Residents surrounding Moline, Illinois’ former nursing school dormitory wish the decapitated building would be torn down. Although city officials have assured residents the building will be demolished, months have passed since the promised demolition date was set.
Many Moline residents built homes in the city’s new subdivision under the impression that the eyesore would fall, shortly after their arrival. Asbestos delays, however, have slowed the demolition process.
City Administrator Lew Steinbrecher said: “The Illinois EPA did approve an amendment to the Design Plan to allow for a different testing method to determine the levels of residual asbestos within the building...I believe the building has been cleaned four times so far to remove as much residual asbestos as possible.”
Before the building may be demolished, the Illinois EPA must approve the most recent asbestos testing results, reports The Quad City Times. Once the EPA approves the test results, the building will be cleared for demolition.
The building must first be cleared, to protect employees, as well as neighborhood residents. Exposure to the toxic material has been known to cause several asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma--a rare cancer known to affect the mesothelium.
Symptoms of the disease lie dormant for several decades. Due to the disease’s dormant nature, mesothelioma doctors tend to diagnose patients in the later stages of their disease. Mesothelioma treatment, including mesothelioma chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, are common palliative methods.
The demolition contractor will begin the project once the building is cleared. The process is expected to last 70 days.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Australian Businessman Invents Zippered Bag for Disposal of Mesothelioma-Causing Asbestos
An entrepeneur in Australia has found an innovative way to dispose of asbestos, and since March 14th when he launched his business it has become the largest skip bin (dumpster) operation in Australia. The unique design uses a bag with an internal liner that is simply zipped up and removed by a trash truck outfitted with a crane. This method prevents asbestos fibers from becoming airborne and potentially causing mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases in the handlers.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer typically affecting the lining of the lungs. Primarily caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers, most cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed 30 years or more after exposure. Often called “asbestos cancer,” mesothelioma is highly aggressive and is resistant to many standard cancer treatments.
Aussie Skip Bins is a franchise business with close to 60 franchisees throughout Australia. Wayne Loane, the franchise creator, hopes to garner business in Melbourne after an upcoming franchise expo.
Using recyclable, pink polypropylene bags, the skip bin business got a large boost when the Cancer Council recommended this disposal method “to be the only recommended product for use by the home owner.” The bags are removed and buried at the disposal site with no potential for human contact with the asbestos.
Loane hopes to bring his business to the United States and believes that regardless of the U.S. recession, the business will take off in the U.S. as it has in Australia.
Asbestos is a known carcinogen and the American Cancer Society believes there is no safe level of exposure to the mineral. Even small amounts of asbestos and infrequent exposure can create a risk for contracting mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.
The World Health Organization estimates 90,000 people die each year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer typically affecting the lining of the lungs. Primarily caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers, most cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed 30 years or more after exposure. Often called “asbestos cancer,” mesothelioma is highly aggressive and is resistant to many standard cancer treatments.
Aussie Skip Bins is a franchise business with close to 60 franchisees throughout Australia. Wayne Loane, the franchise creator, hopes to garner business in Melbourne after an upcoming franchise expo.
Using recyclable, pink polypropylene bags, the skip bin business got a large boost when the Cancer Council recommended this disposal method “to be the only recommended product for use by the home owner.” The bags are removed and buried at the disposal site with no potential for human contact with the asbestos.
Loane hopes to bring his business to the United States and believes that regardless of the U.S. recession, the business will take off in the U.S. as it has in Australia.
Asbestos is a known carcinogen and the American Cancer Society believes there is no safe level of exposure to the mineral. Even small amounts of asbestos and infrequent exposure can create a risk for contracting mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.
The World Health Organization estimates 90,000 people die each year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Mesothelioma treatments: What have been my options?
Clinical investigate to yield virulent mesothelioma is really active as good as nonetheless no diagnosis has nonetheless valid wholly successful, there exist a operation of treatments accessible to people diagnosed with a disease. There have been 3 sorts of customary treatments used to yield virulent mesothelioma that include: surgery, deviation therapy, as good as chemotherapy.
SurgerySurgery for virulent mesothelioma is widely separated in to a series of sub-classes, that have been specifically written to extent a mildew for people with sold strains of a disease.
Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a serious form of operation in that a complete lung as good as a apportionment of a backing of a chest, a diaphragm, as good as a little or a complete weal that surrounds a heart is removed.
Wide internal operation is a form of operation that targets as good as removes a cancer as good as a singular volume of a full of health hankie surrounding a carcenogenic region.
Pleurectomy as good as decortication removes partial of a covering of a lungs, as good as a backing of a chest as good as portions of a outward covering of a lungs.
The surgical procession pleurodesis is a graphic technique insofar as it employs a mix of chemicals and/or drug to emanate an conscious injure in between a layers of a pleura. Post surgery, a space combined by a injure contingency be drained, regulating possibly a catheter or chest tube, as good as is afterwards filled with a containing alkali that inhibits a accumulation of liquid in a pleura cavity.
RadiationThe second first healing technique used to quarrel a expansion of virulent mesothelioma is radiation. Radiation therapy, as practical to virulent mesothelioma uses a same simple record as alternative forms of healing deviation insofar as a technique employs tall appetite x-rays to kill cancer cells. The routine is widely separated in to dual extended categories:
External deviation care is a technique in that a appurtenance sends deviation in a targeted tide during a sure apportionment of a body, as good as in so you do it kills a carcenogenic cells in a purview.
Internal deviation therapy, by contrast, uses not an outmost machine, though rsther than needles, seeds as good as catheters to place hot piece without delay on or nearby a cancer. While a accurate routine of you do will of march rely on a sort as good as theatre of a illness, what is consistent inside of this difficulty is that a idea is to get a deviation placed without delay onto a carcenogenic area as good as in so you do yield a some-more strong as good as destined dosage.
ChemotherapyThe third customary virulent mesothelioma diagnosis is Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drug that aim cancer cells as good as stop them from dividing as good as to illustrate forestall their growth.
In systemic chemotherapy, a drug can be taken by mouth or injected, though possibly approach a idea is to have it strech cancer cells by equates to of a body’s own red blood dissemination system. In informal chemotherapy, a drug is placed without delay onto a aim area. And finally, multiple chemotherapy involves a operate of dual or some-more anticancer drug that can be administered possibly orally or by injection.
Malignant mesothelioma is a formidable mildew for any one to bear, however, educating oneself as to a options accessible is an critical step for creation a routine some-more manageable.
SurgerySurgery for virulent mesothelioma is widely separated in to a series of sub-classes, that have been specifically written to extent a mildew for people with sold strains of a disease.
Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a serious form of operation in that a complete lung as good as a apportionment of a backing of a chest, a diaphragm, as good as a little or a complete weal that surrounds a heart is removed.
Wide internal operation is a form of operation that targets as good as removes a cancer as good as a singular volume of a full of health hankie surrounding a carcenogenic region.
Pleurectomy as good as decortication removes partial of a covering of a lungs, as good as a backing of a chest as good as portions of a outward covering of a lungs.
The surgical procession pleurodesis is a graphic technique insofar as it employs a mix of chemicals and/or drug to emanate an conscious injure in between a layers of a pleura. Post surgery, a space combined by a injure contingency be drained, regulating possibly a catheter or chest tube, as good as is afterwards filled with a containing alkali that inhibits a accumulation of liquid in a pleura cavity.
RadiationThe second first healing technique used to quarrel a expansion of virulent mesothelioma is radiation. Radiation therapy, as practical to virulent mesothelioma uses a same simple record as alternative forms of healing deviation insofar as a technique employs tall appetite x-rays to kill cancer cells. The routine is widely separated in to dual extended categories:
External deviation care is a technique in that a appurtenance sends deviation in a targeted tide during a sure apportionment of a body, as good as in so you do it kills a carcenogenic cells in a purview.
Internal deviation therapy, by contrast, uses not an outmost machine, though rsther than needles, seeds as good as catheters to place hot piece without delay on or nearby a cancer. While a accurate routine of you do will of march rely on a sort as good as theatre of a illness, what is consistent inside of this difficulty is that a idea is to get a deviation placed without delay onto a carcenogenic area as good as in so you do yield a some-more strong as good as destined dosage.
ChemotherapyThe third customary virulent mesothelioma diagnosis is Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drug that aim cancer cells as good as stop them from dividing as good as to illustrate forestall their growth.
In systemic chemotherapy, a drug can be taken by mouth or injected, though possibly approach a idea is to have it strech cancer cells by equates to of a body’s own red blood dissemination system. In informal chemotherapy, a drug is placed without delay onto a aim area. And finally, multiple chemotherapy involves a operate of dual or some-more anticancer drug that can be administered possibly orally or by injection.
Malignant mesothelioma is a formidable mildew for any one to bear, however, educating oneself as to a options accessible is an critical step for creation a routine some-more manageable.
Mesothelioma survivor’s uphill climb gains some traction in cancer fight
Veteran Pompano Beach runner Larry Davis has been in the toughest of races for several years, a relentless uphill climb to bring awareness and gain support for the fight against mesothelioma.
Davis is a survivor of the lethal cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. He not only continues to stay a step ahead of the disease and run in road races, he is part of a group that actually had an impact in Washington recently.
Working with the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, he had a hand in securing the support of about 50 members of Congress to create National Mesothelioma Awareness Day on Sept. 26. And most important, to gain support for funding research to combat the disease.
“It’s hard to believe that a group such as ours could go to [Washington] and get the attention of Congress and get them to do something,” Davis said. “It’s huge. I feel pretty good about what we did.”
Mesothelioma is the cancer that killed singer Warren Zevon, actor Steve McQueen and recently NFL Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen. But those are just a few of the big names; this disease impacts families across the country.
Davis’ father was exposed to asbestos at a box manufacturing plant in New Haven, Conn., and died at age 56 from mesothelioma. On Labor Day, Davis and wife, Carol, plan to run in the USA 20K Championship in New Haven, which will pass within a block of that building.
Then he’ll run a meso benefit race in Illinois the weekend of national awareness day.
“The organizer told me, ‘We’ve got hills, they’ll kill you.’ I’d rather go that way,” Davis joked.
Meanwhile, the Miles For Meso 5K that Davis helped organize last winter in Boca Raton, will return Feb. 13 at Spanish River Park, he said. The race against meso goes on and on.
Davis is a survivor of the lethal cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. He not only continues to stay a step ahead of the disease and run in road races, he is part of a group that actually had an impact in Washington recently.
Working with the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, he had a hand in securing the support of about 50 members of Congress to create National Mesothelioma Awareness Day on Sept. 26. And most important, to gain support for funding research to combat the disease.
“It’s hard to believe that a group such as ours could go to [Washington] and get the attention of Congress and get them to do something,” Davis said. “It’s huge. I feel pretty good about what we did.”
