Mesothelioma - Cancer of the Lung

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos and other asbestiform minerals. It usually takes at least 20 years for symptoms to arise from the initial exposure to this highly dangerous mineral. Around 14 to 30 people out of every million will be affected by mesothelioma each year. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that mesothelioma was linked to the exposure of asbestos. Up until that time and even into the 1970’s asbestos was used in a wide range of products; primarily for heat and sound insulation, roofing, and flooring.

There are three major health effects associated with asbestos exposure. These consist of asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Asbestosis is non cancerous. It is caused by inhaling the asbestos fibers. These fibers get into your lungs and cause irritation and scarring. Causing shortness of breath and a crackling sound in your lungs. Unfortunately there is no effective treatment of asbestosis at this time. Lung cancer is the deadliest of the three. People who are/were in the trades are usually more susceptible to lung cancer then the other two. Lung cancer causes shortness of breath, anemia, a change in breathing, persistent chest pains, and hoarseness. Mesothelioma is the rarest of the three. It is a form of cancer that is almost always linked to the exposure of asbestiform minerals. It is found in the lining of the abdomen, chest, heart, and lungs.

I have a few family members that have unfortunately been exposed to asbestiform minerals due to their jobs. At the time most people never knew that asbestos had such deadly affects on the human body. After years of researching mesothelioma, along with doctor visits and trips to the lawyers over and over again my uncle came across The Mesothelioma Victims Center. This is a wonderful group. They offer more free services for someone with mesothelioma than any other group in the country. They will also refer you to the best mesothelioma attorneys in the business. Here is one of their statements from their website. “When it comes to discovering the best mesothelioma healthcare options in the specific city, state, region, or the nation, for a just diagnosed victim of mesothelioma our free service has no equal. When it comes to the best legal options for a mesothelioma victim, we think it’s vital to make certain every just diagnosed victim of mesothelioma in the United States, knows the names, and has the specific contact information for the best actual mesothelioma trial law firms in the United States."

I highly recommend this group. They can save you a lot of time and money. They offered so much great information that we could never thank them enough. My uncle had a hard time keeping up with his bills. He was not able to walk for short periods of time much less able to work anymore. It seemed that everywhere we went to try to get him help there would be another closed door. Thanks to the Mesothelioma Victims Center we were able to get the assistance that he needed. He still has a hard time breathing. But he can at least afford his bills and medications now. Another great organization is the Cancer Support Community. They helped us find local support groups. It can really make life easier speaking to other people who have gone through the same things. Not to mention the plethora of knowledge that you can receive from a group setting.

If you think you have asbestos in your house then please call an expert and have them check it out. And remember not too touch any asbestos. Once it gets disturbed it will get airborne and the risk of breathing it in is just too high. The Cancer Support Community website can be found at http://www.cancersupportcommunity.org/ and the Mesothelioma Victims Center can be found at http://mesotheliomavictimscenter.com/ I hope this article has been beneficial to you.