In a US-based survey, it has come to notice that industrial workers affected due to exposure to asbestos at industrial units have been searching for a mesothelioma lawyer nationwide. It is really important for a Mesothelioma victim to get the highest compensation that one can only get if he has complete knowledge about it. Industrial workers are becoming aware that a local firm might not have the knowledge, experience, or certifications related to solving mesothelioma cases.

A lot of people working in the industrial units in the West Virginia region of the Southern US have been taking the help of online mesothelioma law firms in order to hire the best lawyer for themselves. Technology has played a crucial role in enabling the asbestos affected industrial workers to look for mesothelioma lawyer services worldwide. The increasing job hazards at industrial units due to the failure to follow proper safety measures have been increasing the incidents related to mesothelioma on a large scale.

As the number of cases related to mesothelioma cancer has been rising in the US, it has become a common thing to see a number of people hiring a mesothelioma lawyer to get justice. The demand for West Virginia mesothelioma lawyers has been rising and people are largely visiting the online platform of the law firm of Goldberg, Persky & White P.C. (https://gpwlaw-wv.com/).

The firm provides an experienced lawyer and helps industrial workers to get a good amount of compensation. The law firm of Goldberg, Persky, & White P.C. has been receiving a lot of cases from different corners of the US and it is simply because industrial workers have been searching for experienced workers nationwide to get excellent law service.

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Industrial Workers Affected due to Asbestos Exposure at Workplace have been Searching Mesothelioma Lawyer Nationwide in the US - Seekers Time

Mesothelioma, tumour that arises from the sheet of cells known as the mesothelium, which lines body cavities and forms the tissue layers referred to as the pleura and the peritoneum. The pleura is located in the chest cavity, either lining the chest wall (parietal pleura) or covering the lung (visceral pleura), and the peritoneum is the corresponding tissue in the abdomen. Roughly 75 percent of mesothelioma cases originate in the chest. Mesothelial cells can also be found in other areas of the body, such as the scrotal sac and the pericardium (the sac surrounding the heart), and in rare cases the tumour may arise primarily in those locations.

Some 2,000 to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed annually in the United States and more elsewhere around the world, related in part to asbestos exposure rates. For males born between 1945 and 1950 in western Europe, researchers projected that mesothelioma during the period from 1995 to 2029 would reach rates as high as 1 in 150 because of asbestos exposure in this population.

There is an unequivocal association with asbestos exposure in about 80 percent of cases. The latency period between exposure and the development of disease typically ranges from 20 to 50 years, with an average of about 30 years. Other causative agents, such as SV40 (simian virus 40), have been postulated; however, data are inconclusive. Some cases are idiopathic, in which no known cause can be identified. Use of asbestos was strictly regulated in the United States beginning in the latter part of the 20th century, though it is still used in the developing world. Erionite, which is similar to asbestos, is found in the soil in Turkey and is associated with concomitant pockets of high mesothelioma incidence. The biology of asbestos exposure and subsequent development of cancer is not clearly understood, because of the long latency period. However, a chronic inflammatory reaction, causing DNA damage to the mesothelial cells, is likely involved. Unlike lung cancer, the eventual development of mesothelioma is not associated with smoking.

The diagnosis of mesothelioma usually occurs at advanced stages, because the thin layer of tumour that develops may not be discernible in X-rays, nor may it lead to symptoms. The most common complication leading to an eventual diagnosis is pleural effusion (a collection of fluid around the lung in the pleural space), whereby a person becomes short of breath. Pain is common with more-advanced disease, when the tumour invades the ribs and muscles of the chest wall. The use of computed tomography (CT; computerized axial tomography) is essential to determine the extent of disease and the stage of tumour development. CT scanning is also used to determine whether the patient might be considered a candidate for surgery. Positron emission tomography (PET) is useful to assist in the determination of metastasis (spread) to other areas of the chest or body. Serum biomarkers, such as mesothelin, osteopontin, and megakaryocyte potentiating factor, have shown some promise for the development of blood tests to screen for the disease, as well as for following patients for evidence of recurrence after treatment.

There are many subtypes of mesothelioma, based on microscopic pathologic examination. The most common subtype is epithelial mesothelioma, followed by biphasic, or mixed, disease, which has epithelial and sarcomatous (connective tissue) involvement; less common is the solely sarcomatoid subtype. The pathologic diagnosis of mesothelioma, using microscopic techniques, can be difficult and often requires that a battery of immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests be performed on each tumour to determine whether it is mesothelioma or perhaps another type of tumour that has spread to the thoracic or abdominal cavity. IHC uses colorimetric antibodies directed at proteins on the surfaces of cells. A pattern of both positive and negative staining is interpreted by the pathologist. Some of the more common positive-staining antibodies that are used include WT1 (Wilms tumour 1) and mesothelin and cytokeratin 5/6. Commonly used negative-staining epithelial antibodies include CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), LeuM1, and TTF-1 (thyroid transcription factor 1).

Reported survival for patients with mesothelioma has been relatively poor, ranging in most cases from 9 to 18 months with or without treatment. Factors used to predict survival include epithelial subtype, involvement of regional (mediastinal) lymph nodes, and size of the tumour. The ability to completely remove the tumour at surgery and the use of multimodality (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy) in some combination-therapy approaches can also influence survival.

