand, and every hour that the lawyer spends researching your affliction is actually a time which can be far better spent searching at helpful evidence. Ask about the lawyer's previous experience in dealing with asbestos victims, as well as his or her track record concerning asbestos or mesothelioma cases.

Other factors worth considering when seeking the mesothelioma lawyer include reputation, previous customer testimonials and willingness to pursue appeals if necessary. Taken into consideration, expense will also likely play an important part in making the decision. Many mesothelioma lawyers operate on the contingency basis, meaning that they won't ask you to pay anything unless you are awarded with some form of compensation. You'll may also inquire if they will personally handle your case or refer it elsewhere: referring it elsewhere could cost you more.

Finally, for some thing as very important as the mesothelioma lawsuit, your attorney should not merely be experienced, accomplished, as well as dedicated, but also a trusted partner who understands that your health is always of precedence. The best mesothelioma lawyers are those which are not merely specialist at what they do, but are also supportive, thoughtful and compassionate. The level of concern provided by the mesothelioma lawyer is also very important. Is your lawyer willing to work with you on an individual basis to guarantee the most effective results probable? Do your lawyer handle all steps necessary in the mesothelioma attorney process? Small details such as these can often be a huge factor in the amount of compensation you will ultimately receive.

Of course, quality can be especially important, but you ought to also search for the lawyer who is fair in terms of pricing. Many attorneys charge an initial interviewing fee, although others may charge on hourly basis. Having said that, in most cases, the right option will be to proceed with a lawyer that only ask compensation if you also receive compensation. Rather of having to pay per hour or the flat fee, he or she will be entitled to a percentage of the awarded compensation.

The author is a web developer and part time writer. One of the latest work is about how to choose the best Mesothelioma Lawyer to ensure that maximum compensation is awarded to the victim when filing for mesothelioma claims.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jared_Medders/934829

Diffuse Malignant Mesothelioma

Majority of mesothelioma (cancerous tumor affecting mesothelial cells of organs) cases come under the classification 'pleural mesothelioma'. This is a cancer that originates in the pleura, the delicate membrane covering the lungs. Out of these, seventy five percent are diffuse malignant pleural mesethelioma. The balance is localized or benign.

Diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma is, in most cases, caused by unprotected exposure to asbestos. The symptoms include shortness of breath and/or chest pain, loss of weight, cough, fatigue, swelling on the face, neck and arms, reduced appetite, and coughing up blood. There would be collection of fluid in the thoracic cavity. It may take from twenty to forty years or more after contact with asbestos for the symptoms to emerge. Because of the time lag, diagnosing is often difficult. Moreover, many doctors are not familiar with the disease.

Diagnostic procedure consists mostly of imaging with Computed Tomography (CT scan), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Position Emission Tomography (PET), and laboratory tests and analysis. Thoractomy, which means making an incision through the chest wall to look into the pleura (the membrane lining the lungs and the thoracic cavity) and pleural biopsy provide conclusive evidence.

Diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma tumor is very aggressive and spreads fast. There are several methods to gauge the stage of the cancer. The most common is known as TNM. T is for the size of the tumor, N for the number of lymph nodules involved, and M for metastasis (spread of the cancer). There are basically four different stages. Correct grading helps the doctors to decide on the course of treatment. If the affliction is detected at an early stage, the chances of longer survival are better.

But generally the prognosis (response to treatment) is not good in diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma cases. Surgery during Stage I may help. If detected during the later phases of the cancer the survival rate is four months to twelve months. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy do not seem to improve the survival rate. The reality is that currently there is no effective curative treatment. Research is on to find new management methods and more effectual medicines.

Pleural Mesothelioma  provides detailed information on Malignant Diffuse Pleural Mesothelioma, Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Survival Rate, Mesothelioma Pleural Brachytherapy and more. Pleural Mesothelioma is affiliated with Peritoneal Mesothelioma Lawyers [http://www.e-peritonealmesothelioma.com].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ross_Bainbridge/44500

Is Mesothelioma Lung Cancer?