Mesothelioma is the cancer that killed singer Warren Zevon, actor Steve McQueen and recently NFL Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen. But those are just a few of the big names; this disease impacts families across the country.
Davis’ father was exposed to asbestos at a box manufacturing plant in New Haven, Conn., and died at age 56 from mesothelioma. On Labor Day, Davis and wife, Carol, plan to run in the USA 20K Championship in New Haven, which will pass within a block of that building.
Then he’ll run a meso benefit race in Illinois the weekend of national awareness day.
“The organizer told me, ‘We’ve got hills, they’ll kill you.’ I’d rather go that way,” Davis joked.
Meanwhile, the Miles For Meso 5K that Davis helped organize last winter in Boca Raton, will return Feb. 13 at Spanish River Park, he said. The race against meso goes on and on.
VENTURA OWNER, CONTRACTOR FACE FINES ON ASBESTOS CEILING REMOVALS
In the latter part of June, Ventura, California townhome/apartment owner Tony Biedul, and painting contractor Bill Bigler, were cited for their May removal of textured "popcorn" ceilings from some of the units in the Ventura Village Green apartments. Ceilings which, one expert says, Biedul must have known contained asbestos.
The problem started with leaking pipes in the 150-unit complex, which damaged ceilings and walls in at least 36 of the townhome units. So Biedul hired painting contractor Bigler to repair the damage and - even though Biedul denied it at the time - allowed tenants to remain in their apartments while the asbestos-containing textured ceilings were scraped off and replaced.
In fact, no one would have known about the asbestos content, had not the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District tested some of the material removed from the ceilings and discovered that samples contained significant levels of asbestos, at least according to the testing lab.
Asbestos, used during most of the last century in a wide range of building products, including floor tiles, tile glues, acoustical ceiling tiles, and textured ceiling and wall plasters, or spray-on coatings, was once viewed as a "miracle" compound, both for its superb insulative qualities and its resistance to chemical degradation.
It wasn't until about the middle of the century, or more precisely the 1970s, that public health officials, doctors and even some manufacturers began to recognize asbestos's significant, and growing, role in a type of cancer called mesothelioma.
Occurring in the mesothelial tissues that surround and protect the lungs, heart and digestive organs, though most often in the lungs (as malignant pleural mesothelioma, the cancer has always been relatively rare, and often remains undiagnosed as a result.
What distinguishes malignant mesothelioma from other cancers is its unique and very evident relationship with asbestos, the fact that it lies dormant for so long before producing definitive symptoms, and the fact that - once active - it moves so quickly to compromise large amounts of vital tissue, and usually results in death within a year of diagnosis.
There is currently no known cure for mesothelioma, which makes contracting it the same as a death sentence. For the residents of Ventura Village Green who remained in their apartments while ceilings were removed, the possibility that they will die of mesothelioma in twenty to fifty years looms large.
Both Biedul and Bigler, who owns Quality Custom Painting, have since been issued multiple citations for violations of the Clean Air Act. Each violation could cost them $10,000, according to Deputy Air Pollution Control Officer Keith Duval.
Duval was quick to point out, however, that the levying of fines depends largely on whether Biedul and Bigler knew the ceilings contained asbestos, and went ahead despite the danger, or did not know, reducing violations from ‘willful' to unintentional.
According to Duval, most contractors know that popcorn ceilings installed before 1976 - the end of asbestos's heyday - contain the hazardous mineral. Biedul, for his part, has said he didn't think there was any asbestos in the complex, which was built in 1964. And Bigler, who does not have a license for asbestos remediation, said that Biedul assured him the units did not contain asbestos.
Ventura Village Green owner Biedul has since hired a licensed asbestos remediation contractor to fix the problems, which are expected to take about a week. Affected residents have been given money by Biedul for separate lodgings until repairs are complete, and the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District presumably continues to investigate the incident to determine if Biedul (and Bigler) were intentionally negligent or merely uninformed.
The problem started with leaking pipes in the 150-unit complex, which damaged ceilings and walls in at least 36 of the townhome units. So Biedul hired painting contractor Bigler to repair the damage and - even though Biedul denied it at the time - allowed tenants to remain in their apartments while the asbestos-containing textured ceilings were scraped off and replaced.
In fact, no one would have known about the asbestos content, had not the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District tested some of the material removed from the ceilings and discovered that samples contained significant levels of asbestos, at least according to the testing lab.
Asbestos, used during most of the last century in a wide range of building products, including floor tiles, tile glues, acoustical ceiling tiles, and textured ceiling and wall plasters, or spray-on coatings, was once viewed as a "miracle" compound, both for its superb insulative qualities and its resistance to chemical degradation.
It wasn't until about the middle of the century, or more precisely the 1970s, that public health officials, doctors and even some manufacturers began to recognize asbestos's significant, and growing, role in a type of cancer called mesothelioma.
Occurring in the mesothelial tissues that surround and protect the lungs, heart and digestive organs, though most often in the lungs (as malignant pleural mesothelioma, the cancer has always been relatively rare, and often remains undiagnosed as a result.
What distinguishes malignant mesothelioma from other cancers is its unique and very evident relationship with asbestos, the fact that it lies dormant for so long before producing definitive symptoms, and the fact that - once active - it moves so quickly to compromise large amounts of vital tissue, and usually results in death within a year of diagnosis.
There is currently no known cure for mesothelioma, which makes contracting it the same as a death sentence. For the residents of Ventura Village Green who remained in their apartments while ceilings were removed, the possibility that they will die of mesothelioma in twenty to fifty years looms large.
Both Biedul and Bigler, who owns Quality Custom Painting, have since been issued multiple citations for violations of the Clean Air Act. Each violation could cost them $10,000, according to Deputy Air Pollution Control Officer Keith Duval.
Duval was quick to point out, however, that the levying of fines depends largely on whether Biedul and Bigler knew the ceilings contained asbestos, and went ahead despite the danger, or did not know, reducing violations from ‘willful' to unintentional.
According to Duval, most contractors know that popcorn ceilings installed before 1976 - the end of asbestos's heyday - contain the hazardous mineral. Biedul, for his part, has said he didn't think there was any asbestos in the complex, which was built in 1964. And Bigler, who does not have a license for asbestos remediation, said that Biedul assured him the units did not contain asbestos.
Ventura Village Green owner Biedul has since hired a licensed asbestos remediation contractor to fix the problems, which are expected to take about a week. Affected residents have been given money by Biedul for separate lodgings until repairs are complete, and the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District presumably continues to investigate the incident to determine if Biedul (and Bigler) were intentionally negligent or merely uninformed.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Navy Can Be Blamed for Mesothelioma Death
A California Appeals Court says the U.S. Navy can legally be blamed for failing to protect one of its shipyard workers from the asbestos that eventually took his life.
Ulysses Collins died of mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos, in 2005 at the age of 65. Collins had spent 30 years working as a welder and pipefitter in various California Naval shipyards. Collins and his family brought suit against 17 companies, including Plant Insulation, one of the major manufacturers of the asbestos insulation heavily used by the Navy. A jury found in the Collins’ favor and awarded them $10 million, but the jury questioned why the Navy was not named as one of the entities at fault.
At the time, the Navy was found to be protected from liability in such cases under ‘sovereign immunity’, the concept that ‘the king (or the government) can do no wrong’. But Plant Insulation appealed the trial court’s decision arguing that sovereign immunity means only immunity from liability, not immunity from fault when failure of duty was at stake. The Appeals court agreed and said that the Navy did have a duty to protect Collins and, because they did not do so, they could share in the blame for his mesothelioma.
The decision is significant because Navy veterans are among the most common victims of mesothelioma, a cancer that occurs in the lining around organs, especially the lungs. Asbestos was used in a wide range of materials that went into Navy ships until the 1980’s and hundreds of thousands of veterans and shipyard workers were continually exposed to the toxic mineral. According to evidence presented by Plant Insulation’s attorneys, the Navy did not warn Collins of the dangers of asbestos, train him in the proper techniques for working with it, or provide him with the necessary protective gear.
In their opinion, the appellate court said the jury should have the right to find fault with every party who contributed to the plaintiff’s injury, regardless of whether or not that party has immunity from being sued. The higher the number of defendants found to be at fault, the less any single one of them has to pay out. In the original trial, Plant Insulation was found to be 20% at fault and so was ordered to pay 20 percent of the $10 million damages awarded. The Collins case will now be remanded to the lower court for a new finding on the issue of fault.
Mesothelioma is an incurable and aggressive cancer that can take up to 50 years to develop. About 2,000 Americans receive a diagnosis of mesothelioma every year. Many of them, like Collins, worked in various construction trades.
Ulysses Collins died of mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos, in 2005 at the age of 65. Collins had spent 30 years working as a welder and pipefitter in various California Naval shipyards. Collins and his family brought suit against 17 companies, including Plant Insulation, one of the major manufacturers of the asbestos insulation heavily used by the Navy. A jury found in the Collins’ favor and awarded them $10 million, but the jury questioned why the Navy was not named as one of the entities at fault.
At the time, the Navy was found to be protected from liability in such cases under ‘sovereign immunity’, the concept that ‘the king (or the government) can do no wrong’. But Plant Insulation appealed the trial court’s decision arguing that sovereign immunity means only immunity from liability, not immunity from fault when failure of duty was at stake. The Appeals court agreed and said that the Navy did have a duty to protect Collins and, because they did not do so, they could share in the blame for his mesothelioma.
The decision is significant because Navy veterans are among the most common victims of mesothelioma, a cancer that occurs in the lining around organs, especially the lungs. Asbestos was used in a wide range of materials that went into Navy ships until the 1980’s and hundreds of thousands of veterans and shipyard workers were continually exposed to the toxic mineral. According to evidence presented by Plant Insulation’s attorneys, the Navy did not warn Collins of the dangers of asbestos, train him in the proper techniques for working with it, or provide him with the necessary protective gear.
In their opinion, the appellate court said the jury should have the right to find fault with every party who contributed to the plaintiff’s injury, regardless of whether or not that party has immunity from being sued. The higher the number of defendants found to be at fault, the less any single one of them has to pay out. In the original trial, Plant Insulation was found to be 20% at fault and so was ordered to pay 20 percent of the $10 million damages awarded. The Collins case will now be remanded to the lower court for a new finding on the issue of fault.
Mesothelioma is an incurable and aggressive cancer that can take up to 50 years to develop. About 2,000 Americans receive a diagnosis of mesothelioma every year. Many of them, like Collins, worked in various construction trades.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Response of Mesothelioma Patients’ Tumors to Chemotherapy May Offer Clues
Researchers at Columbia University report that changes in the size of tumors in patients with pleural mesothelioma who have undergone chemotherapy may be useful in predicting their response to treatment and survival. Pleural Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer of the lining of the lung associated with exposure to asbestos.