Advances in multimodality therapy have included the use of a class of chemotherapy drugs referred to as folate antimetabolites. The most common drug used in this class is pemetrexed, which is most effective when combined with platinum-based agents, such as cisplatinum. These drugs may be given as definitive treatment to patients that are not surgical candidates, and up to 50 percent of treated individuals may respond with tumour arrest and shrinkage and modestly improved survival. Clinical trials have evaluated the use of these drugs prior to surgery (neoadjuvant therapy). The weight of evidence indicates that surgical removal of the tumour is important for improved survival, but only if surgery is included with other therapies. Care must be taken when determining whether a patient should undergo surgery, since many patients are at advanced age.

Removal of the tumour alone from the surfaces on which it is growing (a procedure known as pleurectomy) may be best in early-stage patients. A more aggressive operation, extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), may be required in more-advanced cases. EPP involves the removal of tumour, pleura, diaphragm, and pericardium, with reconstruction of the latter two structures. The tumour grows over a very large surface area, and for that reason the risk of local recurrence following surgery is high. Many modalities have been evaluated and are being used for adjuvant (after surgery) treatment, including heated chemotherapy instillation (gradual introduction of liquid drug into cancerous tissue), photodynamic therapy (administration of a drug that becomes active when the cancerous tissue is exposed to a certain form of light), and various forms of radiation therapy. Local control over the administration of therapy can be made more precise by the use of computerized conformal radiation therapy techniques, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy, in which three-dimensional CT is used to guide the delivery of very precise doses of radiation to the tumour or to parts of the tumour. Tumour-treating field (TTF) therapy, in which an electric field is used to impair tumour cell division, may be given in combination with certain chemotherapeutic agents to combat malignant pleural mesothelioma.

A number of experimental approaches to treatment capitalizing on the presence of biological or molecular targets have been attempted. Some promising future targets identified in clinical studies have included proteins (e.g., mesothelin) that are commonly found on mesothelioma cells. Growth factors, antiangiogenic drugs, which block the growth of tumour blood vessels, and molecules that stimulate programmed cell death (apoptosis) have also been investigated.

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mesothelioma | Definition, Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment | Britannica

Looking for mesothelioma information? The following section provides extensive information about mesothelioma, including symptoms, treatment, and more. Click on an item in the menu below to jump to that topic:

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. It comes from cells of the mesothelium that covers many internal organs. There are about 2,000 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma comes from exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a cancer causing material used in many different kinds of products. Many companies kept using it even after they knew that it was dangerous.

Although rare, mesothelioma cancer is not a death sentence. The longest-living mesothelioma survivor in the world wrote a free book about it.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. It is sometimes called asbestos cancer. It comes from cells of the mesothelium, the lining that covers many of the internal organs.

The main purpose of the mesothelium is to make the fluid between tissues and organs. This fluid provides a slippery and protective surface to allow movement.

The fluid allows the lungs to expand and contract inside the body each time you take a breath. When the cells of the mesothelium turn cancerous they become mesothelioma. That is where the name comes from.

Mesothelioma is a rare disease. There are only approximately 2,000 cases diagnosed in the United States every year. Many more cases occur around the world. It is most common in Australia and the U.K. where they used large amounts of asbestos.

Number of cases per year in other countries:

Discover More Statistics

There are four types of malignant mesothelioma: Pleural, peritoneal, pericardial and testicular. Pleural mesothelioma affects the outer lining of the lungs and chest wall. It represents about 75% of all cases. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdomen and represents about 23%. Incidences of cases in the lining of the testis and the heart represent about 1% each.

When then pleural lining around the lungs and chest wall are involved in this cancer it is called pleural mesothelioma. There are actually two layers of tissue that comprise the pleural lining. The outer layer, the parietal pleura, lines the entire inside of the chest cavity. The inner layer is called the visceral pleura and it covers the lungs.

Mesothelioma usually affects both layers of the pleura. Often it forms in one layer of the pleura and invades the other layer. The cancer may form many small tumors throughout this tissue.

Learn More About Pleural Mesothelioma

When the peritoneum, the protective membrane that surrounds the abdomen is involved in this cancer it is called peritoneal mesothelioma. Just like pleural mesothelioma, there are two layers of tissues involved with the peritoneum, the parietal layer covers the abdominal cavity, while the visceral layer surrounds the stomach, liver and other organs.

The cancer often forms many small tumors throughout the tissue. One doctor has described it as if someone took a pepper shaker and scattered the pepper over the tissue.

Learn More About Peritoneal Mesothelioma

In addition to the different types of locations within the body, there are also different cell types. These types are all considered mesothelioma, but they can affect the patients prognosis.

The three mesothelioma cell types are: epithelioid, sarcomatoid and biphasic.

Epithelioid mesothelioma cells are the most common type of mesothelioma cell and has the best prognosis of the three cell types. Notice the dark purple, elongated egg shaped cells amongst the healthy pink colored tissue.

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma cells are the rarest of the three cell types and tends to be more aggressive than epitheloid cells. Notice the dark purple nodules amongst the healthy light purple colored tissue.

Biphasic mesothelioma cells are mixtures of both cell types (epithelioid and sacromatoid) and usually has a prognosis that reflects the dominant cell type.

More Symptoms

More Symptoms

Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos and it is therefore considered the asbestos caused cancer.

Asbestos has been in use since ancient times, but after the Industrial Revolution its use became widespread and was used all over the world in thousands of industrial and consumer products even after many companies knew that it was dangerous. Construction materials, automotive parts and household products such as hair dryers and oven mitts contained asbestos in the past.