Mesothelioma lung cancer is a major disease brought about by being exposed to asbestos. It is said that malignant cells appear in the mesothelium, the sac that acts as a defensive cover for many of the internal organs in the body.


The following facts could help you understand more about the condition called mesothelioma:

* The risk of developing mesothelioma is increased because of the exposure to asbestos. Studies showed that at least 70% of the mesothelioma cases have history of exposure to this construction material. But it does not limit the development of this cancer. Some people may have this disease even without necessarily being exposed to it.

* Symptoms for Mesothelioma lung cancer usually include difficulty in breathing, chest pain that is usually located at back of the rib cage, lumps, swelling or pain in the abdomen and unexplained weight loss.

* Mesothelioma may be diagnosed through certain tests that doctors conduct which includes: physical examination, chest x-ray, CBC or complete blood count, removal of tissue samples for biopsy, bronchoscopy and thoracotomy. There is also an exam that can be performed where a small amount of fluid is taken from either lungs or the abdomen. This test is called the cytologic exam.

* There is no cure for mesothelioma lung cancer that is known today, but there are treatments that can be used to help manage the disease. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are some of the modalities used for treatment. Surgery is the most common treatment by simply removing the affected area together with some of the tissue that surrounds it. This is used at the early stage of the disease. Radiotherapy is another treatment for mesothelioma lung cancer. This is used as palliative form of treatment that alleviates symptoms in difficulty in breathing and pain. It also helps control the spread or metastases of the cancer. Chemotherapy is done through the use of catheters to allow anti-cancer drugs to enter the blood stream quickly. This is elected for those patients who cannot undergo surgical procedures.

Mesothelioma lung cancer is a disease that currently has no known cure, so early detection and aggressive treatment is really the key to the best possible outcome.

Did you know that Mesothelioma lung cancer is a direct result of asbestos exposure? When asbestos fibers are inhaled, these fibers can lodge in the lungs, causing extensive damage to the healthy cells and increasing the long term risk of lung cancer. Visit a-mesothelioma-guide.com [http://a-mesothelioma-guide.com/] to learn more about this health condition.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2540934

Support National Cancer Research Month to Help Raise Vital Funds for ...



The American Association for Cancer Research announced its support of National Cancer Research Month throughout May. The month was designated as such by Congress 'in recognition of high quality, innovative cancer research.' This month is another opportunity to raise much-needed funding for mesothelioma research. Private donations are critical for enabling researchers and scientists to dedicate the time to focus on developing new therapies that could lead to a breakthrough for mesothelioma.

Each year, nearly 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer typically affecting the lining of the lungs. The asbestos-caused cancer is highly aggressive and is resistant to many cancer treatments, leading researchers throughout the world to spend countless hours searching for a new, effective treatment. There is no cure for the disease.

AACR proclaims that ' Cancer research saves lives,' and is using this statement as the focus for the month. Sadly, 28 people die of cancer every 2 minutes in the U.S. Finding new treatment options for mesothelioma and all cancers is dependent on continued research and successful clinical trials focused on testing the newly developed treatment approaches. However, in 2012 although there were 1000 cancer drugs in the pipeline, just 16 were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to AACR.

Completing a clinical trial and getting approval for an anti-cancer treatment can take more than seven years and over $1 billion, according to AACR. With these startling statistics, it is critical that all Americans do their part in the fight against cancer during the month.

The AACR asks the American public to:

Call on Congress to make cancer research a top national priority. Donate to the AACR Foundation for the prevention and cure of cancer or to another organization of your choice. Participate in a clinical trial as a cancer patient or as a healthy participant to help researchers obtain data. Get informed about the causes of preventable cancer to help decrease the number of cancer diagnoses in the country.