Thousands of Americans have been exposed to asbestos in building materials and manufacturing, and 2,000 to 3,000 die each year of mesothelioma. Typically, 30 to 40 years elapse between the asbestos exposure and the onset of cancer symptoms. Doctors often don’t diagnose the disease until it has reached an advanced stage. The median survival is a year to 18 months.
In a new article in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, researchers at Columbia’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center describe the outcomes of clinical trials involving 30 mesothelioma patients who were treated with chemotherapy followed by surgery and radiation.
The researchers took CT scans of the 30 patients’ lungs and calculated the size of their tumors before and after two rounds of chemotherapy. Patients diagnosed with stage III and stage IV cancer generally had larger tumors than those with less advanced cancer. The percentage change in the size of the tumor from the initial measurement to their evaluation after two cycles of chemotherapy was strongly associated with patients’ overall survival, the researchers said. They found a significant difference in the length of survival among patients whose tumors increased after chemotherapy and those whose tumors decreased.
The researchers said computer-aided measurements of tumors may offer doctors a more reliable way to assess patients’ response to treatment and could provide additional information about patients’ prognosis.
Thousands of Americans have been exposed to asbestos in building materials and manufacturing, and 2,000 to 3,000 die each year of mesothelioma. Typically, 30 to 40 years elapse between the asbestos exposure and the onset of cancer symptoms. Doctors often don’t diagnose the disease until it has reached an advanced stage. The median survival is a year to 18 months.
In a new article in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, researchers at Columbia’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center describe the outcomes of clinical trials involving 30 mesothelioma patients who were treated with chemotherapy followed by surgery and radiation.
The researchers took CT scans of the 30 patients’ lungs and calculated the size of their tumors before and after two rounds of chemotherapy. Patients diagnosed with stage III and stage IV cancer generally had larger tumors than those with less advanced cancer. The percentage change in the size of the tumor from the initial measurement to their evaluation after two cycles of chemotherapy was strongly associated with patients’ overall survival, the researchers said. They found a significant difference in the length of survival among patients whose tumors increased after chemotherapy and those whose tumors decreased.
The researchers said computer-aided measurements of tumors may offer doctors a more reliable way to assess patients’ response to treatment and could provide additional information about patients’ prognosis.
No mesothelioma asbestos found in Canadian Power Station
The Victoria EPA has disproved employee claims that asbestos can be found in the smokestacks of Australia’s Hazelwood Power Station. An asbestos investigation of Australia’s Hazelwood Power Station, located in Latrobe Valley, Victoria, has come to a close after about a month.
ABC News reports that, despite claims made by a former employee, asbestos material is absent from the power station’s smokestacks. The Authority and Workcover both inspected the power station’s records, and discovered that asbestos in the boilers could not, feasibly, make its way to the smoke stacks.
Prior to this discovery, employers were concerned asbestos fibers were in the stacks. Asbestos is a particularly dangerous material, known to pose a serious health risk to those exposed. Many diseases, such as malignant mesothelioma, are related to such exposure. Mesothelioma forms from the protective lining of many of the body’s internal organs, and affects nearly 3,000 Americans each year.
Symptoms of mesothelioma tend to lie dormant for 10 to 50 years, following exposure. Because of this,mesothelioma doctors struggle to diagnose patients in the early stages of their disease.
The EPA’s Gippsland manager has said, however, that asbestos testing of the power station’s emissions has yet to be done. The manager also noted, “A sample could be conducted, but first of all we’re very confident that it’s not there.”
If such sampling were conducted, however, test results would only display a “snapshot” of the power station’s emissions.
ABC News reports that, despite claims made by a former employee, asbestos material is absent from the power station’s smokestacks. The Authority and Workcover both inspected the power station’s records, and discovered that asbestos in the boilers could not, feasibly, make its way to the smoke stacks.
Prior to this discovery, employers were concerned asbestos fibers were in the stacks. Asbestos is a particularly dangerous material, known to pose a serious health risk to those exposed. Many diseases, such as malignant mesothelioma, are related to such exposure. Mesothelioma forms from the protective lining of many of the body’s internal organs, and affects nearly 3,000 Americans each year.
Symptoms of mesothelioma tend to lie dormant for 10 to 50 years, following exposure. Because of this,mesothelioma doctors struggle to diagnose patients in the early stages of their disease.
The EPA’s Gippsland manager has said, however, that asbestos testing of the power station’s emissions has yet to be done. The manager also noted, “A sample could be conducted, but first of all we’re very confident that it’s not there.”
If such sampling were conducted, however, test results would only display a “snapshot” of the power station’s emissions.
Expansion of Asbestos Mining in Canada Sparks Global Outrage
Plans by the Quebec provincial government to finance expansion of the Jeffrey Mine in the town of Asbestos, named for its most valuable asset, have spurred outcries across the globe. Protesters are citing concerns long known to medical researchers andmesothelioma lawyers: Asbestos exposure can cause grave health problems, including forms of cancer that are almost always fatal.
As conceived, the new underground mine would generate some 200,000 tons of asbestos a year starting in 2010. Most of that asbestos—a heat- and fire-resistant material that had been widely used in the Canadian and U.S. construction industries before it was linked to significant health risks—would be exported to developing countries.
Protests in South Korea, Hong Kong, Belgium, and several U.S. cities underscore the severity of asbestos-related diseases.
Exposure to asbestos can trigger lung cancer as well as mesothelioma, a cancer of the protective lining covering many of the body’s internal organs. Though it can take years—even decades—to develop, mesothelioma is incurable in almost all cases.
While the risks of inhaling asbestos fibers have long been known, manufacturers, employers, and property owners have often been negligent in using or removing asbestos, failing to provide sufficient protective gear or warning, or taking appropriate preventive steps. That’s resulted in unnecessary deaths—and countless asbestos lawsuits.
Over the years, mesothelioma lawyers have had great success in obtaining large verdicts and settlements, often in the multimillion-dollar range, for victims of asbestos-related diseases. But medical researchers have not made equal strides. A diagnosis of mesothelioma is as grim today as it was decades ago—a fact not lost on the demonstrators.
In Hong Kong, protestors assembled outside the Canadian consulate to call for a ban on asbestos exports from Canada to Asia. Asbestos mining—let alone its expansion—is a hot-button topic in the Asian city, due to its increasingly troubling experience with mesothelioma.
“Hong Kong itself is in the midst of an asbestos disease epidemic,” according to the Asia Monitor Resource Center—a labor organization in the former British dependency. “Many workers continue to die every year due to lung cancers and mesothelioma—a deadly lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Due to its long latency period, sometimes over 30 years, the asbestos-related diseases will continue to kill exposed populations for many years more.”
In Seoul, demonstrators gathered outside both the Quebec trade office and the Canadian embassy. They, too, called on Quebec not just to stop the asbestos mine’s expansion—which is to be funded in large part by a $58 million loan guarantee from the Quebec government—but to close the Canada’s mines permanently.
Similar protests were held in Brussels; Washington, D.C.; and New York City, while a California-based asbestos victims group urged Ottawa, the Canadian capital, to oppose the loan guarantees.
“After a century of knowledge concerning the health effects of asbestos and its devastating trail of disease and death around the world,” [this] initiative by Canada is a giant misstep backwards,” said Richard Leman, former assistant surgeon general of the United States and cochair of the science advisory board for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization.
Meanwhile, a member of the European Parliament, Stephen Hughes, has urged the European Commission to lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organization claiming that Quebec’s loan guarantee would contravene WTO rules.
In Canada, the expansion of the Jeffrey asbestos mine is seen from another perspective. Local organizations in the town of Asbestos—viewing increased operations of the mine as a boon to the faltering local economy and employment—have raised $2 million to help finance the project.
But protestors, mesothelioma lawyers, and medical researchers worry that increased asbestos mining could be a boon to something else, too: needless disease, death, and tragedy.
As conceived, the new underground mine would generate some 200,000 tons of asbestos a year starting in 2010. Most of that asbestos—a heat- and fire-resistant material that had been widely used in the Canadian and U.S. construction industries before it was linked to significant health risks—would be exported to developing countries.
Protests in South Korea, Hong Kong, Belgium, and several U.S. cities underscore the severity of asbestos-related diseases.
Exposure to asbestos can trigger lung cancer as well as mesothelioma, a cancer of the protective lining covering many of the body’s internal organs. Though it can take years—even decades—to develop, mesothelioma is incurable in almost all cases.
While the risks of inhaling asbestos fibers have long been known, manufacturers, employers, and property owners have often been negligent in using or removing asbestos, failing to provide sufficient protective gear or warning, or taking appropriate preventive steps. That’s resulted in unnecessary deaths—and countless asbestos lawsuits.
Over the years, mesothelioma lawyers have had great success in obtaining large verdicts and settlements, often in the multimillion-dollar range, for victims of asbestos-related diseases. But medical researchers have not made equal strides. A diagnosis of mesothelioma is as grim today as it was decades ago—a fact not lost on the demonstrators.
In Hong Kong, protestors assembled outside the Canadian consulate to call for a ban on asbestos exports from Canada to Asia. Asbestos mining—let alone its expansion—is a hot-button topic in the Asian city, due to its increasingly troubling experience with mesothelioma.
“Hong Kong itself is in the midst of an asbestos disease epidemic,” according to the Asia Monitor Resource Center—a labor organization in the former British dependency. “Many workers continue to die every year due to lung cancers and mesothelioma—a deadly lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Due to its long latency period, sometimes over 30 years, the asbestos-related diseases will continue to kill exposed populations for many years more.”
In Seoul, demonstrators gathered outside both the Quebec trade office and the Canadian embassy. They, too, called on Quebec not just to stop the asbestos mine’s expansion—which is to be funded in large part by a $58 million loan guarantee from the Quebec government—but to close the Canada’s mines permanently.
Similar protests were held in Brussels; Washington, D.C.; and New York City, while a California-based asbestos victims group urged Ottawa, the Canadian capital, to oppose the loan guarantees.
“After a century of knowledge concerning the health effects of asbestos and its devastating trail of disease and death around the world,” [this] initiative by Canada is a giant misstep backwards,” said Richard Leman, former assistant surgeon general of the United States and cochair of the science advisory board for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization.
Meanwhile, a member of the European Parliament, Stephen Hughes, has urged the European Commission to lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organization claiming that Quebec’s loan guarantee would contravene WTO rules.
In Canada, the expansion of the Jeffrey asbestos mine is seen from another perspective. Local organizations in the town of Asbestos—viewing increased operations of the mine as a boon to the faltering local economy and employment—have raised $2 million to help finance the project.
