1-Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. It is characterized by the abnormal division and multiplication of cells within the lungs and bronchial tubes causing the accumulation of tumor cells into a cancer.
2- In the United States alone, approximately 10,000 people die from asbestos-related illnesses, and many of these people are victims of lung cancer.
3-There are two basic types of lung cancer - small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, the latter of which represents the large majority of lung cancer cases diagnosed in the United States each year. In patients with lung cancer, the tissue cells of the lungs and associated respiratory organs begin to divide abnormally at an uncontrollable rate. Cancers that develop in the lungs may metastasize to other regions of the body. These growths are composed of cells similar to those of the original tumor and are just as likely to pose a health threat to the afflicted person.
4-The symptoms of lung cancer are many and vary according to individual cases and factors. Some of the more common symptoms of lung cancer include persistent coughing, chest pain, changes in the color, volume, or consistency of sputum, the presence of blood in sputum, weight loss, or decrease in appetite, headaches, and general fatigue. Although these symptoms may indicate the presence of lung cancer, they are not by any means a certain measure of diagnosis.
5-A person experiencing these symptoms must seek a medical analysis for an accurate diagnosis. Imaging tests like chest x-ray, CTscan, MRI, PET scans are used to diagnose the disease. Also tissue tests known as biopsy are also used to confirm the diagnosis.
6- According to experts in the field of asbestos and lung cancer, there are a number of factors that can affect a person’s level of risk for developing lung cancer once they have been exposed to asbestos. The amount of asbestos exposure and the quantity of fibers that have collected in the body greatly affect one’s risk of developing cancer. It is important to remember that, as with most cancers, lifestyle plays a considerable role in the risk of developing lung cancer after exposure to asbestos. Smokers and other people who have a lung condition (or any illness) prior to exposure are at a greater risk for developing asbestos-related lung cancer, not only because their respiratory system has already been compromised, but also because of the synergistic affect of smoking and asbestos exposure. Many people who are exposed to asbestos develop non-cancerous respiratory illnesses, such as asbestosis, which also increases the risk of developing lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Bello Kamorudeen.http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com
Monday, 30 November 2009
6 Crucial Facts About Lung Cancer
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Have you worked in shipyards before? Then you are at risk of asbestos exposure
There are certain jobs that increase one’s risk of asbestos exposure. If you worked in shipyards during World War II and the Korean War you were very likely exposed to asbestos. The material was greatly used for shipbuilding because of its ability to resist corrosion and high temperatures. The asbestos dust tended to build up around these areas and other inadequately ventilated parts of the ship, which led to human exposure aboard vessels.
Not only the shipbuilders, but the crews of those ships and the longshoreman (those who load the ships) were heavily exposed to asbestos as well. In fact, before the 1980s, many longshoremen probably even loaded bundles of asbestos onto ships.
Before that time, the health risk associated with asbestos was not known by these workers and no special precautions were taken to prevent inhalation.
A scientific study revealed that 86 percent of shipyard workers with 20 or more years of experience developed asbestos-related lung disease or lung cancer. If you have ever worked in a shipyard or on an old ship and feel you may have been exposed to asbestos, it is important that you discuss it with your physician. As with most types of cancer, mesothelioma is best treated if detected early.
If you or a family member are diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease you should seek to know more about the disease and seek for legal help to you get monetary compensation from those that wrongfully exposed you to asbestos.
Bello Kamorudeen. http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com
Saturday, 28 November 2009
A small step forward.... Cycle 6, Day 20
For the first time since the start of cycle 6 of chemotherapy, I wasn’t woken by the sight and sound of Steve retching into the emergency bedside bucket. In fact, it’s 10 am and he hasn’t been sick at all. A small step forward, but a very, very good one - long may it continue!
How To Recognise the early symptoms of asbestosis
Asbestosis is one of the disease associated with asbestos exposure and it is characterized by chronic scarring of the lungs. Thankfully however it is not a life threatening disease although it is chronic in nature. Most of its symptoms are common to other respiratory illness but if you have been exposed to asbestos in the past and you start to experience these symptoms you should start suspecting that maybe you have asbestosis.
Early Symptoms of Asbestosis
Asbestosis symptoms generally show up in three stages. In the earliest stage, it is usually assumed that the mild symptoms are due to general illness, being overweight or simply being out of shape. These are some of the early symptoms of asbestosis:
-Dyspnoea{difficulty in breathing} after exertion or exercise. This is usually the first symptom and it is most often overlooked as a symptom of some other milder commoner respiratory illness. Some other people just assume that they may be overweight.-
-Dry cough, especially a chronic cough that isn’t associated with other symptoms. For example, a dry cough that is not associated with fever nor other signs of infection.
-General malaise or easy fatiguability. - -Wheezing can sometimes occur early on as well, especially if the individual is also a smoker.
Mid-Stage Symptoms of Asbestosis
Mid-stage asbestosis symptoms include all of the earlier symptoms, plus:
-Dyspnoea{difficulty in breathing} that has now worsened with Dyspnoea now occurring at rest when the victim is not engaged in any physical activity.
-Recurring chest pain or a feeling of tightness in the chest area. Some people feel like they “can’t catch their breath” or that they cannot fill their lungs.
-Clubbed fingers or pitted, uneven fingernails - these symptoms indicate that the concentration of oxygen in the blood is reduced as result of poor absorption of oxygen into the blood stream via the lungs.