Many hospitals, including mesothelioma specialty centers such as The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and The Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center, acknowledge the importance of cancer research and use the month of May as a time to educate the public about the importance of funding cancer research.

The Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center of Seattle, held a lantern lighting ceremony on April 30 to honor loved ones and support lifesaving cancer research to kick off the month.

'Research is the necessary path to ending cancer,' said Dr. Larry Corey, president and director of Fred Hutchison in a press release announcing the importance of the May's research.'

'If we don't all step up and support cancer research we're going to keep losing friends, family and sadly, future generations to this disease,' added Amy Lavin, Obliteride's executive director. Obliteride is a bike ride fundraiser for Fred Hutchison to be held August 10.

Because mesothelioma is rarer than other cancers, there is typically less money devoted specifically to mesothelioma research, prevention and treatment. Every dollar makes a difference for mesothelioma research. To help the fight against mesothelioma, consider making a donation to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation in honor of Don Smitley who lost his life to mesothelioma in October. Contributions can be made in Don's memory at http://ift.tt/1k7gNvG.

The Meso Foundation is a national non-profit dedicated to ending the suffering caused by mesothelioma by focusing its efforts on funding mesothelioma research. Each year the Meso Foundation awards grants to the 'best and most promising' mesothelioma research projects.

Like National Cancer Research Month on Facebook and follow #NCRM14 on Twitter to show your support.

For more information about National Cancer Research Month see AACR.org.

Nancy Meredith is a blog and web content writer with more than 20 years of professional experience in the Information Technology industry. She has been writing about Mesothelioma for 4 years. Follow Nancy on Google+

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Lung cancer screening good but will cost Medicare $9.3 billion: Study



Lung cancer is the second most prevalent form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Although screening for the disease can potentially save thousands of lives, findings of a new study suggest that it would cost the Medicare billions of dollars per year should it cover lung cancer screening for heavy smokers who are at risk of the disease.

In the study which will be presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago from May 30 to June 3, researchers looked at Medicare beneficiaries who have history of heavy smoking and estimated the cost of implementing the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on lung cancer screening released in December last year.

The advisory panel recommended that current and former heavy smokers 55 years old and over undergo yearly low-dose CT scan. The screening cost is anywhere between $250 and $300 but can prevent up to 20 percent of lung cancer deaths. USPSTF's recommendation was based on evidence that the benefits of lung cancer screening outweigh the risks associated with overtreatment and overdiagnosis.

Study researcher Joshua Roth, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and colleagues, calculated the cost of the screening as well as the diagnostic work up and care that will be given to patients with newly detected cancer and found that the program would cost the Medicare $9.3 billion over a five-year period which translates to an additional $3 spending per Medicare member per month.

Although lung cancer screening is costly, Roth said that what's really important is to save lives. As of 2010, over 150,000 individuals in the U.S died from lung cancer, which comprise 28 percent of all cancer-related deaths.

'It may be true that lung cancer screening will increase the cost of care, especially in the short term,' Roth said. 'The primary issue is about saving lives. The goal of our healthcare should be to enhance our life and increase our longevity. Its goal should not be to save money.'

Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer, which does not often show symptoms until it has advanced. Individuals with a family history of the disease and those exposed to secondhand smoke and certain substances such as asbestos and radon are also at risk of developing lung cancer.

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£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

3:00pm Thursday 15th May 2014 in News By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

Asbestos sheeting. The dust from asbestos causes the lung disease mesothelioma

VICTIMS of an asbestos-induced cancer in East Lancashire are beginning to take advantage of a new assistance scheme designed to compensate now-defunct firms whose insurers cannot be traced.

Dozens of people in the area have contracted mesothelioma after exposure to the material through working at factories and power stations, or in the building trade, from up to 40 or 50 years ago.

The symptoms only emerge after decades and routinely prove fatal - by which time related employers mhave gone out of business. But a new Mesothelioma Act has been passed giving eligible victims the chance to claim compensation packages of around £123,000.