Today, asbestos has been outlawed in most places around the world, however, asbestos has not been outlawed in the United States and is still found in millions of homes and public buildings, such as schools, offices and parking garages.

Learn More About Causes

Asbestos is actually a naturally occurring mineral found throughout the world. It was called the magic mineral because it is resistant to heat and corrosion. Also, it is a fiber so it can be woven into other materials.

Asbestos is composed of millions of sharp microscopic fibers. These fibers are so small that the body has difficulty filtering them out. This means that if you around airborne asbestos you may inhale it or ingest it. This is known as asbestos exposure.

The actual process as to how asbestos causes mesothelioma is still being investigated. Most scientists believe that when the small sharp fibers are ingested or inhaled they cause cell damage which can cause chronic inflammation.

This inflammation can then set the stage for disease after many years or even decades. Some scientists believe that a persons immune system may actually help prevent the cancer, even if that person is exposed to asbestos.

Find Out More On Asbestos

Since asbestos causes this rare disease, how to people get exposed to asbestos? While asbestos was in thousands of products, workers in some professions had more exposure to this carcinogen than others.

Examples of occupations that exposed workers to asbestos includes: Navy veterans, construction trades such as electricians, mechanics, and plumbers, people working in power houses and power plants, firefighters, and refinery workers. Individuals in these professions often had a multitude of asbestos containing products on their various job sites.

Most asbestos containing products were removed voluntarily by the late 1970s. However, because there is no comprehensive ban on asbestos in the U.S. and because of the long latency period, people are still being diagnosed with mesothelioma today.

Learn More About Occupational Asbestos Exposure

The history of asbestos in the United States and other industrialized countries is a sad story of corporate greed. Companies that produced asbestos containing products saw their workers becoming sick with lung scarring, asbestosis, and cancer nearly 100 years ago.

Some companies even brought in researchers and scientists to better understand the health impact of asbestos. Once it was shown that their magic mineral was toxic to human beings, the industry faced a dilemma.

Should they protect workers, warn consumers, notify public health officials, and most importantly, phase out this dangerous mineral? Their answer was no.

Instead industry did just the opposite. They warned no one, kept their knowledge about asbestos secret and continued to use it for decades! Only by the 1960s did independent researchers like Dr. Irving Selikoff of Mt. Sinai School of Medicinebegin to connect asbestos exposure to disease.

By then hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children were already exposed to this deadly mineral. The EPA would ban asbestos in 1989. However, the asbestos industry would sue the EPA and win.

In 1991 the ban was lifted. Even today, there is no comprehensive asbestos ban in the United States. Sad but true.

(Asbestos Medical and Legal Aspects by Barry Castleman)

People exposed directly to asbestos are called primary exposed. Sometimes the person who is primary exposed will transfer asbestos fibers from their clothes to the clothes of another person. The person who gets this transfer of asbestos exposure is said to have secondary exposure.

One example of secondary exposure is called the deadly hug. Sadly, the deadly hug happens when an adult comes home from work with asbestos on their clothes and hugs their son or daughter, unknowingly transferring the dangerous fibers to their child. There have been many cases of adults being diagnosed with mesothelioma whose only exposure to asbestos came from their time as a child.

Read About Secondary Exposure

There is a long latency period for mesothelioma which is the time from asbestos exposure to diagnosis of the cancer. This period can range anywhere from 20 to 50 years. There are different theories as to why there is such a long latency period and why most people exposed to asbestos do not get mesothelioma.

One theory suggests that there may be other variables that play a role. For example, some doctors believe that the condition or competency of a persons immune system could determine whether asbestos in their body leads to cancer.

Other possibilities include a persons genes and diet.

When doctors suspect a patient has mesothelioma they will initiate a work-upin order to make a diagnosis. This work-up may include imaging scans, biopsies, pathology exams, blood tests and staging.

Diagnosing Mesothelioma

Various types of scans may be used to determine if there are signs of tumors or other abnormalities. These scans may include X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or PET scans.

More on Imaging

If scans reveal what doctors believe may be a cancer then a biopsy may be suggested. A biopsy is a procedure where doctors remove a small piece of the suspected tumor tissue from the patients body.

More on Biopsies

Blood tests and biomarkers may sometimes be used to determine if mesothelioma is present in the body. While these tests are helpful they are not considered as important as the biopsy which is considered the gold standard.

More on Biomarkers

The biopsy material will then be given to a pathologist. A pathologist will use special stains and other tests to determine if there is cancer and identify exactly what type of cancer was removed from the patient.

More on Pathology Exams

If mesothelioma is diagnosed, doctors may stage the disease. Over the years a variety of staging systems have been used. The one used most frequently today groups the disease into localized (only in the mesothelium) or advanced (spread outside the mesothelium).

More on Staging

The prognosis of mesothelioma or any other cancer depends on a number of variables. Those variables include:

More on Prognosis

A doctor specializing in mesothelioma can properly diagnose you and determine the best course of treatment. Find a mesothelioma specialist or doctor near you.

The treatments for mesothelioma can be divided into three paths: Conventional Therapies, Clinical Trials, and Alternative Modalities.

Conventional therapies include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. The standard chemo drugs used are Alimta (pemetrexed) and cisplatin (or carboplatin). They are often prescribed for the various types of mesothelioma, regardless of location. Both chemo and radiation therapy are known as cytotoxic or cell killing therapies. They work indiscriminately, killing both healthy and cancer cells. This is the reason that they can have severe side effects.