But protestors, mesothelioma lawyers, and medical researchers worry that increased asbestos mining could be a boon to something else, too: needless disease, death, and tragedy.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Pittsburgh University Focuses Research on Mesothelioma and Other Environmental Hazards
In 2004 the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) broke new ground in environmental cancer research by establishing the Center for Environmental Oncology (CEO) – the first program of its kind in the United States. The Center focuses on “improving the scientific understanding linking environmental exposures to adverse health outcomes.” The leading-edge Lung and Thoracic Malignancies Program (LTMP) of the CEO focuses on improving both therapy and early detection of lung cancer, esophageal cancer and mesothelioma.
Pleural Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that is almost always caused by asbestos exposure and is most commonly found in the outer lining of the lungs called the mesothelium. Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, findings from the latest research and clinical trials have improved the survival rate for mesothelioma patients.
The CEO focuses on “developing strategies to reduce cancer by translating scientific findings about avoidable, environmental causes of cancer into effective ways to minimize risks.” Currently, the only way to eliminate mesothelioma and other asbestos-related disease is to avoid exposure to asbestos. While the use of asbestos is restricted in the United States, it is not banned.
The LTMP program includes research areas such as hormone growth factors, DNA repair enzymes that could affect lung cancer risk, biomarkers, as well as mechanisms of induction of radiation damage.
Other LTMP research highlights include:
New therapeutic targets and novel therapeutic delivery
Common mechanisms of inflammation and lung cancer
Early detection/biomarkers for thoracic cancers
Genetic susceptibility to thoracic cancers
Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Lung Cancer
The LTMP is home to several multi-investigator grants including the Mesothelioma Virtual Tissue Bank and an Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) U01 grant.
Pleural Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that is almost always caused by asbestos exposure and is most commonly found in the outer lining of the lungs called the mesothelium. Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, findings from the latest research and clinical trials have improved the survival rate for mesothelioma patients.
The CEO focuses on “developing strategies to reduce cancer by translating scientific findings about avoidable, environmental causes of cancer into effective ways to minimize risks.” Currently, the only way to eliminate mesothelioma and other asbestos-related disease is to avoid exposure to asbestos. While the use of asbestos is restricted in the United States, it is not banned.
The LTMP program includes research areas such as hormone growth factors, DNA repair enzymes that could affect lung cancer risk, biomarkers, as well as mechanisms of induction of radiation damage.
Other LTMP research highlights include:
New therapeutic targets and novel therapeutic delivery
Common mechanisms of inflammation and lung cancer
Early detection/biomarkers for thoracic cancers
Genetic susceptibility to thoracic cancers
Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Lung Cancer
The LTMP is home to several multi-investigator grants including the Mesothelioma Virtual Tissue Bank and an Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) U01 grant.
Mesothelioma widow files asbestos lawsuit following husband’s death
Donna Stinson, in the wake of her husband’s asbestos-related death, has named 98 defendants in a case filed June 4th. The fifteenth asbestos lawsuit of the year has been filed in St. Clair County Circuit Court. Donna Stinson, of Virginia, filed the complaint on June 4. Stinson has named 98 defendant companies in her case, all of whom allegedly contributed to her husband’s death.
Due to Gerald P. Stinson’s career-long exposure to asbestos, he developed lung cancer. Gerald worked as a boilermaker from 1963 until 2001.
Asbestos is a highly hazardous, fibrous material. It is most commonly found in older homes, within drywall, tile flooring, roofing and a slew of other construction materials. When the material is disturbed, the toxic particles become airborne, and may be inhaled by anyone near the material.
Once the material is inhaled, those exposed are put at risk for contracting several asbestos related diseases. For Gerald, his exposure to asbestos resulted in lung cancer. However, asbestosis and mesothelioma are two known forms of diseases to also arise from asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma develops from the protective lining of many of the body’s internal organs. Due to the diseases’ dormant nature, mesothelioma doctors struggle to diagnose patients in the early stages of the disease.
Donna Stinson’s complaint notes that due to the asbestos-related disease, Gerald became disabled and disfigured, and was unable to work. Donna blames the defendants for knowing the harmful affects of the toxic material, and failing to provide reasonable care to Gerald, as well as her family.
Donna Stinson and her children are seeking a judgment of more than $475,000.
Due to Gerald P. Stinson’s career-long exposure to asbestos, he developed lung cancer. Gerald worked as a boilermaker from 1963 until 2001.
Asbestos is a highly hazardous, fibrous material. It is most commonly found in older homes, within drywall, tile flooring, roofing and a slew of other construction materials. When the material is disturbed, the toxic particles become airborne, and may be inhaled by anyone near the material.
Once the material is inhaled, those exposed are put at risk for contracting several asbestos related diseases. For Gerald, his exposure to asbestos resulted in lung cancer. However, asbestosis and mesothelioma are two known forms of diseases to also arise from asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma develops from the protective lining of many of the body’s internal organs. Due to the diseases’ dormant nature, mesothelioma doctors struggle to diagnose patients in the early stages of the disease.
Donna Stinson’s complaint notes that due to the asbestos-related disease, Gerald became disabled and disfigured, and was unable to work. Donna blames the defendants for knowing the harmful affects of the toxic material, and failing to provide reasonable care to Gerald, as well as her family.
Donna Stinson and her children are seeking a judgment of more than $475,000.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Australia Faces Spike in Mesothelioma Cases
Authorities in Australia are speculating that over the next 15 years the number of mesothelioma cases diagnosed there will rise from the current 500 cases per year to more than900 diagnosed cases annually. A professor from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine using World Health Organization statistics found that the United Kingdom and Australia lead the world in mesothelioma–related deaths each year.
Researchers at the Cancer Research UK Epidemiology and Genetics Group theorize that the death rate from asbestos related diseases in men over the age of 40 will become nearly 100 times more likely to die by the age of 80. The same research found that there have been more than 10,000 mesothelioma deaths since the 1980s. Australia has relied heavily in the past on asbestos materials and products. During the 1970s, for instance, almost 22 million pounds of asbestos was imported to aid in the country’s construction industry.
In the United States, Chrysotile is the most commonly used type of asbestos in the construction and equipment industry, and it is responsible for the majority of US mesothelioma cases. Brown, blue, and white asbestos are the most common types of asbestos that were in use during the 1970s and 1980s, and since have been banned in Australia. The commercial mining of asbestos in Australia continued until the 1980s when information about the dangers of asbestos exposure became public, causing a multitude of regulations and laws being passed to protect individuals from the harmful effects.
The rise in Australian mesothelioma cases mirrors the growth of related medical facilities, organizations, and foundations around the country. These include As a result of the increasing cases of mesothelioma being diagnosed in Australia, and due to the suspected increase in death rates in the future, many mesothelioma and cancer related medical facilities have been growing in number around the country. Organizations and foundations are also on the rise in Australia, groups like the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia and the Queensland Asbestos Related Disease Support Society.
Researchers at the Cancer Research UK Epidemiology and Genetics Group theorize that the death rate from asbestos related diseases in men over the age of 40 will become nearly 100 times more likely to die by the age of 80. The same research found that there have been more than 10,000 mesothelioma deaths since the 1980s. Australia has relied heavily in the past on asbestos materials and products. During the 1970s, for instance, almost 22 million pounds of asbestos was imported to aid in the country’s construction industry.
In the United States, Chrysotile is the most commonly used type of asbestos in the construction and equipment industry, and it is responsible for the majority of US mesothelioma cases. Brown, blue, and white asbestos are the most common types of asbestos that were in use during the 1970s and 1980s, and since have been banned in Australia. The commercial mining of asbestos in Australia continued until the 1980s when information about the dangers of asbestos exposure became public, causing a multitude of regulations and laws being passed to protect individuals from the harmful effects.
The rise in Australian mesothelioma cases mirrors the growth of related medical facilities, organizations, and foundations around the country. These include As a result of the increasing cases of mesothelioma being diagnosed in Australia, and due to the suspected increase in death rates in the future, many mesothelioma and cancer related medical facilities have been growing in number around the country. Organizations and foundations are also on the rise in Australia, groups like the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia and the Queensland Asbestos Related Disease Support Society.
Mesothelioma Clinical Trial Will Use Two-Drug Chemotherapy Method
In a clinical trial being conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the effectiveness and correct dosage of a two-drug chemotherapy method is being tested on mesothelioma patients who have undergone surgery.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that most commonly develops in the lining of the lungs. The primary cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos and symptoms can take as long as 20 to 50 years to arise after initial exposure. For this reason, people often unknowingly develop the cancer and are diagnosed when it has already reached the advanced stages of development.
A total of 36 malignant mesothelioma patients are being enrolled for the study. One of the chemotherapy drugs being used is cisplatin, which has become a recognized treatment option for mesothelioma. The clinical trial will also be testing the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine to see if the addition of the drug can be accomplished safely and can improve treatment.
Dr. David Sugarbaker, chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is the lead investigator for the trial. Much of his research has been centered on malignant pleural mesothelioma and he is most noted for his multi-modal approach to combating the cancer.
Current treatment options for this cancer are limited and researchers are still looking for a cure. Most methods of treatment offered to patients are palliative and do not attempt to cure the cancer. Nonetheless, clinical trials like the one being carried out at Brigham and Women’s Hospital are providing answers for researchers looking for a cure.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that most commonly develops in the lining of the lungs. The primary cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos and symptoms can take as long as 20 to 50 years to arise after initial exposure. For this reason, people often unknowingly develop the cancer and are diagnosed when it has already reached the advanced stages of development.
A total of 36 malignant mesothelioma patients are being enrolled for the study. One of the chemotherapy drugs being used is cisplatin, which has become a recognized treatment option for mesothelioma. The clinical trial will also be testing the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine to see if the addition of the drug can be accomplished safely and can improve treatment.
Dr. David Sugarbaker, chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is the lead investigator for the trial. Much of his research has been centered on malignant pleural mesothelioma and he is most noted for his multi-modal approach to combating the cancer.
Current treatment options for this cancer are limited and researchers are still looking for a cure. Most methods of treatment offered to patients are palliative and do not attempt to cure the cancer. Nonetheless, clinical trials like the one being carried out at Brigham and Women’s Hospital are providing answers for researchers looking for a cure.
Mesothelioma May Benefit From Immuno-Gene Therapy
Gene therapy is a promising treatment for mesothelioma, but it has been slow to make its way into clinical use because delivering enough therapeutic genes to effectively kill large numbers of cancer cells has proved challenging. Recently, mesothelioma researchers have been focusing on a method called immuno-gene therapy, which transfers just enough genetic material to trigger the patient’s own immune system to fight the cancer, according to a recent review published in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology.
Researchers have been investigating the use of gene therapy – introducing a gene or genes into the body that kill cancer cells or make those cells more sensitive to the effects of anticancer drugs – for approximately two decades. According to the review, mesothelioma is a particularly good target for gene therapy, because no treatment used so far (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation) has been able to effectively treat the disease, and because mesothelioma tumors tend to stay in one place until the late stages of the disease—making them good targets.