An initial debate in the House of Commons had set the awards at around £115,000 but government sources say they have managed to reduce the administration costs of the scheme.

Mike Penning, Works and Pensions Minister, said: 'This will end years of injustice for mesothelioma victims and their families - who have had to endure this terrible disease with little hope of any compensation from the insurance industry.'

The compensation scheme is supported by the insurance industry and it is estimated that around 800 cases this year, and 300 every subsequent year up to 2024, will benefit.

Around £7,000 in additional legal fees will be available Eighty-six deaths were reported from mesothelioma in in East Lancashire in 2012, with higher proportions in Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley and Pensdle.

A number of asbestos-related deaths have been linked to working at the Garden Street gas mask factory in Blackburn during the war and the former Huncoat Power Station.

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£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

3:00pm Thursday 15th May 2014 in News By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

Asbestos sheeting. The dust from asbestos causes the lung disease mesothelioma

VICTIMS of an asbestos-induced cancer in East Lancashire are beginning to take advantage of a new assistance scheme designed to compensate now-defunct firms whose insurers cannot be traced.

Dozens of people in the area have contracted mesothelioma after exposure to the material through working at factories and power stations, or in the building trade, from up to 40 or 50 years ago.

The symptoms only emerge after decades and routinely prove fatal - by which time related employers mhave gone out of business. But a new Mesothelioma Act has been passed giving eligible victims the chance to claim compensation packages of around £123,000.

An initial debate in the House of Commons had set the awards at around £115,000 but government sources say they have managed to reduce the administration costs of the scheme.

Mike Penning, Works and Pensions Minister, said: 'This will end years of injustice for mesothelioma victims and their families - who have had to endure this terrible disease with little hope of any compensation from the insurance industry.'

The compensation scheme is supported by the insurance industry and it is estimated that around 800 cases this year, and 300 every subsequent year up to 2024, will benefit.

Around £7,000 in additional legal fees will be available Eighty-six deaths were reported from mesothelioma in in East Lancashire in 2012, with higher proportions in Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley and Pensdle.

A number of asbestos-related deaths have been linked to working at the Garden Street gas mask factory in Blackburn during the war and the former Huncoat Power Station.

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£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

3:00pm Thursday 15th May 2014 in East Lancashire By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

Asbestos sheeting. The dust from asbestos causes the lung disease mesothelioma

VICTIMS of an asbestos-induced cancer in East Lancashire are beginning to take advantage of a new assistance scheme designed to compensate now-defunct firms whose insurers cannot be traced.

Dozens of people in the area have contracted mesothelioma after exposure to the material through working at factories and power stations, or in the building trade, from up to 40 or 50 years ago.

The symptoms only emerge after decades and routinely prove fatal - by which time related employers mhave gone out of business. But a new Mesothelioma Act has been passed giving eligible victims the chance to claim compensation packages of around £123,000.

An initial debate in the House of Commons had set the awards at around £115,000 but government sources say they have managed to reduce the administration costs of the scheme.

Mike Penning, Works and Pensions Minister, said: 'This will end years of injustice for mesothelioma victims and their families - who have had to endure this terrible disease with little hope of any compensation from the insurance industry.'

The compensation scheme is supported by the insurance industry and it is estimated that around 800 cases this year, and 300 every subsequent year up to 2024, will benefit.

Around £7,000 in additional legal fees will be available Eighty-six deaths were reported from mesothelioma in in East Lancashire in 2012, with higher proportions in Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley and Pensdle.

A number of asbestos-related deaths have been linked to working at the Garden Street gas mask factory in Blackburn during the war and the former Huncoat Power Station.

Original Post By: http://ift.tt/T6XCc1

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£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

3:00pm Thursday 15th May 2014 in East Lancashire By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

Asbestos sheeting. The dust from asbestos causes the lung disease mesothelioma

VICTIMS of an asbestos-induced cancer in East Lancashire are beginning to take advantage of a new assistance scheme designed to compensate now-defunct firms whose insurers cannot be traced.