Learn About Treatment

The standard of care in many hospitals is to treat peritoneal mesothelioma with surgery and HIPEC. HIPEC stands for hyperthermic intraperitoneal perioperative chemotherapy which basically means flushing the surgical area with heated chemotherapy during the surgical procedure. The obvious advantage of this approach is that it enables doctors to put the chemo in exactly the place it needs to be.

Of all the conventional treatments available, surgery is generally considered the most effective. For pleural mesothelioma, there are various types of surgical procedures, including lung sparring surgery (also called pleurectomy/decorticiaton or PD) and extrapleural pneumonectomy (also called EPP).

Pleurectomy/decortication surgery is a two-part surgery that removes the lining surrounding one lung (pleurectomy), then removes any visible cancer seen growing inside the chest cavity (decortication). The advantage of P/D or lung sparring surgery is exactly what the name implies a lung is not removed.

An extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) is a much more invasive surgery than PD. An EPP involves removing a lung, the diaphragm, portions of the chest lining and heart lining, and nearby lymph nodes.

Numerous studies have been performed comparing the prognosis with a pleurectomy/decortications surgery versus an extrapleural pneumonectomy. While there is no consensus on the subject, the latest reports suggest that PD may be a better choice for many patients because survival is generally equivalent to EPP and PD is less invasive and therefore easier to tolerate.

There are also other surgical procedures used to treat pleural effusion. Pleural effusion is the buildup of excess fluid in the pleural space between the visceral and parietal linings of the lungs. Examples of these procedures include pleurodesis and thoracentesis.

More on Surgery

Clinical trials are treatments that are still being tested. These treatments may include chemotherapy or other more innovative approaches based on immune therapy, gene therapy or other biological approaches. One example of new treatments being tried in mesothelioma involve the use of monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies are essentially an immune system therapy that tries to use antibodies to target cancer cells. The National Cancer Institute indexes clinical trials offered throughout the country.

Discover Clinical Trials

Alternative modalities include a large number of approaches such as intravenous vitamin therapy, herbs and Traditional Chinese Medicine, cannabis oil, dietary approaches, and mind-body medicine. It is important to note that while none of these modalities are FDA approved, there are a number of long-term mesothelioma survivors who have used them, including Paul Kraus.

Read About Alternative Treatments

Mesothelioma is not the only disease caused by asbestos. Asbestosis which is essentially scarred lung tissue, pleural plaques and some lung cancers can also be caused by asbestos. There may also be compensation available to victims of these diseases as well. Treatments vary by condition.

Learn About Other Asbestos Diseases

Curcumin is a natural occurring phytochemical found in turmeric, which is an Indian spice that gives curry powder its characteristic golden color. A study published by Jill M. Miller in Cancer Prevention Research suggest that curcumin can attach malignant mesothelioma cells in two ways. First, curcumin was able to induce pyroptosis, a highly inflammatory form of programmed cell death, in human malignant mesothelioma cells. In addition, curcumin was shown to protect against inflammation, which is a key mediator in the development of malignant mesothelioma and may be a key contributor to the dismal prognosis associated with the condition. Consequently, consumption of curcumin can offer a two-pronged attack against malignant mesothelioma by inducing pyroptosis in malignant mesothelioma cells as well as protecting against inflammation.

Nutritional status may also play a role in mesothelioma prognosis. The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score was developed as a screening tool for early detection of poor nutritional status. A recent study published in a medical journal suggests that mesothelioma patients who were well nourished and had a CONUT score 2, had greater overall survival rates than those who were nutritionally challenged, CONUT score 3.

Treatments for mesothelioma can alter the appetite either because people are physically unable to eat properly due to the cancer or the treatment such as chemo, or because the taste of food is altered. Regardless, adequate nutrition is paramount for people with mesothelioma because patients often lose essential muscle and weight after diagnosis which can dramatically impact their prognosis. Consequently, eating a well-balanced diet can help people feel better when undergoing treatment for malignant mesothelioma.

Therefore, screening for nutritional status prior to treatment, consuming some dietary phytochemicals, as well as eating an overall well-balanced diet should help improve the outcome and overall state of well-being for patients undergoing treatment for malignant mesothelioma.

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Mesothelioma: How Has Paul Kraus Survived For Over 20 Years?

When you are diagnosed with cancer, people often think youre going to die, especially with an aggressive disease such as mesothelioma.

And if you outlive their expectations, you must not be as sick as you led on.

As time goes by, people tend to forget about your health issues, especially if the reminders arent apparent.

You stop seeing the looks, hearing the concerned questions or receiving the special treatment.

As a seven-year survivor, its interesting looking back on how conversations about my cancer have changed among friends and family.

Its an important lesson to anyone who may interact with a cancer survivor this holiday season, whether theyre newly diagnosed or several years into survival.

Knowing what to say and what to avoid saying can strengthen relationships and get positive results out of these interactions.

The longer you are around, the more people seem to forget something is wrong with you. Its out of sight, out of mind.

I dont necessarily have a problem with that. I dont want to be treated differently because I have cancer.

But youll also hear comments like, I thought you were cured or You dont look sick. People sometimes wonder why I still go to Boston. Theyre surprised to find out Im still having treatment seven years later.

There is no cure for mesothelioma. I have beaten the odds in my survival, but Im aware the cancer can come back fast and aggressive at any moment.