For a gene to be introduced into the body to kill mesothelioma or another cancer, it needs a vehicle—or vector—to help it reach the tumor cells. Gene therapy for mesothelioma can be administered using viruses (most commonly adenoviruses that have been altered in a lab so that they are unable to replicate), and coated DNA. Yet both methods have their limitations.
“The problem with viruses is that the body rejects the infectious cells very quickly,” explains the review’s author, Steven M. Albelda, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Vice Chief of the Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Division. “The problem with coated DNA is that it’s very inefficient. The technology hasn’t really been able to infect the majority of tumor cells.”
When either viruses or DNA is injected by vein (which is how most drugs are administered), only a small amount of the vector actually reaches the mesothelioma cells. “The small amount that gets there doesn’t express the gene for very long,” Dr. Albelda says. When gene therapies are unable to reach large numbers of cancer cells, they need a strong “bystander effect,” which means that the cancer cells affected by treatment send out signals that also kill neighboring cells.
Given the challenges in reaching large numbers of mesothelioma cells, the focus of gene therapy has shifted to inciting the body’s own immune response against the cancer. The idea behind immuno-gene therapy is to inject just enough of the gene—for example, using a vaccine or cytokines (chemical messengers released by the immune system)—to stimulate an immune response powerful enough to trigger a strong bystander effect. “Now you’re just using the gene therapy to trigger the immune system, and most of the killing will be done by the body’s own immune system,” Dr. Albelda says.
Treatments that stimulate the patient’s immune system can be administered in two ways. One method is to create an off-the-shelf drug that can be injected into any patient. The other is to develop a highly personalized therapy using cells (such as dendritic cells or lymphocytes) taken from the patient’s own body. Those cells are then altered in a lab so that once injected back into the patient, they will attack mesothelioma cells.
Even immuno-gene therapy is limited in its ability to destroy large tumors such as advanced mesothelioma, which is why researchers are investigating combination approaches that pair up traditional therapies such as surgery and chemotherapy with immunotherapy. When researchers administer gene therapy after chemotherapy, the combination may heighten the response against the cancer.
“The other thing we’ve been working on which works really nicely is combining immunotherapy with surgery,” Dr. Albelda says. “The problem with surgery is it always leaves some cells behind. Our idea is that if we induce an immune response and we get rid of 95 percent of cancer cells with surgery, the immune system can clean up the remaining cells.”
The question that remains is how best to incorporate these therapies. “I think we have to learn how to integrate immuno-gene therapy with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery in the right way,” says Dr. Albelda. As study results continue to improve, researchers are going to be able to initiate combination therapies earlier and earlier in the course of the disease, making these treatments more likely to be effective in mesothelioma in the future.
Researchers have been investigating the use of gene therapy – introducing a gene or genes into the body that kill cancer cells or make those cells more sensitive to the effects of anticancer drugs – for approximately two decades. According to the review, mesothelioma is a particularly good target for gene therapy, because no treatment used so far (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation) has been able to effectively treat the disease, and because mesothelioma tumors tend to stay in one place until the late stages of the disease—making them good targets.
For a gene to be introduced into the body to kill mesothelioma or another cancer, it needs a vehicle—or vector—to help it reach the tumor cells. Gene therapy for mesothelioma can be administered using viruses (most commonly adenoviruses that have been altered in a lab so that they are unable to replicate), and coated DNA. Yet both methods have their limitations.
“The problem with viruses is that the body rejects the infectious cells very quickly,” explains the review’s author, Steven M. Albelda, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Vice Chief of the Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Division. “The problem with coated DNA is that it’s very inefficient. The technology hasn’t really been able to infect the majority of tumor cells.”
When either viruses or DNA is injected by vein (which is how most drugs are administered), only a small amount of the vector actually reaches the mesothelioma cells. “The small amount that gets there doesn’t express the gene for very long,” Dr. Albelda says. When gene therapies are unable to reach large numbers of cancer cells, they need a strong “bystander effect,” which means that the cancer cells affected by treatment send out signals that also kill neighboring cells.
Given the challenges in reaching large numbers of mesothelioma cells, the focus of gene therapy has shifted to inciting the body’s own immune response against the cancer. The idea behind immuno-gene therapy is to inject just enough of the gene—for example, using a vaccine or cytokines (chemical messengers released by the immune system)—to stimulate an immune response powerful enough to trigger a strong bystander effect. “Now you’re just using the gene therapy to trigger the immune system, and most of the killing will be done by the body’s own immune system,” Dr. Albelda says.
Treatments that stimulate the patient’s immune system can be administered in two ways. One method is to create an off-the-shelf drug that can be injected into any patient. The other is to develop a highly personalized therapy using cells (such as dendritic cells or lymphocytes) taken from the patient’s own body. Those cells are then altered in a lab so that once injected back into the patient, they will attack mesothelioma cells.
Even immuno-gene therapy is limited in its ability to destroy large tumors such as advanced mesothelioma, which is why researchers are investigating combination approaches that pair up traditional therapies such as surgery and chemotherapy with immunotherapy. When researchers administer gene therapy after chemotherapy, the combination may heighten the response against the cancer.
“The other thing we’ve been working on which works really nicely is combining immunotherapy with surgery,” Dr. Albelda says. “The problem with surgery is it always leaves some cells behind. Our idea is that if we induce an immune response and we get rid of 95 percent of cancer cells with surgery, the immune system can clean up the remaining cells.”
The question that remains is how best to incorporate these therapies. “I think we have to learn how to integrate immuno-gene therapy with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery in the right way,” says Dr. Albelda. As study results continue to improve, researchers are going to be able to initiate combination therapies earlier and earlier in the course of the disease, making these treatments more likely to be effective in mesothelioma in the future.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Coping With Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Dealing with a mesothelioma or lung cancer diagnosis is one of the hardest things imaginable. Not only does one have to wrestle with their own mortality and get their affairs in order, they also have to help family members and loved ones cope with the news. Family members often feel helpless because they believe there is nothing they can do to help. One thing we can all do to help is try to raise awareness regarding the science behind trying to find a cure. The number of studies and clinical trials on mesothelioma is rapidly growing. One interesting study is called, “Plasma lipid peroxides among workers exposed to silica or asbestos dusts.” By Kamal AA, Gomaa A, el Khafif M, Hammad AS. - Environ Res. 1989 Aug;49(2):173-80. - Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Ein Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Here is an excerpt: “Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) (an indicator of lipid peroxidation) was determined in random samples of workers (age range 25-60 years) exposed to silica dust (n = 31, mean exposure duration 21.3 +/- 8.3 years) or asbestos dust (n = 59, mean exposure duration 15.6 +/- 4.5 years) and in 52 age-matched healthy male controls. MDA levels of both exposed groups were significantly higher than that of the controls and were significantly higher among workers exposed to asbestos than among those exposed to silica dusts. Neither age nor smoking was related to MDA levels among both controls and exposed workers; among the latter group MDA was not significantly correlated with duration of exposure. Mean MDA levels of exposed workers with radiographic signs of lung fibrosis or pleural thickening and of those without such signs were not significantly different, except in the case of asbestos-exposed workers where it was significantly less than that of those without such signs. Differences between mean durations of dust exposure of workers with radiographic signs of lung fibrosis and those without such signs were statistically insignificant. The results suggest the possible involvement of lipid peroxidation on exposure to silica or asbestos dusts in humans and possible development of antioxidant mechanism(s) on prolonged dust exposure and support the opinion that development of pneumoconiosis depends on susceptibility factor(s).”
A second study worth looking at is called, “Surface charge and asbestos toxicity” by
W. G. LIGHT & E. T. WEI - Nature 265, 537 - 539 (10 February 1977); doi:10.1038/265537a0 - Department of Biomedical and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720.
Here is an excerpt: “Asbestos is a serious occupational and environmental hazard because of its fibrogenic and carcinogenic actions on the lung. Asbestos fibres exist in various physical forms, all of which are toxic. It is not known, however, which form is the most hazardous or which fibre property is the most important for inducing the toxic effects. It is thus important to examine relationships between the structure of the fibres and their biological activity. We have investigated the relationship between the surface charge and the haemolytic activity (ability to rupture the erythrocyte membrane) of asbestos. We report here that different forms of asbestos can be activated or inactivated by surface charge alterations.”
If you found either of these excerpts interesting, please read the studies in their entirety and urge others to do so as well.
Here is an excerpt: “Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) (an indicator of lipid peroxidation) was determined in random samples of workers (age range 25-60 years) exposed to silica dust (n = 31, mean exposure duration 21.3 +/- 8.3 years) or asbestos dust (n = 59, mean exposure duration 15.6 +/- 4.5 years) and in 52 age-matched healthy male controls. MDA levels of both exposed groups were significantly higher than that of the controls and were significantly higher among workers exposed to asbestos than among those exposed to silica dusts. Neither age nor smoking was related to MDA levels among both controls and exposed workers; among the latter group MDA was not significantly correlated with duration of exposure. Mean MDA levels of exposed workers with radiographic signs of lung fibrosis or pleural thickening and of those without such signs were not significantly different, except in the case of asbestos-exposed workers where it was significantly less than that of those without such signs. Differences between mean durations of dust exposure of workers with radiographic signs of lung fibrosis and those without such signs were statistically insignificant. The results suggest the possible involvement of lipid peroxidation on exposure to silica or asbestos dusts in humans and possible development of antioxidant mechanism(s) on prolonged dust exposure and support the opinion that development of pneumoconiosis depends on susceptibility factor(s).”
A second study worth looking at is called, “Surface charge and asbestos toxicity” by
W. G. LIGHT & E. T. WEI - Nature 265, 537 - 539 (10 February 1977); doi:10.1038/265537a0 - Department of Biomedical and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720.
Here is an excerpt: “Asbestos is a serious occupational and environmental hazard because of its fibrogenic and carcinogenic actions on the lung. Asbestos fibres exist in various physical forms, all of which are toxic. It is not known, however, which form is the most hazardous or which fibre property is the most important for inducing the toxic effects. It is thus important to examine relationships between the structure of the fibres and their biological activity. We have investigated the relationship between the surface charge and the haemolytic activity (ability to rupture the erythrocyte membrane) of asbestos. We report here that different forms of asbestos can be activated or inactivated by surface charge alterations.”
If you found either of these excerpts interesting, please read the studies in their entirety and urge others to do so as well.
Vaccine for mesothelioma
According to a new study to be published in an upcoming print version of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, scientists have developed an investigational vaccine for mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. When researchers from the Netherlands tested the vaccine on 10 patients, they found that it “infuses a patient’s own dendritic cells with antigen from the patient’s tumor”-and “that it induced an immune T-cell response against mesothelioma tumors.”