Dozens of people in the area have contracted mesothelioma after exposure to the material through working at factories and power stations, or in the building trade, from up to 40 or 50 years ago.

The symptoms only emerge after decades and routinely prove fatal - by which time related employers mhave gone out of business. But a new Mesothelioma Act has been passed giving eligible victims the chance to claim compensation packages of around £123,000.

An initial debate in the House of Commons had set the awards at around £115,000 but government sources say they have managed to reduce the administration costs of the scheme.

Mike Penning, Works and Pensions Minister, said: 'This will end years of injustice for mesothelioma victims and their families - who have had to endure this terrible disease with little hope of any compensation from the insurance industry.'

The compensation scheme is supported by the insurance industry and it is estimated that around 800 cases this year, and 300 every subsequent year up to 2024, will benefit.

Around £7,000 in additional legal fees will be available Eighty-six deaths were reported from mesothelioma in in East Lancashire in 2012, with higher proportions in Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley and Pensdle.

A number of asbestos-related deaths have been linked to working at the Garden Street gas mask factory in Blackburn during the war and the former Huncoat Power Station.

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Lung cancer not on many women's radar



Lung cancer not on many women's radar

TUESDAY, May 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. women still see breast cancer as a bigger killer than lung cancer, despite the fact that lung cancer kills more Americans each year -- women and men -- than any other cancer.

That's one of the findings from a new American Lung Association (ALA) survey of over 1,000 adult U.S. women.

The poll also found that many women may not appreciate the lung cancer risk to nonsmokers. And few were aware of just how deadly lung cancer remains, in a time of major progress against some other cancers.

According to Alana Burns, vice president of the ALA's Signature Cause Campaign, the poor survival rate may be one reason that lung cancer is not on women's radar.

'With breast cancer, there are so many survivors out there telling their stories and advocating,' Burns said. 'But more than half of women diagnosed with lung cancer are gone within a year. There is no legion of survivors talking about their experiences.'

In the United States, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, followed by lung cancer. But lung cancer is the top killer. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lung cancer kills about 38 out of every 100,000 U.S. women each year. The death rate from breast cancer is 22 per 100,000.

But when the ALA survey respondents were given a list of cancers and asked to pick the top killer of women, 51 percent chose breast cancer. Only 22 percent chose lung cancer.

'It's pretty clear that breast cancer gets more press,' said Dr. Subhakar Mutyala, associate director of the Scott & White Cancer Institute in Temple, Texas.

Plus, he said, since there's routine screening for breast cancer, women and their doctors are talking about the disease.

But unless you're a smoker, your doctor is probably not going to bring up lung cancer, noted Mutyala, who reviewed the survey findings. And while it is possible to screen for lung cancer, he added, that's limited to certain high-risk groups.

Right now, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual CT scans for adults aged 55 to 80 who currently smoke or who quit within the past 15 years -- and smoked for at least 30 'pack-years.' That means one pack per day for 30 years, or two packs a day for 15 years, for example.

Smokers are not, however, the only people who get lung cancer. About 10 percent of people diagnosed with the disease never smoked, the ALA states.

But half of the women in the new survey said they were 'not concerned' about lung cancer because they'd never smoked. That included 68 percent of lifelong nonsmokers.

'Many people think of lung cancer as solely a smoker's disease,' Burns said.

Yet, she added, if lung cancer in nonsmokers were considered its own disease, it would rank among the top-10 cancer killers in the United States.

Burns and Mutyala said people should be aware of the risk factors for lung cancer in nonsmokers.

The top cause is exposure to radon gas, which can become concentrated in homes that are built on soil with natural uranium deposits. Other risk factors include chronic exposure to secondhand smoke or air pollution, and on-the-job exposure to pollutants such as diesel exhaust and asbestos. Researchers have also found gene mutations that play a role in some lung cancers.