I feel no one is truly cured of cancer. You always need to be aware that either the same cancer or a different cancer can come back, whether its been seven years or 50 years.

Another thing people should avoid is to not take a cancer survivors word as truth. Just because I outlived the expectations of my doctors doesnt mean I was lying about the state of my condition.

I think this may happen more often with a rare cancer such as mesothelioma because most people dont know much about it.

Our monthly online support group helps patients and families cope with the effects of mesothelioma.

I try my best to not get caught up in the past. I dont see the point of thinking about what-if scenarios.

Whats done is done.

I realize that mesothelioma is unlike many cancers because the primary cause is well known: Exposure to asbestos.

This prompts others to wonder how someone like me a registered nurse of 43 years was diagnosed with a cancer commonly associated with Navy veterans and construction workers.

I dont fit the typical patient profile, yet here we are. I havent dwelled on it, so I dont expect others to.

Asking how or why this happened to me wont change anything. I prefer that people focus on my future rather than my past.

I live in a small town in Maine. It took three months for doctors here to finally get to the bottom of my condition.

Biopsy samples were sent to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. My diagnosis was then confirmed at Brigham and Womens Hospital, where I underwent aggressive surgery to remove as much cancerous growth from my chest as possible.

I continue to visit Boston every three weeks, receiving immunotherapy infusions at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Sometimes people here wonder why I make the four-hour, round-trip drive to Boston rather than go to our local hospital or the cancer center in Portland, Maine, less than an hour away.

The answer is simple: I feel more comfortable in Boston under the care of mesothelioma specialists.

When any of the hospitals in Maine get a pulmonary oncologist who trained at Brigham, Dana-Farber or any other mesothelioma specialty center, Ill be fine staying closer to home.

Until then, I will continue my care where the research is being done.

Its not that I think Im too good for our local doctors. I just want to make the best decisions for my health. That means traveling to a specialty center with the latest technologies and a team of experts.

Its perhaps the worst thing you could ask someone battling cancer.

While extremely personal and invasive, its also impossible to answer. Like everyone else, I dont know how long Ill be on this earth. I also dont know if it will be the mesothelioma that kills me or something unrelated.

My surgeon, Dr. David Sugarbaker, was good about not estimating length of survival. When something came up, we would address it. My medical oncologist, Dr. David Jackman, is the same way.

I tell everyone that I take it one scan at a time. I get CT scans every three months. Until then, I have nothing new to share.

Asking more specific questions such as How was your last scan? or When is your next scan? is much better than How long do you have?

Knowing what to say to a cancer survivor is equally as important as what not to say.

The advice I would give others is to make sure youre genuine in the questions you ask and the support you offer.

Ive found that most of the people who have offered to help are serious about it. They arent just making the gesture because its the polite or right thing to do.

When Ive had comments made to me about how much I do or give or take care of others, I always say the day will come where I may need them to return the favor.

I usually rely on my brothers to help me more than friends or acquaintances, but its nice to know people care.

And if you are curious about something, dont be afraid to ask.

I recently had someone I work with at our local gym ask me why I go to Boston once a month and if something was wrong. I told her I have cancer, and she had no idea.

Ive known her since Ive had this disease, but I guess it never came up in conversation. She wasnt rude for asking, and I wasnt offended by her question.

Sometimes, the solution to what to say and not to say to someone with cancer is asking in a simple and direct way. The more we talk, the more we find out about each other and can offer support and guidance as we see fit.

Free Mesothelioma ResourcesGet Access to Free Resources for Patients & Loved Ones

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What to Avoid Saying to Someone with Mesothelioma - Asbestos.com

December 18, 2019

Santo Lanza died of malignant mesothelioma on March 4, 2014, just two months after he filed a lawsuit against American Biltrite, the manufacturer of tiles that he used in his home renovation in Brooklyn, New York and before he could be deposed. But the mans lifelong habit of enlisting the help of his son John with these types of tasks meant that there was another witness to his asbestos to exposure, and after his fathers death John was deposed over four days and filled in the blanks that allowed his fathers lawsuit to move forward. This week Judge Manuel J. Mendez of the Supreme Court of New York County ruled that the case could move forward, despite the tile manufacturers motion for summary judgment.

To listen to John Lanza, there is little question as to how his father Santo was exposed to the asbestos that caused his death from malignant pleural mesothelioma. He described the home renovation that Santo did at their home in Brooklyn between 1963 and the early 1980s, as well as when he did side jobs throughout New York and New Jersey between 1966 and 1973.

John explained that the ABI Amtico vinyl tiles that he blames for his fathers mesothelioma were installed in the bedrooms, kitchen, hallways and stairways of the first three floors of the home, as well as the entire basement floor, and confirmed that his direct knowledge of this came from having helped his father with the installation from the time that he was eleven until he was fourteen or fifteen years old. He also remembered the boxes that the tiles came in, and described them.

In addition to providing exacting detail about the boxes that the asbestos tiles came in, Mr. Lanza described the asbestos-contaminated dust that he and his father breathed in. That dust, which has been blamed for his fathers mesothelioma death, was also raised when a flood damaged the tiles and they all needed to be removed and replaced.

Though Amtico argued that the case should be dismissed based on a lack of expert opinion establishing that their tile was the cause of Mr. Lanzas death, the judge ruled that gaps in testimony were not reason to dismiss a case. The trial will move forward and the family will be able to seek justice for the loss of their father.