The American Cancer Society reports that 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma arise each year; the scientists who developed the cancer vaccine hope that this new treatment will save thousands of lives, as reported by Bloomberg Business Week. The disease usually attacks the lungs first and can then spread to the tissues of other human organs. The typical survival rate after a diagnosis of mesothelioma is around 12 months, with standard chemotherapy treatments usually extending survival time by only three months. Scientists believe that new mesothelioma cases will continue to climb until 2020.
Researcher Dr. Joachim Aerts stated, “We hope that by further development of our method it will be possible to increase survival in patients with mesothelioma and eventually vaccinate persons who have been in contact with asbestos to prevent them from getting asbestos related diseases.”
The American Cancer Society reports that 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma arise each year; the scientists who developed the cancer vaccine hope that this new treatment will save thousands of lives, as reported by Bloomberg Business Week. The disease usually attacks the lungs first and can then spread to the tissues of other human organs. The typical survival rate after a diagnosis of mesothelioma is around 12 months, with standard chemotherapy treatments usually extending survival time by only three months. Scientists believe that new mesothelioma cases will continue to climb until 2020.
Researcher Dr. Joachim Aerts stated, “We hope that by further development of our method it will be possible to increase survival in patients with mesothelioma and eventually vaccinate persons who have been in contact with asbestos to prevent them from getting asbestos related diseases.”
Mesothelioma Cancer Prognosis
Generally, the most important variable in determining the prognosis and life expectancy of a patient mesothelioma cancer stage at diagnosis. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is more difficult to "stage" than other cancers. This is true for two reasons:
1) because its quite rare, and
2) because its initial symptoms are subtle, it is often advanced when diagnosed, it is difficult to stage.
Peritoneal mesothelioma in particular can be difficult to stage because, while pleural mesothelioma has multiple classification systems, pathologists have not yet developed a system of staging for peritoneal mesothelioma. Both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma are very serious conditions and are not good prospects.
Since mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, the statistics of five-year survival for early stage mesothelioma are generally unreliable. He also can not say with certainty which of the two types is a bad diagnostic peritoneal mesothelioma or pleural mesothelioma. Numerous studies show that peritoneal is more deadly and rapidly spreading mesothelioma pleural mesothelioma, but these studies are often contradicted by scholars who argue pleural mesothelioma is the most dangerous and difficult to deal with both. Usually, patients diagnosed with mesothelioma is peritoneal or pleural said they may have less than a year to live. However, according to researchers at major research centers around the world this is not necessarily the case. More recent studies indicate that patients with mesothelioma may, in some cases, have a better appearance than previously thought.
These studies suggest that about 10% of all mesothelioma patients will be alive 3 years later and about 5% will be alive 5 years later. However, if mesothelioma is detected early and treated, 50% survive 2 years and 20% of people survive 5 years.
In a clinical trial involving 120 patients with different types of pleural mesothelioma, all patients underwent pleural pneumonectomy (removal of the lung and pleura), followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. 45% were alive two years later and 20% were still alive five years later.
In the same study, patients with sarcomatoid and mixed mesothelioma was not as well. Only 20% of these patients were alive two years later, and none of them have survived five years.
However, patients who had no cancer in the lymph nodes and tumors of epithelioid type is much better. Nearly 75% survived more than two years and nearly 40% were alive after five years.
Another larger study conducted in Italy examined the records of 4.5 million people diagnosed with mesothelioma. The survival rates were as follows: 24% of people with pleural mesothelioma and 34% diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma were still alive one year after diagnosis. Two other important studies, in addition to examination of comparable populations, also revealed similar results.
Another variable that is extremely important for a patient is seeing his general health at the time of diagnosis. In general, the health of a patient, the better he or she will react to treatments against cancer, and the chances of longer survival. Doctor's have a method of classifying patients' health and to give each patient a score at diagnosis. This method of classification is called a patient's condition "performance" (PS). The best score is 0 and indicates a patient can normally take care of himself or with the help of. A performance index of 1 indicates that the patient can do things, but may need assistance. The more deteriorated health of the patient, the higher the number.
The patient must always keep in mind that statistics such as those mentioned here are by no means definitive. Survival has much to do with a number of different factors, including health, the type of mesothelioma, the choice of treatment, and even a moral patient. The statistics listed here are too general for patients to get an accurate idea of their own look.
Patients should consider taking part in clinical trials. Although nobody can say exactly why patients who are treated in clinical trials do better on average than those treated conventionally. Maybe with all the testing and monitoring that is done, patients become more confident that everything that can possibly be done is done.
1) because its quite rare, and
2) because its initial symptoms are subtle, it is often advanced when diagnosed, it is difficult to stage.
Peritoneal mesothelioma in particular can be difficult to stage because, while pleural mesothelioma has multiple classification systems, pathologists have not yet developed a system of staging for peritoneal mesothelioma. Both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma are very serious conditions and are not good prospects.
Since mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, the statistics of five-year survival for early stage mesothelioma are generally unreliable. He also can not say with certainty which of the two types is a bad diagnostic peritoneal mesothelioma or pleural mesothelioma. Numerous studies show that peritoneal is more deadly and rapidly spreading mesothelioma pleural mesothelioma, but these studies are often contradicted by scholars who argue pleural mesothelioma is the most dangerous and difficult to deal with both. Usually, patients diagnosed with mesothelioma is peritoneal or pleural said they may have less than a year to live. However, according to researchers at major research centers around the world this is not necessarily the case. More recent studies indicate that patients with mesothelioma may, in some cases, have a better appearance than previously thought.
These studies suggest that about 10% of all mesothelioma patients will be alive 3 years later and about 5% will be alive 5 years later. However, if mesothelioma is detected early and treated, 50% survive 2 years and 20% of people survive 5 years.
In a clinical trial involving 120 patients with different types of pleural mesothelioma, all patients underwent pleural pneumonectomy (removal of the lung and pleura), followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. 45% were alive two years later and 20% were still alive five years later.
In the same study, patients with sarcomatoid and mixed mesothelioma was not as well. Only 20% of these patients were alive two years later, and none of them have survived five years.
However, patients who had no cancer in the lymph nodes and tumors of epithelioid type is much better. Nearly 75% survived more than two years and nearly 40% were alive after five years.
Another larger study conducted in Italy examined the records of 4.5 million people diagnosed with mesothelioma. The survival rates were as follows: 24% of people with pleural mesothelioma and 34% diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma were still alive one year after diagnosis. Two other important studies, in addition to examination of comparable populations, also revealed similar results.
Another variable that is extremely important for a patient is seeing his general health at the time of diagnosis. In general, the health of a patient, the better he or she will react to treatments against cancer, and the chances of longer survival. Doctor's have a method of classifying patients' health and to give each patient a score at diagnosis. This method of classification is called a patient's condition "performance" (PS). The best score is 0 and indicates a patient can normally take care of himself or with the help of. A performance index of 1 indicates that the patient can do things, but may need assistance. The more deteriorated health of the patient, the higher the number.
The patient must always keep in mind that statistics such as those mentioned here are by no means definitive. Survival has much to do with a number of different factors, including health, the type of mesothelioma, the choice of treatment, and even a moral patient. The statistics listed here are too general for patients to get an accurate idea of their own look.
Patients should consider taking part in clinical trials. Although nobody can say exactly why patients who are treated in clinical trials do better on average than those treated conventionally. Maybe with all the testing and monitoring that is done, patients become more confident that everything that can possibly be done is done.
Mesothelioma Definition
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer caused by the inhalation of asbestos, which is a seemingly useless material ignored by most people. It is called mesothelioma cancer because it affects the outer covering of vital organs, the mesothelium. Examples are the peritoneal, pericardial and pleural membranes
The signs and symptoms usually appear decades after the onset of the cancer itself, and is sometimes taken for granted because its symptoms are mostly the same with less serious illnesses.
Diagnosis of mesothelioma
The progress of mesothelioma depends on the distance of the metastasis from the point of origin. Diagnosis is done through biopsy of the patient's infected part. It is screened through the determination of serum osteopontin level and significant amounts could indicate mesothelioma.
There are three types of mesothelioma, the most common type is the pleural mesothelioma which involves the lining of the lungs. This is caused by asbestos exposure. The workers of a manufacturing company dealing with asbestos are the first victims due to direct contact and inhalation of its fibers. This type of cancer is more common in males than in females. This causes chronic inflammation that will develop into malignant tumors after years.
The second is the Peritoneal mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma affects the peritoneum and the last is pericardial mesothelioma which affects the covering of the heart or the pericardium.
Some studies imply that the development of mesothelioma in one individual is affected by SV40 or Simin Virus 40. In rare cases, mesothelioma cancer definition is associated with irradiation and inhalation of fibrous silicates. Mesothelioma is not a smoking-associated cancer like in lung cancer but it can aggravate the risk of asbestos-induced cancers.
Some of the treatments available nowadays are chemotherapy, irradiation therapy and surgery. But the most effective way on how to avoid cancer is prevention from acquiring it.
Mesothelioma cancer definition can be ambiguous because of the lack of proper diagnosis during the early stages of the disease. This type of cancer is uncommon and people working in an asbestos-procuring or manufacturing company should be aware of the hazards of their job so they can implement proper action to solve the problem.
The signs and symptoms usually appear decades after the onset of the cancer itself, and is sometimes taken for granted because its symptoms are mostly the same with less serious illnesses.
Diagnosis of mesothelioma
The progress of mesothelioma depends on the distance of the metastasis from the point of origin. Diagnosis is done through biopsy of the patient's infected part. It is screened through the determination of serum osteopontin level and significant amounts could indicate mesothelioma.
There are three types of mesothelioma, the most common type is the pleural mesothelioma which involves the lining of the lungs. This is caused by asbestos exposure. The workers of a manufacturing company dealing with asbestos are the first victims due to direct contact and inhalation of its fibers. This type of cancer is more common in males than in females. This causes chronic inflammation that will develop into malignant tumors after years.
The second is the Peritoneal mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma affects the peritoneum and the last is pericardial mesothelioma which affects the covering of the heart or the pericardium.
Some studies imply that the development of mesothelioma in one individual is affected by SV40 or Simin Virus 40. In rare cases, mesothelioma cancer definition is associated with irradiation and inhalation of fibrous silicates. Mesothelioma is not a smoking-associated cancer like in lung cancer but it can aggravate the risk of asbestos-induced cancers.
Some of the treatments available nowadays are chemotherapy, irradiation therapy and surgery. But the most effective way on how to avoid cancer is prevention from acquiring it.
Mesothelioma cancer definition can be ambiguous because of the lack of proper diagnosis during the early stages of the disease. This type of cancer is uncommon and people working in an asbestos-procuring or manufacturing company should be aware of the hazards of their job so they can implement proper action to solve the problem.