-A honeycomb-like appearance of the lungs in an MRI scan film.-
These symptoms of asbestosis are caused by permanent scarring of lung tissue, this causes inefficient transfer of oxygen into the blood stream. Asbestos could also result in the development of other more severe types of asbestos related disease like mesothelioma and lung cancer, so you should also be conversant with the symptoms of these other diseases.
Bello Kamorudeen. http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com
Friday, 27 November 2009
3 Important Medical Costs Associated With Asbestos Related Diseases.
The medical costs associated with diseases that are related to asbestos exposure can be extremely high. Every patient afflicted with an asbestos related disease must be aware of the likely medical expenses he/she will likely incur. Asbestos-related illnesses can be very expensive for a variety of reasons. Understanding the expenses involved in treatment is an important factor when considering filing a claim against the company responsible for asbestos exposure.
1-Long-term care costs.
Asbestosis is a progressive disease with no true cure. If you are diagnosed with asbestosis, your physician will work to make you as comfortable as possible and maintain your lung functioning as long as possible. The use of oxygen therapy (which provides the body with adequate oxygen) is one method of therapy. Another beneficial treatment is respiratory therapy, where the patient works with a respiratory therapist to strengthen the lungs. A respiratory therapist can also teach special breathing techniques that will help the patient clear secretions from the lungs. This therapy can help slow the progression of asbestosis.
2-The cost of combination therapy.
Mesothelioma is aggressive and highly resistant to treatment. Once diagnosed with the disease, the average mesothelioma patient survives roughly one year. There are several reasons why mesothelioma is so difficult to treat. One factor is the difficulty in detecting the cancer. By the time the patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma, it has often spread. Another factor is the location of the tumors, which are sandwiched in the mesothelium lining. Because of these factors, any hope for a cure must include aggressive treatment. This may entail surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation in any combination, and includes frequent medical monitoring to determine how well the treatment is working. This form of combination therapy is usually very expensive requiring the use of expensive drugs and highly specialized medical personnel whose services do not come cheap.
3-The cost of participating in clinical trials.
Because mesothelioma is often a terminal disease, many mesothelioma patients are advised to participate in clinical trials. Clinical trials are used to test the efficacy of new drugs to treat diseases before approval for general use by the drug regulatory agencies {FDA in the US}. Involvement in clinical trials is strictly voluntary, and may provide a last hope of successful treatment for many patients. The costs of participating in clinical trials are not usually covered by insurance, as they are not considered standard methods of treatment. Some expenses of a clinical trial will be paid by the hospital conducting the trial and some expenses will not be covered which the participant will have to bear.
Medical treatment for asbestos related diseases can be very expensive and every victim should file a lawsuit against the companies that were responsible for the wrongful exposure to asbestos to be able to claim much needed compensation.
Bello Kamorudeen. http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Mesothelioma Settlement-Structured Lump Sum Payments
When you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should seek for monetary compensation from the people who wrongfully exposed you to asbestos fibers which ultimately led to the development of the deadly terminal cancer. This compensation will be needed to offset the huge medical bills that will arise from the treatment of the cancer and it will also provide necessary funds for the family of the victim when the victim most likely passes away.
Some lawsuits can result in payment of large sums while others are not that successful and result in the payment of little or nil compensation. The defendant may also opt for an appeal of the verdict in which case payment is further delayed.
Monetary settlements come in various forms and one of the payment methods that can be adapted is the structured lump sum payment. In this type of settlement the victim will receive an amount of money at periodic intervals like monthly, or every two months or quarterly until the money is paid in full.
One major draw back of this type of settlement is that since the money comes in small batches getting huge amounts of money to make the needed big lump sums of money for medical treatment is difficult. However you can by pass this obstacle by seeking the services of lawsuit funding companies who will turn intermittent payments into a big one time lump payment for you for an agreed fee, this will help you to raise the big lump sum amounts that you need for your medical bills especially.
In some cases, payments are made by settlement trust funds set up by companies that have gone bankrupt, many of them are offer lump sum structured settlement payments to the victims of asbestos related disease.
Asbestos laws and lawsuits are very complex so every mesothelioma patient should learn as much as they can about mesothelioma lawsuits and they must always seek for the services of an expert mesothelioma lawyer to handle their case.
Bello Kamorudeen. http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com
Back on familiar territory... Cycle 6, Day 17
Although chemo is over, we were on familiar territory again this morning, back at hospital for Steve’s CT scan and X-ray. No food or drink for 2 hours beforehand, so we had to get up very early for Steve to have breakfast well before the deadline, to avoid the nausea and sickness that still troubles him if he doesn’t eat little and often.
The procedures themselves were very quick compared to a normal chemo day, even though Steve had to drink a litre of water (with something in it to help show up everything on the scan) as well as the usual iodine injection that makes it easier to see the cancer cells. The usual wait afterwards over a coffee in the cafe to make sure he didn’t collapse, then home.
Back to hospital on on 10 December to hear the results. I’m hoping to be allowed to arrive late for a work-related event in Bristol which starts that day, so that I can be there with him to hear the news.
Recovering from the chemo side effects is a long, slow process - Steve still needs the anti-nausea tablets first thing in the morning and late at night, but is gradually weaning himself off taking them during the day. That seems to be helping his head clear and he’s less drowsy….So, good news - especially as the last cycle of treatment isn’t officially over until next Monday, when this “rest week” finishes.
He’s a popular man at the moment - not only does the cancer care centre want to see him on 10 December, the Orthopaedic Centre wants to see him on the same day to see what’s happened to the finger joint he had replaced a couple of years ago. As he has yet to master the art of being in two places at once, I think the finger clinic will have to wait!