If you or someone you love has been exposed to asbestos then you are at risk for mesothelioma. If youve already been diagnosed and need information on the resources available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at1-800-692-8608.

Learn more about and contact Terri

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Tiles Used in Home Renovation Blamed for Man's Mesothelioma Death - Mesothelioma.net Blog

NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate says, "We have endorsed the law firm of Karst von Oiste to assist a Navy Veteran or a shipyard worker with mesothelioma with their financial compensation and we are urging a person like this or their family members to call us anytime at 800-714-0303 for direct access to these remarkable lawyers. The last thing we want to see happen to a Navy Veteran or shipyard worker with mesothelioma is for them to get shortchanged on financial compensation because they hired a local car accident attorney.

"The lawyers at the law firm of Karst von Oiste are responsible for over a billion dollars in financial compensation for Navy Veterans, shipyard workers or people with mesothelioma or asbestos exposure lung cancer nationwide and they work overtime for their clients. For direct access to attorney Erik Karst the founding partner of the law firm of Karst von Oiste please call us anytime at 800-714-0303."www.karstvonoiste.com/

The US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate is now offering a free service they call the list. The list establishes where, when and how a Navy Veteran or shipyard worker could have been exposed to asbestos. This vital information becomes the basis for a mesothelioma compensation claim as the Advocate would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303. The reason mesothelioma compensation claims for Navy Veterans and or shipyard workers frequently exceeds a million dollars is because both Navy Veterans and shipyard workers with this rare cancer probably had extreme exposure to asbestos. Frequently shipyard workers and Navy Veterans worked side by side repairing a navy ship or submarine. https://USNavyMesothelioma.Com

US Navy Shipyards where asbestos use was widespread in the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's and in some instances for a portion of 1980's include:

For a list of current and past US Navy Shipyards please refer to the ShipbuildingHistory.comwebsite on this topic:http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/public.htm

For a Department of Labor website regarding shipyard workers please review their website on this topic:https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/shipyard/standard/index se.html.

For a listing of all types of current and past US Navy warships please review the US Navy website on this topic:https://www.navy.mil/navydata/our_ships.asp.

The states with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

However, based on the calls the US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma advocate receives a US Navy Veteran diagnosed with mesothelioma could live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas, New Hampshire, Vermont, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska. http://www.karstvonoiste.com/

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer:https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma.

Contact:Michael Thomas800-714-0303229498@email4pr.com

SOURCE US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate

U.S. Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate

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US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate Now Offers Direct Access to Attorney Erik Karst of Karst von Oiste to Make Certain a Navy Veteran or Shipyard...

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "We are by far the best branded source in the nation for power plant or energy workers with mesothelioma and our number one goal is making certain a person like this receives the very best possible financial compensation results as we would be happy to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303.

"To make certain the best possible mesothelioma financial compensation results happen for a power plant or energy worker with mesothelioma we have endorsed the remarkable lawyers at the law firm of Karst von Oiste. Erik Karst and his colleagues at the law firm of Karst von Oiste are responsible for over a billion dollars in financial compensation results for their clients. If a power plant or any type of energy worker with mesothelioma and or their family members would call us at 800-714-0303, we typically can have them talking to mesothelioma attorney Erik Karst within 30 minutes. Trust us-if you have mesothelioma talking directly with attorney Erik Karst will be much more informative that a 'free' book, overnight package or kit related to mesothelioma." http://www.karstvonoiste.com/

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center also offers a power plant or energy worker with mesothelioma a vital free service they call the list. The 'list' documents how, where and when a power plant or energy worker with mesothelioma was exposed to asbestos. As they would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303-"If the person has advanced mesothelioma we will hop on an airplane and visit the person anywhere nation in their home so the discussion about how, where and when they were exposed to asbestos. We will also do everything possible to make certain a lawyer from the law firm of Karst von Oiste is there to answer any questions." https://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

Types of Power or Energy Workers the Mesothelioma Compensation Center specializes in assisting include:

* Coal fired power plant worker * Oil refinery worker * Nuclear power plant worker * Oil field production worker * Hydro-electric worker * Public utility worker * Offshore oil rig worker * US Navy Veterans who served on a navy nuclear submarine or a conventional or nuclear-powered navy ship.

For information about the location of conventional or nuclear power plants in the United States please refer the US Energy Information Administration's website on this topic: https://www.eia.gov/ maps/.

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center specializes in assisting US Navy Veterans, power plant workers, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, public utility workers, hydro-electric workers, chemical plant workers, nuclear power plant workers, manufacturing workers, oil and gas field production workers, plumbers, electricians, millwrights, pipefitters and welders who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. In most instances these people were exposed to asbestos during the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's.www.karstvonoiste.com/

According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon. However, a power plant, utility or energy worker with mesothelioma could live in any state including California, New York, Florida, Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, or Alaska. http://www.karstvonoiste.com/

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer:https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma.

Media contact:Michael Thomas229496@email4pr.com800-714-0303

SOURCE Mesothelioma Compensation Center

Mesothelioma Compensation Center

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Mesothelioma Compensation Center Has Endorsed Attorney Erik Karst of Karst von Oiste to Ensure a Power Plant or Energy Worker with Mesothelioma...

Johnson & Johnson just chalked up another win against allegations that its talcum powder causes cancer.

A jury in Los Angeles sided with the company in the case of Amy Fong, who allegedJ&Js talc contained asbestos and caused her to develop mesothelioma, Courtroom View Networkreports. The company still faces almost 17,000 cases over talc safety.