The prognosis for people with lung cancer remains grim, according to the lung association. Less than half of women with the disease are still alive one year after they're diagnosed -- a statistic few women in the survey said they'd heard before.

Unfortunately, the cancer is usually diagnosed at a late stage. 'Only about 20 percent of lung cancers are operable when people are diagnosed,' Mutyala said.

To help improve that outlook, the ALA wants the U.S. National Institutes of Health to boost its funding for lung cancer research -- from the current level of $213 million per year, to $400 million by 2025. By comparison, current funding for breast cancer research tops $650 million a year, according to estimates from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

'That's despite the fact that lung cancer kills more people than breast, prostate and colon cancers combined,' Mutyala said.

Burns said women can help by getting involved in efforts to raise awareness and funds. The ALA just launched a new website, dubbed Lung Force (lungforce.org), where people can find information on local charity events, share stories about their experiences with lung cancer, and get information on the disease.

'We want people to learn about the risks,' Burns said. 'This is something that's relevant to you. You should care.' More information

The American Lung Association has facts and figures on lung cancer.

Copyright © 2014 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

3:00pm Thursday 15th May 2014 in News By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

Asbestos sheeting. The dust from asbestos causes the lung disease mesothelioma

VICTIMS of an asbestos-induced cancer in East Lancashire are beginning to take advantage of a new assistance scheme designed to compensate now-defunct firms whose insurers cannot be traced.

Dozens of people in the area have contracted mesothelioma after exposure to the material through working at factories and power stations, or in the building trade, from up to 40 or 50 years ago.

The symptoms only emerge after decades and routinely prove fatal - by which time related employers mhave gone out of business. But a new Mesothelioma Act has been passed giving eligible victims the chance to claim compensation packages of around £123,000.

An initial debate in the House of Commons had set the awards at around £115,000 but government sources say they have managed to reduce the administration costs of the scheme.

Mike Penning, Works and Pensions Minister, said: 'This will end years of injustice for mesothelioma victims and their families - who have had to endure this terrible disease with little hope of any compensation from the insurance industry.'

The compensation scheme is supported by the insurance industry and it is estimated that around 800 cases this year, and 300 every subsequent year up to 2024, will benefit.

Around £7,000 in additional legal fees will be available Eighty-six deaths were reported from mesothelioma in in East Lancashire in 2012, with higher proportions in Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley and Pensdle.

A number of asbestos-related deaths have been linked to working at the Garden Street gas mask factory in Blackburn during the war and the former Huncoat Power Station.

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£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

3:00pm Thursday 15th May 2014 in News By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

Asbestos sheeting. The dust from asbestos causes the lung disease mesothelioma

VICTIMS of an asbestos-induced cancer in East Lancashire are beginning to take advantage of a new assistance scheme designed to compensate now-defunct firms whose insurers cannot be traced.

Dozens of people in the area have contracted mesothelioma after exposure to the material through working at factories and power stations, or in the building trade, from up to 40 or 50 years ago.

The symptoms only emerge after decades and routinely prove fatal - by which time related employers mhave gone out of business. But a new Mesothelioma Act has been passed giving eligible victims the chance to claim compensation packages of around £123,000.

An initial debate in the House of Commons had set the awards at around £115,000 but government sources say they have managed to reduce the administration costs of the scheme.

Mike Penning, Works and Pensions Minister, said: 'This will end years of injustice for mesothelioma victims and their families - who have had to endure this terrible disease with little hope of any compensation from the insurance industry.'

The compensation scheme is supported by the insurance industry and it is estimated that around 800 cases this year, and 300 every subsequent year up to 2024, will benefit.

Around £7,000 in additional legal fees will be available Eighty-six deaths were reported from mesothelioma in in East Lancashire in 2012, with higher proportions in Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley and Pensdle.

