About Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is a life-threatening type of cancer that affects the lining of the body's main organs, including the heart, lungs and abdomen. Research has discovered that prolonged exposure to asbestos is one of the main causes of mesothelioma.

Although there are government regulations now regarding the use of asbestos, several malignant mesothelioma patients were exposed to asbestos before these protective laws were implemented.

In the 1930s and 1940s, few research studies were conducted on lung cancer and its causes, including its relationship with asbestos. Many researchers determined that the rise in lung cancer instances was a result of the increase of tobacco use because there was little evidence to conclude that it was due to asbestos mining and production.

In 1959, three researchers divulged the results of their study at an international conference that found that 32 of 33 cases of pleural mesothelioma had previous exposure to asbestos. This initial research inspired several other related studies, which found that asbestosis and mesothelioma instances were higher in mining towns or environments with asbestos exposure. In their defense, mining companies attacked the report and refused the claims, allowing the mining towns to be in business for another 20 years and exposing hundreds of victims to asbestos.

Prolonged asbestos exposure most commonly leads to asbestosis or pleural mesothelioma. Asbestosis is a serious lung disease that occurs when asbestos fibers are inhaled and become lodged in the lining of the lungs. While asbestosis is not a cancerous condition, it is caused by exposure to asbestos, as is pleural mesothelioma, which is commonly referred to as malignant mesothelioma cancer.

Approximately 70 percent of all mesothelioma cases are pleural mesothelioma, a condition that develops cancerous cells in the lining of the lungs. Patients with pleural mesothelioma typically experience chest pain, or pain in the upper abdomen and shoulder. In addition, they may also demonstrate loss of appetite, shortness of breath, weight loss and cough. Pleural mesothelioma is one of the three most commonly reported cases of mesothelioma, including pericardial and peritoneal, which affect the heart and abdomen respectively.

Many employers of mining industries knowingly exposed their workers to asbestos after reading research supporting the link between asbestos exposure and asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma and other deadly diseases. Because employers failed to properly protect their workers, they may be held liable for mesothelioma treatment costs, lost wages, lost future income, and loss of companionship.

Mesothelioma is often a fatal disease, and after mesothelioma diagnosis many victims do not survive past one year. Many family members or heirs meet with a wrongful death attorney to learn how they can receive compensatory damages for funeral expenses and medical bills. With representation, victims and their families can earn the compensation they deserve from those who wronged them.