A J&J spokeswoman said the company sympathizes with "anyone suffering from cancer, and we understand patients and their families are seeking answers." But the "facts are clearJohnsons Baby Powder is safe, does not contain asbestos nor does it cause cancer, as reflected in more than 40 years of scientific evidence," she said. Monday's result is the third straight talc verdict in favor of J&J.

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The decision marks another win for J&J as it faces around 16,800 lawsuits alleging harm from talc. In the face of the litigation, thedrugmakerhas alwaysmaintained its products aresafe.

But earlier this year, the companyrecalled one lot of the powder out of an "abundance of caution" after the FDA detected sub-trace levels of asbestos in one bottle.J&J then tested the bottle and others and found the batch to contain no asbestos. For its part, theFDA stood by theresult.

RELATED:J&J says tests find no asbestos in suspect talc batch, but FDA stands by its finding

Throughout the litigation, even as J&J has scored numerous trial wins, various juries have also ordered thedrugmakerto pay billions of dollars in verdicts. J&J has said itll appeal its losses and has successfully overturned numerous prior verdicts. J&J's spokeswoman said that every verdict that's been through the appeals process has been overturned.

In the Fong case,J&J lawyers raised concerns of prejudicial irregularitiesthroughout the trial. They said plaintiffs lawyers resisted answering questionsabout testimony from an expert witness on asbestos testing in talcand more.

RELATED:Attorney misconduct allegations crop up in Johnson & Johnson, Gilead cases

Aside from talc, the company also faces litigation over opioids, its antipsychotic medicine Risperdal, plus other drugs and devices; it's offered to pay $4 billion to settle its opioid litigation. To defend against those issues and others, J&J spent around $900 million on legal costs in the first half of the year, Axiosreportedin October.

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Johnson & Johnson scores another talc win with California mesothelioma verdict - FiercePharma

As Christmas Day 2019 fast approaches, I find myself caught up in the shopping frenzy that comes with this time of year.

The stores are crowded, and the shopping lines are long, but no one shows any sign of impatience.

Rather, there is a feeling of camaraderie and an almost palpable sense of joyfulness that picks me up and carries me along with it.

I am so grateful for this. There was a time when I believed I would never feel joy again especially at Christmas time.

This was my husband Brians favorite time of the year. Unlike my father who left all the gift shopping and meal preparation to my mother, Brian loved being involved in everything to do with Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, after putting the children to bed, he and I would sit together and wrap what seemed like a mountain of presents. It was often very late by the time the last one made its way under the tree, but our lack of sleep was overshadowed by the pleasure we got from seeing the joy on our childrens faces the next morning.

When our kids had grown and left home, Brians love for Christmas remained. He always came with me when it was time to shop for gifts and would spend a lot of time choosing a unique present for each of our children and grandchildren.

Somehow, he just seemed to know exactly what everyone wanted.

Brian also loved to cook. He gradually took over the task of shopping for and preparing the Christmas feast. Though I also enjoyed cooking, I was more than happy to relinquish the task. He had much more imagination and attention to detail than I did.

For someone who absolutely loved this time of year, it was ironic that Brian should be diagnosed with mesothelioma six days short of Christmas Day.

The tragic news dropped a bomb on our Christmas plans and blew our dreams for the future apart. Brians prognosis was three to nine months.

Living in expectation of his death was torture, especially after three months had passed. Not knowing what to expect, I feared he could die at any time and dreaded the beginning of each new month because it brought us ever closer to the time he was expected to pass.

Despite his prognosis, Brian was still very much alive one year after his diagnosis. He was once again looking forward to Christmas.

The feast he prepared for us that year was as magnificent, but he could only eat a small part of it. Mesothelioma had already robbed him of the pleasure of eating.

Over the following year Brians health deteriorated rapidly, but he was still with us when the festive season came around and he was determined as ever to be a part of it.

Now in a wheelchair and needing oxygen to breath, he easily became tired but insisted on accompanying me to the shops to buy gifts and the food needed on the big day.

Over the next few days, Brians health declined rapidly. Fearing that his wish to be with us for Christmas would not be granted, the children and I moved his bed into the living room where he could gaze upon the Christmas tree and the presents beneath it.

Later that day, we moved the presents to the end of his bed and took turns opening them just as we had always done. I will forever cherish that moment.

Brian passed away on Dec. 24. In my mind, I like to believe he really did get to spend Christmas Day with us just as he had wanted only it had come a little early that year.

Grieving for Brian over the following months, I found it hard to look forward to anything, let alone another Christmas. When it came around, I found myself missing Brian more than ever.

Though I went through the motions of putting up the tree and turning on the festive lights, the darkness in my soul remained. I did not want to celebrate a time that had brought such pain and sorrow.

On the first anniversary of Brians death, I thought back over the last days we spent together and once again marveled at his love for Christmas.

Despite his illness, his passion for the holiday never wavered. Even when near death, he still managed to find the strength needed to take part in our gift-giving ceremony.

The look of joy on his face when we opened the special gifts is something I will always treasure.

Looking back on all of the cherished moments we shared lifted the darkness from my soul and filled me with peace.

In a strange way, it felt as if Brian had sent me a message, telling me to enjoy Christmas in his memory.

This is exactly what I have done from that point forward.