A number of asbestos-related deaths have been linked to working at the Garden Street gas mask factory in Blackburn during the war and the former Huncoat Power Station.

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£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

3:00pm Thursday 15th May 2014 in News By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

Asbestos sheeting. The dust from asbestos causes the lung disease mesothelioma

VICTIMS of an asbestos-induced cancer in East Lancashire are beginning to take advantage of a new assistance scheme designed to compensate now-defunct firms whose insurers cannot be traced.

Dozens of people in the area have contracted mesothelioma after exposure to the material through working at factories and power stations, or in the building trade, from up to 40 or 50 years ago.

The symptoms only emerge after decades and routinely prove fatal - by which time related employers mhave gone out of business. But a new Mesothelioma Act has been passed giving eligible victims the chance to claim compensation packages of around £123,000.

An initial debate in the House of Commons had set the awards at around £115,000 but government sources say they have managed to reduce the administration costs of the scheme.

Mike Penning, Works and Pensions Minister, said: 'This will end years of injustice for mesothelioma victims and their families - who have had to endure this terrible disease with little hope of any compensation from the insurance industry.'

The compensation scheme is supported by the insurance industry and it is estimated that around 800 cases this year, and 300 every subsequent year up to 2024, will benefit.

Around £7,000 in additional legal fees will be available Eighty-six deaths were reported from mesothelioma in in East Lancashire in 2012, with higher proportions in Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley and Pensdle.

A number of asbestos-related deaths have been linked to working at the Garden Street gas mask factory in Blackburn during the war and the former Huncoat Power Station.

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£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

£123k for East Lancs victims of asbestos

3:00pm Thursday 15th May 2014 in News By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

Asbestos sheeting. The dust from asbestos causes the lung disease mesothelioma

VICTIMS of an asbestos-induced cancer in East Lancashire are beginning to take advantage of a new assistance scheme designed to compensate now-defunct firms whose insurers cannot be traced.

Dozens of people in the area have contracted mesothelioma after exposure to the material through working at factories and power stations, or in the building trade, from up to 40 or 50 years ago.

The symptoms only emerge after decades and routinely prove fatal - by which time related employers mhave gone out of business. But a new Mesothelioma Act has been passed giving eligible victims the chance to claim compensation packages of around £123,000.

An initial debate in the House of Commons had set the awards at around £115,000 but government sources say they have managed to reduce the administration costs of the scheme.

Mike Penning, Works and Pensions Minister, said: 'This will end years of injustice for mesothelioma victims and their families - who have had to endure this terrible disease with little hope of any compensation from the insurance industry.'

The compensation scheme is supported by the insurance industry and it is estimated that around 800 cases this year, and 300 every subsequent year up to 2024, will benefit.

Around £7,000 in additional legal fees will be available Eighty-six deaths were reported from mesothelioma in in East Lancashire in 2012, with higher proportions in Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley and Pensdle.

A number of asbestos-related deaths have been linked to working at the Garden Street gas mask factory in Blackburn during the war and the former Huncoat Power Station.

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Asbestos exposure may have killed New Malden man at Princess Alice Hospice ...

Asbestos exposure may have killed New Malden man at Princess Alice Hospice five decades after exposure, inquest hears

2:40am Saturday 10th May 2014 in News By Nazia Dewji, Reporter

Princess Alice Hospice: Cares for people with terminal illnesses

A retired New Malden serviceman may have died after coming into contact with asbestos up to 50 years before, an inquest has heard.

Raymond Greengrass, 68, of Beresford Road, died on October 28 last year at Princess Alice Hospice from mesothelioma.

No family were at the inquest at West London Coroner's Court on Thursday.

Mr Greengrass's daughter wrote how her father believed the only time he may have come in contact with asbestos was working for a book supplier in Neasden as a teenager.

She said: 'He used to have to go down to the cellar and get the accounts.'

The inquest heard smoker Mr Greengrass refused antibiotics and preferred a symptom control treatment.

