Medical studies of Mesothelioma

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Even though they were aware of the health hazards involved in the processing and use of asbestos, industry leaders ignored or covered up those dangers. In some cases they even funded studies to prove the safety of the material. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma it is likely due to the choices made by people in the asbestos industry.

Most cases were caused by to employer neglect because the ways to protect the factory workers and other people exposed to asbestos was simple and relatively inexpensive. The use of protective clothing, gear and ventilation would have made a huge impact on the number of people who are only now being diagnosed with this fatal illness.

It is estimated that about 8 million people were exposed to asbestos for extended periods and are at risk of developing mesothelioma. Mesothelioma litigation is now a multibillion dollar industry because people find out that their health was jeopardized by their employers or the manufacturers of household products. Medical expenses for the treatment and medicine for peritoneal mesothelioma are incredibly high, not to mention the physical pain and suffering, so victims are well within their rights to file compensation lawsuits.

A sheet metal worker, long retired, was exposed to asbestos while working in a factory for 40 years. He was exposed to asbestos during the processing of metal and forming it into products to be used in homes and office structures.

There was little done to protect him from exposure the particles of asbestos that clouded the air in the factory and the workers thought little of inhaling the dust. He recently started to develop serious health problems which included stomach and bowel troubles, pain in the abdomen and weight loss. His doctors looked for ever conceivable stomach ailment but were stumped because there was little to be found that was physically wrong with him.

After months of tests and repeating his medical history, he spoke to a doctor who suggested a cancer exam. The doctor mentioned fields that had exposure to asbestos which is a known carcinogen and metal working was one of them. He soon had a biopsy done of his peritoneal mesothelium and was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma.

His prognosis was good, he would have about 3 years to live and be treated. He immediately sought legal assistance and fought nearly a year long court battle which he ultimately won. His award was 30 million dollars and full coverage of his medical expenses. He also chose to enter a research program that would use multiple clinical trials to help further research on the disease to find a cure.

About Peritoneal Mesothelioma

• Peritoneal mesothelioma can develop even after as little as a few months of exposure.
• The latency period can be as few as 10 and up to 50 years so the exposure to asbestos which caused the disease may be long forgotten.
• It is often mistaken for any of a variety of diseases that have significantly lower mortality rates or may be benign. Peritoneal mesothelioma is often diagnosed as any number of bowel or abdominal problems but treatment usually has little or no effect.
• Mesothelioma of any kind is always fatal; there is no known cure.
• The survival rate for mesothelioma is about 1 year from diagnosis, sometimes victims have only a few months to live when they find out they have the disease, and about 10% of patients survive 5 years.
• Treatment options include surgery to remove the affected tissue (in early diagnosis), radiation and chemotherapy. There is a low success rate for treatment and even experimental treatments have little effect on peritoneal mesothelioma because it often spreads to the abdominal organs.