It's likely that at some point in the last few years you saw a commercial about asbestos and mesothelioma and how you should contact a certain number if you or someone you love has been around asbestos or diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos, which was once regularly used in building materials.
Since it was found that this substance causes cancer, places that used it were reconstructed and it became the law for buildings containing asbestos to let people that worked there know it was there and a possible danger.
Recently in the news
Mesothelioma is now recently back in the news, but this time it's a good thing. It has been found that certain treatments for this particular cancer are helping sufferers live longer. For some, there is a type of aggressive cancer surgery that can help those in the further stages of this cancer, even though it isn't much help to those that are only recently diagnosed. A doctor will be able to determine what treatment is best for prolonged life of the patient.
Surgery isn't the only option that is being talked about in the news when it comes to longer life for those diagnosed with mesothelioma. There is also recent news on a drug out of Italy that could also help prolong the life of people with this deadly illness. This drug works with the immune system to help it work toward destroying the cells of mesothelioma.
What does this mean for those with mesothelioma?
While the immunotherapy drug is still in trials, that doesn't mean there isn't hope. For people that are already diagnosed it's not only important to talk to your doctor about the options out there, but it can also be important to contact a lawyer that specializes in mesothelioma cases. For example, on their website, Baron and Budd offer a comprehensive FAQ on mesothelioma. They can help answer all of your questions about your rights when it comes to these cases. You may be able to have all of your medical care paid for and you may also have other rights and compensations depending on your particular case.
With new studies and new technology, it seems that maybe mesothelioma will no longer need to be a death sentence for those that have been diagnosed. Only time will tell, but you may get a little more time to find out.
Some facts on mesothelioma
It's important to know that there is more than one type of this cancer. The most common is pleural mesothelioma, which those that have been exposed to heavy amounts of asbestos for prolonged amounts of time are 2 to 10 percent likely to get. While those chances may seem low, the National Institutes of Health believe that 11 million people have been exposed to asbestos, between the years of 1940 and 1978. That is a lot of people.
If you aren't sure whether you've been exposed in your lifetime, the most common ways of exposure were through the military, certain products, at work or through environmental hazards.