He went to accident and emergency the day before he was admitted to the hospice, where he died the same day.

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Lung cancer not on many women's radar



Lung cancer not on many women's radar

TUESDAY, May 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. women still see breast cancer as a bigger killer than lung cancer, despite the fact that lung cancer kills more Americans each year -- women and men -- than any other cancer.

That's one of the findings from a new American Lung Association (ALA) survey of over 1,000 adult U.S. women.

The poll also found that many women may not appreciate the lung cancer risk to nonsmokers. And few were aware of just how deadly lung cancer remains, in a time of major progress against some other cancers.

According to Alana Burns, vice president of the ALA's Signature Cause Campaign, the poor survival rate may be one reason that lung cancer is not on women's radar.

'With breast cancer, there are so many survivors out there telling their stories and advocating,' Burns said. 'But more than half of women diagnosed with lung cancer are gone within a year. There is no legion of survivors talking about their experiences.'

In the United States, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, followed by lung cancer. But lung cancer is the top killer. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lung cancer kills about 38 out of every 100,000 U.S. women each year. The death rate from breast cancer is 22 per 100,000.

But when the ALA survey respondents were given a list of cancers and asked to pick the top killer of women, 51 percent chose breast cancer. Only 22 percent chose lung cancer.

'It's pretty clear that breast cancer gets more press,' said Dr. Subhakar Mutyala, associate director of the Scott & White Cancer Institute in Temple, Texas.

Plus, he said, since there's routine screening for breast cancer, women and their doctors are talking about the disease.

But unless you're a smoker, your doctor is probably not going to bring up lung cancer, noted Mutyala, who reviewed the survey findings. And while it is possible to screen for lung cancer, he added, that's limited to certain high-risk groups.

Right now, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual CT scans for adults aged 55 to 80 who currently smoke or who quit within the past 15 years -- and smoked for at least 30 'pack-years.' That means one pack per day for 30 years, or two packs a day for 15 years, for example.

Smokers are not, however, the only people who get lung cancer. About 10 percent of people diagnosed with the disease never smoked, the ALA states.

But half of the women in the new survey said they were 'not concerned' about lung cancer because they'd never smoked. That included 68 percent of lifelong nonsmokers.

'Many people think of lung cancer as solely a smoker's disease,' Burns said.

Yet, she added, if lung cancer in nonsmokers were considered its own disease, it would rank among the top-10 cancer killers in the United States.

Burns and Mutyala said people should be aware of the risk factors for lung cancer in nonsmokers.

The top cause is exposure to radon gas, which can become concentrated in homes that are built on soil with natural uranium deposits. Other risk factors include chronic exposure to secondhand smoke or air pollution, and on-the-job exposure to pollutants such as diesel exhaust and asbestos. Researchers have also found gene mutations that play a role in some lung cancers.

The prognosis for people with lung cancer remains grim, according to the lung association. Less than half of women with the disease are still alive one year after they're diagnosed -- a statistic few women in the survey said they'd heard before.

Unfortunately, the cancer is usually diagnosed at a late stage. 'Only about 20 percent of lung cancers are operable when people are diagnosed,' Mutyala said.

To help improve that outlook, the ALA wants the U.S. National Institutes of Health to boost its funding for lung cancer research -- from the current level of $213 million per year, to $400 million by 2025. By comparison, current funding for breast cancer research tops $650 million a year, according to estimates from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

'That's despite the fact that lung cancer kills more people than breast, prostate and colon cancers combined,' Mutyala said.

Burns said women can help by getting involved in efforts to raise awareness and funds. The ALA just launched a new website, dubbed Lung Force (lungforce.org), where people can find information on local charity events, share stories about their experiences with lung cancer, and get information on the disease.

'We want people to learn about the risks,' Burns said. 'This is something that's relevant to you. You should care.' More information

The American Lung Association has facts and figures on lung cancer.

Copyright © 2014 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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