Malcolm McLaren – Passes away from Mesothelioma
Malcolm McLaren, the man who brought us The Sex Pistols and a pillar of the British Punk Movement of the late 70’s and 80’s has died at the age of 64. He also managed The New York Dolls.
Malcolm McLaren died of Mesothelioma in Switzerland earlier this week. He’s being flown back to England for funeral.
Malcolm McLaren died of Mesothelioma in Switzerland earlier this week. He’s being flown back to England for funeral.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Former Dental Technician Succumbs to Mesothelioma
An avid cyclist and former dental technician has died from mesothelioma, which it is believed he contracted while working with asbestos-contaminated dental equipment.
Edward Seviour began working in a dental laboratory at the tender age of 13, and continued in that line of work until his retirement. The dental labs were often dusty from asbestos material, and much of the equipment that Seviour would have used, including the gloves he wore, has asbestos as a component. In 2008, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma after consulting his physician about a chest infection.
Asbestos used to be highly favored as an insulating material, because of its resistance to heat and fire, its strength and durability, and the fact that it does not conduct electricity. Moreover, it can be spun into yarn or woven into cloth, and mixed with plastics or cement. This versatile material, however, is also a carcinogen. When its microscopic fibers become airborne, they can be inhaled and do great damage to a lining of the lungs and chest cavity called the mesothelium. Sharp and needle-like, they pierce this lining and cause cellular damage, leading to the formation of tumors.
Mesothelioma is a relatively rare form of cancer—it’s diagnosed in only about 3,000 people in the United Kingdom and around the same number in the U.S.—and it is particularly deadly. Fewer than 10 percent of people who are diagnosed with this disease go on to live more than two years after the diagnosis. Part of the problem lies with the difficulty of treating this cancer; since it spreads in a diffuse manner across the mesothelium, instead of forming discrete tumors, it is extremely hard to remove through surgery. It also tends to be resistant to chemotherapy and radiation.
After an inquest, the Eastbourne Coroner, Alan Craze, said that Seviour had a large number of asbestos fibers in his body, which were “evidence of much greater than average exposure during life.” He recorded a verdict of industrial disease.
Seviour was an avid bicyclist and the president of the East Sussex Cycle Tourist Club. He also enjoyed restoring vintage racing cycles. He leaves behind a wife, Gwendoline.
Edward Seviour began working in a dental laboratory at the tender age of 13, and continued in that line of work until his retirement. The dental labs were often dusty from asbestos material, and much of the equipment that Seviour would have used, including the gloves he wore, has asbestos as a component. In 2008, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma after consulting his physician about a chest infection.
Asbestos used to be highly favored as an insulating material, because of its resistance to heat and fire, its strength and durability, and the fact that it does not conduct electricity. Moreover, it can be spun into yarn or woven into cloth, and mixed with plastics or cement. This versatile material, however, is also a carcinogen. When its microscopic fibers become airborne, they can be inhaled and do great damage to a lining of the lungs and chest cavity called the mesothelium. Sharp and needle-like, they pierce this lining and cause cellular damage, leading to the formation of tumors.
Mesothelioma is a relatively rare form of cancer—it’s diagnosed in only about 3,000 people in the United Kingdom and around the same number in the U.S.—and it is particularly deadly. Fewer than 10 percent of people who are diagnosed with this disease go on to live more than two years after the diagnosis. Part of the problem lies with the difficulty of treating this cancer; since it spreads in a diffuse manner across the mesothelium, instead of forming discrete tumors, it is extremely hard to remove through surgery. It also tends to be resistant to chemotherapy and radiation.
After an inquest, the Eastbourne Coroner, Alan Craze, said that Seviour had a large number of asbestos fibers in his body, which were “evidence of much greater than average exposure during life.” He recorded a verdict of industrial disease.
Seviour was an avid bicyclist and the president of the East Sussex Cycle Tourist Club. He also enjoyed restoring vintage racing cycles. He leaves behind a wife, Gwendoline.
Florida man running 5K for mesothelioma awareness
A mesothelioma patient from Pompano Beach, Florida is raising money and awareness for a form of cancer most often linked to asbestos exposure. Larry Davis has fought mesothelioma for years, and has beaten the odds for survival. When doctors told Davis that he was near the end of his life in 2007, he decided to forego additional treatments and improve his health by running.
Now, Davis is organizing the Miles for Meso 5K race in order to raise awareness about this rare but aggressive form of cancer. The race will take place on Valentine's Day at Spanish River Park in Boca Raton, Florida.
"They gave me a death sentence," said Davis, who is now 64 years old. "I proved them wrong. I did the opposite of what they said to do, and that's why I'm still here. Sometimes individuals have to take responsibility for their own well being."
"We are going to have a tribute [to notable mesothelioma victims], but we're not going to be there to mourn," Davis said. "We're here to get on with life and come up with solutions, because we're not getting any help from politicians and the government...I sat with a senator in Washington and asked him to help ban asbestos. He said, 'We banned it.' I said, 'No, you haven't. His aide "Googled" it and said, 'You know, we almost passed it in '89, but a federal judge overturned it,'" Davis told reporters last week.
Now, Davis is organizing the Miles for Meso 5K race in order to raise awareness about this rare but aggressive form of cancer. The race will take place on Valentine's Day at Spanish River Park in Boca Raton, Florida.
"They gave me a death sentence," said Davis, who is now 64 years old. "I proved them wrong. I did the opposite of what they said to do, and that's why I'm still here. Sometimes individuals have to take responsibility for their own well being."
"We are going to have a tribute [to notable mesothelioma victims], but we're not going to be there to mourn," Davis said. "We're here to get on with life and come up with solutions, because we're not getting any help from politicians and the government...I sat with a senator in Washington and asked him to help ban asbestos. He said, 'We banned it.' I said, 'No, you haven't. His aide "Googled" it and said, 'You know, we almost passed it in '89, but a federal judge overturned it,'" Davis told reporters last week.
Firms accused of asbestos wrongs
Two firms have been accused of attempting to stop regulators from putting controls on the use of asbestos. As reported by The Age, James Hardie and CSR were alleged in court to have attempted to persuade regulators to not place restrictions on their products as well as purposely failing to place the names of their companies on products that contained asbestos, which would make it difficult to assess liability in asbestos legal claims.
An attorney for Robert Berengo, a Melbourne man who is seeking damages from the companies’ asbestos liability fund, John Gordon, is quoted in the report as stating in court that his client would bring forth allegations that “over a considerable period of time, the two companies formed an asbestos industry in [Victoria] and in this country, and they formed arrangements, agreements or an understanding to act together to influence the public debate on the dangers of asbestos, and to influence regulatory authorities on the control of, and the use of, the asbestos.”
Gordon is further quoted as stating that the companies had an, “agreement to grow the industry or protect the industry’s profits” and “did many things to do that.”
A trial is reportedly set to begin February 15.
An attorney for Robert Berengo, a Melbourne man who is seeking damages from the companies’ asbestos liability fund, John Gordon, is quoted in the report as stating in court that his client would bring forth allegations that “over a considerable period of time, the two companies formed an asbestos industry in [Victoria] and in this country, and they formed arrangements, agreements or an understanding to act together to influence the public debate on the dangers of asbestos, and to influence regulatory authorities on the control of, and the use of, the asbestos.”
Gordon is further quoted as stating that the companies had an, “agreement to grow the industry or protect the industry’s profits” and “did many things to do that.”
A trial is reportedly set to begin February 15.
Mesothelioma Lawsuit Results in $17.87 Million Verdict
In a recent case involving asbestos exposure, a jury has awarded $17.87 million to a woman who has been diagnosed with the rare cancer mesothelioma.
Jayne Menssen claimed she contracted mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos during her employment as a secretary at Union Asbestos and Rubber Co. in the 1960s. The company was called Unacro Industries Inc. at a later date.
According to Menssen, the defendants Pneumo Abex LLC and Honeywell International Inc. knew about the hazards associated with asbestos, but failed to warn employees and customers that there was any danger.
Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of malignant mesothelioma. For most patients, prognosis is poor as doctors often experience difficulty in treating the disease. Treatment options usually include palliative methods aimed at relieving pain rather than curing the cancer.
Diagnosing mesothelioma is also challenging for physicians. The latency period for development from the time someone was initially exposed to asbestos can range between 20 and 50 years. By the time mesothelioma is detected, patients are often already in the advanced stages of development.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Those who believe they have been exposed should seek routine medical checkups with a qualified physician for signs of asbestos exposure.
The jury in the case reached their verdict after a four-week trial. Menssen received compensatory damages of $3.5 million, punitive damages of $4.37 million from Pneumo Abex and $10 million from Honeywell.
Jayne Menssen claimed she contracted mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos during her employment as a secretary at Union Asbestos and Rubber Co. in the 1960s. The company was called Unacro Industries Inc. at a later date.
According to Menssen, the defendants Pneumo Abex LLC and Honeywell International Inc. knew about the hazards associated with asbestos, but failed to warn employees and customers that there was any danger.
Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of malignant mesothelioma. For most patients, prognosis is poor as doctors often experience difficulty in treating the disease. Treatment options usually include palliative methods aimed at relieving pain rather than curing the cancer.
Diagnosing mesothelioma is also challenging for physicians. The latency period for development from the time someone was initially exposed to asbestos can range between 20 and 50 years. By the time mesothelioma is detected, patients are often already in the advanced stages of development.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Those who believe they have been exposed should seek routine medical checkups with a qualified physician for signs of asbestos exposure.
The jury in the case reached their verdict after a four-week trial. Menssen received compensatory damages of $3.5 million, punitive damages of $4.37 million from Pneumo Abex and $10 million from Honeywell.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Woman Sues On Behalf of Father, Who Died of Mesothelioma
A recently deceased mechanic and Army veteran is being remembered by his daughter, who is fighting to receive compensation for his death at the hands of the asbestos cancer mesothelioma.
Samuel Mann worked as a mechanic while serving in the United States Army from 1959 to 1961. After his military service had ended, he went to work as a mechanic at Crown Cork and Seal from 1965 until the early 1970s. For the next several years, he did construction work, then—from 1976 to 1983—was employed as a welder, mechanic and shop foreman for Norfolk Southern Railroad.
Now Mann’s daughter, Theresa Mann Adams, of Georgia, is bringing suit against these companies to hold them accountable for the asbestos exposure which led to the deadly mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is nearly always caused by exposure to asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral material which was used in the mid-20th Century for insulating, fireproofing, and strengthening other building materials and consumer goods. Asbestos-containing materials, when they are manufactured, installed, or damage, can release into the surrounding atmosphere a vast quantity of microscopic fibers, which can then be inhaled. Because the fibers are small enough to pass through the lungs’ natural filtration system, but also sharp and needle-like, they can then embed themselves into the mesothelium—a membrane which covers and protects the lungs and the internal surface of the chest cavity. Tumors can develop on this membrane, although it may take years or even decades for them to be discovered.
By the time the cancer is diagnosed, it has typically become so advanced that traditional treatments—such as surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy—are ineffectual. Many patients enter hospice treatment shortly after diagnosis, and receive pain medication or palliative measures in order to make the remainder of their life as comfortable as possible. The average life expectancy for an individual who has this devastating cancer is less than 18 months, with many patients living only a few months, or even weeks.
Mesothelioma is a fatal form of cancer which affects only 2,000 to 3,000 new patients in the United States annually.
Samuel Mann worked as a mechanic while serving in the United States Army from 1959 to 1961. After his military service had ended, he went to work as a mechanic at Crown Cork and Seal from 1965 until the early 1970s. For the next several years, he did construction work, then—from 1976 to 1983—was employed as a welder, mechanic and shop foreman for Norfolk Southern Railroad.
Now Mann’s daughter, Theresa Mann Adams, of Georgia, is bringing suit against these companies to hold them accountable for the asbestos exposure which led to the deadly mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is nearly always caused by exposure to asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral material which was used in the mid-20th Century for insulating, fireproofing, and strengthening other building materials and consumer goods. Asbestos-containing materials, when they are manufactured, installed, or damage, can release into the surrounding atmosphere a vast quantity of microscopic fibers, which can then be inhaled. Because the fibers are small enough to pass through the lungs’ natural filtration system, but also sharp and needle-like, they can then embed themselves into the mesothelium—a membrane which covers and protects the lungs and the internal surface of the chest cavity. Tumors can develop on this membrane, although it may take years or even decades for them to be discovered.
By the time the cancer is diagnosed, it has typically become so advanced that traditional treatments—such as surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy—are ineffectual. Many patients enter hospice treatment shortly after diagnosis, and receive pain medication or palliative measures in order to make the remainder of their life as comfortable as possible. The average life expectancy for an individual who has this devastating cancer is less than 18 months, with many patients living only a few months, or even weeks.
Mesothelioma is a fatal form of cancer which affects only 2,000 to 3,000 new patients in the United States annually.
Estimated Cost of Mesothelioma Lawsuits for Insurers in U.K. Doubles
Actuaries in the United Kingdom are doubling earlier predictions about the potential cost of asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits, estimating that $17.7 billion in asbestos-related claims will be filed between now and 2050.
The new numbers, provided last month by the U.K. Asbestos Working Party (PDF), is more than twice that of the $7.57 billion estimate it made in 2004. The group, part of the Actuary Profession association, estimated that 90% of all asbestos claims filed with insurance companies will be related to cases of mesothelioma cancer.
The group said that the number of mesothelioma sufferers who would make claims was underestimated in 2004, when claims from people with mesothelioma only accounted for one-third of all insurance claims. Since then, that percentage has skyrocketed to two-thirds and continues to rise.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer found in the lining of the chest and lung. The only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure, and it is often not diagnosed for 20 to 40 years after exposure. As a result of the long latency period, the cancer is very advanced when it is diagnosed and life expectancy with the disease is limited.
Asbestos was widely used in a variety of manufacturing and construction applications throughout the last century, with use peaking in 1973. Most uses of asbestos were banned in the United States in the mid-1980s. Despite the ban, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the number of mesothelioma deaths continues to rise each year due to the latency period, with the number expected to peak in 2010.
Asbestos litigation is the longest running mass tort in U.S. history, with the first asbestos exposure case filed in 1929. Over 600,000 people have filed lawsuits against 6,000 defendants after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis or other asbestos-related diseases.
The new numbers, provided last month by the U.K. Asbestos Working Party (PDF), is more than twice that of the $7.57 billion estimate it made in 2004. The group, part of the Actuary Profession association, estimated that 90% of all asbestos claims filed with insurance companies will be related to cases of mesothelioma cancer.
The group said that the number of mesothelioma sufferers who would make claims was underestimated in 2004, when claims from people with mesothelioma only accounted for one-third of all insurance claims. Since then, that percentage has skyrocketed to two-thirds and continues to rise.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer found in the lining of the chest and lung. The only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure, and it is often not diagnosed for 20 to 40 years after exposure. As a result of the long latency period, the cancer is very advanced when it is diagnosed and life expectancy with the disease is limited.
Asbestos was widely used in a variety of manufacturing and construction applications throughout the last century, with use peaking in 1973. Most uses of asbestos were banned in the United States in the mid-1980s. Despite the ban, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the number of mesothelioma deaths continues to rise each year due to the latency period, with the number expected to peak in 2010.
Asbestos litigation is the longest running mass tort in U.S. history, with the first asbestos exposure case filed in 1929. Over 600,000 people have filed lawsuits against 6,000 defendants after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis or other asbestos-related diseases.
US troops subjected to asbestos-filled “burn-pits”
A growing number of US troops stationed overseas are raising concerns about their exposure to toxic “burn pits”. Among these soldiers are members of Houston’s 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, roughly 3,000 of who were sent to carry out missions for nine months in Iraq. At Camp Taji, which is just north of Baghdad, many of these brave Texan soldiers are concerned about their health. Open-air burn pits release so much ash, smoke, and other debris that they have been compared to a heavy snowfall.
These burn pits are used to dispose of garbage and debris, with each pit consuming as much as 120 tons of garbage per day. “[The ash] hovers over like a blanket,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Ethier. “After it rains, you’ll get puddles of stuff. It’s like a yellowish, brackish color. It looks metallic. It’s just disgusting.”
Soldiers at Camp Taji complain of migraines, breathing problems, sore throats, irritated eyes and skin rashes. Lawsuits related to the operation of similar pits in the area allege contractors and others dumped “a human arm, other body parts, batteries, tires, asbestos and a variety of toxics into burn pits”. All these items can cause serious health problems. Asbestos-laden materials are most dangerous when they become airborne. Inhaling or ingesting airborne asbestos particles can lead to the development of mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer that can kill within months of being diagnosed.
The burn pit at Camp Taji is operated by KBR, a company that operates many pits throughout Iraq and one in Afghanistan. According to one company official, “KBR operates burn pits in accordance with guidelines approved by the Army. Further, it is the Army that also decides where on base to locate the living and working facilities for base personnel.”
These burn pits are used to dispose of garbage and debris, with each pit consuming as much as 120 tons of garbage per day. “[The ash] hovers over like a blanket,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Ethier. “After it rains, you’ll get puddles of stuff. It’s like a yellowish, brackish color. It looks metallic. It’s just disgusting.”
Soldiers at Camp Taji complain of migraines, breathing problems, sore throats, irritated eyes and skin rashes. Lawsuits related to the operation of similar pits in the area allege contractors and others dumped “a human arm, other body parts, batteries, tires, asbestos and a variety of toxics into burn pits”. All these items can cause serious health problems. Asbestos-laden materials are most dangerous when they become airborne. Inhaling or ingesting airborne asbestos particles can lead to the development of mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer that can kill within months of being diagnosed.
The burn pit at Camp Taji is operated by KBR, a company that operates many pits throughout Iraq and one in Afghanistan. According to one company official, “KBR operates burn pits in accordance with guidelines approved by the Army. Further, it is the Army that also decides where on base to locate the living and working facilities for base personnel.”
Inspectors say schools fail to protect pupils and staff from asbestos
Asbestos tests on dozens of schools have revealed "unacceptable" safety standards that could be putting thousands of children and teachers at risk.
An inspection report obtained by The Independent on Sunday shows a grim picture of the lack of controls on the potentially deadly substance lurking in the fabric of thousands of schools. Analysts who conducted the nationwide survey found that too few head teachers manage asbestos properly; many rely on containment plans more than a decade old and some have never drawn up plans at all.
The audit, by the Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association, also found that some schools had asbestos particles in the air; some allowed workmen to disturb the material and others simply didn't know the rules for managing the threat from building projects.
The IoS revealed last November that campaigners had arranged inspections of 100 English schools to demonstrate the threat from asbestos which they blame for a series of illnesses - including the cancer mesothelioma - which claim the lives of at least 16 teachers a year. MPs, union leaders, and families persuaded the association to carry out the tests for free, after the Government refused funding.
A preliminary report said that most schools are failing to comply with their legal "duty to manage" the asbestos, that the responsibility for ensuring safety was dogged by confusion, and that staff training was "either poor or non-existent". The report concluded: "It is not therefore surprising that the standards of asbestos management were unacceptable in the majority of schools. This should have been identified and corrected."
The majority of schools are thought to contain asbestos, which was used as insulation or fire protection from the 1940s until the 1980s. Local councils must keep records of how many schools contain asbestos, but they do not have to know what state it is in. They have largely opted to leave it in place, rather than risk further contamination by removing it. However, campaigners have warned that it poses a greater risk over time as it is disturbed by wear and tear and renovations, and releases fibres which could be lethal if inhaled.
The Lib Dem MP, Paul Rowen, who has led parliamentary demands for action against asbestos, said: "Only the Government can resolve this. We need it to show the political will and the funding to ensure this problem is tackled once and for all."
The Health and Safety Executive insists there is no evidence that teachers are at increased risk.
An inspection report obtained by The Independent on Sunday shows a grim picture of the lack of controls on the potentially deadly substance lurking in the fabric of thousands of schools. Analysts who conducted the nationwide survey found that too few head teachers manage asbestos properly; many rely on containment plans more than a decade old and some have never drawn up plans at all.
The audit, by the Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association, also found that some schools had asbestos particles in the air; some allowed workmen to disturb the material and others simply didn't know the rules for managing the threat from building projects.
The IoS revealed last November that campaigners had arranged inspections of 100 English schools to demonstrate the threat from asbestos which they blame for a series of illnesses - including the cancer mesothelioma - which claim the lives of at least 16 teachers a year. MPs, union leaders, and families persuaded the association to carry out the tests for free, after the Government refused funding.
A preliminary report said that most schools are failing to comply with their legal "duty to manage" the asbestos, that the responsibility for ensuring safety was dogged by confusion, and that staff training was "either poor or non-existent". The report concluded: "It is not therefore surprising that the standards of asbestos management were unacceptable in the majority of schools. This should have been identified and corrected."
The majority of schools are thought to contain asbestos, which was used as insulation or fire protection from the 1940s until the 1980s. Local councils must keep records of how many schools contain asbestos, but they do not have to know what state it is in. They have largely opted to leave it in place, rather than risk further contamination by removing it. However, campaigners have warned that it poses a greater risk over time as it is disturbed by wear and tear and renovations, and releases fibres which could be lethal if inhaled.
The Lib Dem MP, Paul Rowen, who has led parliamentary demands for action against asbestos, said: "Only the Government can resolve this. We need it to show the political will and the funding to ensure this problem is tackled once and for all."
The Health and Safety Executive insists there is no evidence that teachers are at increased risk.
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