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Rediscovering the Joy of Christmas as a Mesothelioma Widow - Asbestos.com

December 16, 2019

Mesothelioma patients rely on their physicians to guide their decisions about the best treatment option for their disease, and physicians use a variety of tools in making the best possible determination for each individual patient. Among the specific elements that physicians look at are the biomarkers found in the patients blood and tumor, as these can be indicators of a patients long-term prognosis. A recent study led by researchers from the Aichi Medical University School of Medicine in Aichi Japan has revealed that when a specific protein called CD70 is expressed to an unusually high degree, it has a direct association with a poor prognosis.

In an effort to include as many different variations of mesothelioma tumor cells as possible, the researchers studied 172 well-characterized mesothelioma tumors, including 145 epithelioid tumors, 15 biphasic tumors and 12 sarcomatoid tumors. They identified the levels of several different proteins known to be associated with anti-tumor immune responses, and found that in patients with high levels of the CD70-CD27 pathway, there was a significant difference in how the patients responded to mesothelioma treatment, as well as in overall survival.

The researchers noted that high levels of CD70 are not just found in aggressive malignant mesothelioma tumors. The same aberrant expression is found in cases of renal cell carcinoma and glioblastoma, which are equally aggressive terminal cancers. The proteins presence is associated with accelerated tumor cell proliferation and poor clinical outcomes. This, however, is the first time that its effect on mesothelioma tumors has been studied.

The remarkable impact that the overexpression of CD70 has on the aggressiveness of mesothelioma tumors was seen in the 63 patients who were followed for 120 months in this study. Where the median survival of patients who did not have an overexpression of CD 70 was 18 months, those who did have an overexpression of CD70 survived an average of just 6.5 months. The researchers concluded that the presence of CD70 enhances the malignant potential and poor prognosis of mesothelioma through both enhanced invasiveness and immune evasion.

Having the best treatment available for your particular mesothelioma requires working with physicians who have the most up-to-date research at their fingertips. To be connected to those medical professionals, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at1-800-692-8608

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New Study Reveals Worse Mesothelioma Prognosis With Higher Expression of CD70 Protein - Mesothelioma.net Blog

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --As theMesothelioma Victims Center would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303 they have endorsed the law firm of Karst von Oiste and their founding partner Erik Karst to assist a former steel mill worker who now has mesothelioma because these hard working lawyers have so much experience assisting people like this nationwide. The lawyers at the law firm of Karst von Oiste are responsible for over a billion dollars in compensation results for people with mesothelioma and asbestos exposure lung cancer and they work overtime for their clients-including steel mill workers.

The lawyers at the law firm of Karst von Oiste also make house calls anywhere in the nation to discuss compensation with a person a person with mesothelioma-face to face. For direct access to Erik Karst the founding partner of Karst von Oiste please call 800-714-0303. http://www.karstvonoiste.com/

TheMesothelioma Victims Centersays, "If we had just one vital tip for a steel mill worker who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or their family it would be please call us anytime at 800-714-0303 to ensure you talking directly attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste. "Unlike a 'free' generic book, kit or overnight package about mesothelioma Erik Karst can answer specific questions and explain the compensation process."

"We are advocates for people with mesothelioma and we want them to receive the best possible financial compensation results-and our services are free." https://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

TheMesothelioma Victims Centeris extremely focused on former steel mill workers with mesothelioma who worked at steel mills in the following states:

The types of steel mill workers who could have had the most exposure to asbestos include the skilled trades groups such as, a helper, second helper a first helper, a blast furnace operator, machinists, millwrights, pipefitters, boiler makers, welders, supervisors, plumbers, and electricians who worked at these mills and/or non-skilled laborers.https://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

For information about steel mill locations throughout the United States please refer to the following map: https://www.google.com/mymaps/viewer?mid=1l83KG05Yxac2ZL9CaqwJO1oahUk&hl=en_USMesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. High risk work groups for exposure to asbestos include Veterans of the US Navy, power plant workers, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, steel mill workers, miners, pulp or paper mill workers, printers, factory workers, railroad workers, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, machinists, welders, pipefitters, insulators, firemen and construction workers. In most instances a person who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma was exposed to asbestos in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s. https://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma is about 70 years old. This year between 2,500 and 3,000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma in the United States. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. http://www.karstvonoiste.com/

The states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

However, based on the calls the Mesothelioma Victims Center receives a former steel mill worker with mesothelioma could live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska. http://www.karstvonoiste.com/

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer:https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma.

Contact:Michael Thomas800-714-0303 229495@email4pr.com

SOURCE Mesothelioma Victims Center

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Mesothelioma Victims Center Has Endorsed Erik Karst of the Law Firm Karst von Oiste to Assist a Steel Mill Worker with Mesothelioma Nationwide - Get a...

5 Occupations Most Affected by Mesothelioma

Here are five occupations largely affected by mesothelioma--a disease that develops 20 to 40 years after exposure to a toxic substance known as asbestos.

Mesothelioma is a disease that develops 20 to 40 years after exposure to a toxic substance known as asbestos. This mineral was a readily available material and used by many companies up until the 1980s.

However, many industries continued using this substance for much of the 20th century despite knowledge of the dangers it posed to their employees. Unfortunately, most workers were unaware of the effects asbestos exposure would have on their bodies decades later.

Today, despite regulations, commercial use of asbestos is not banned in the United States. Additionally, there are many instances of legacy asbestos, where workers today interact with buildings and other structures that were built with untenable asbestos.

Here are five occupations largely affected by mesothelioma.

Workers interacted with asbestos on a daily basis as it was used for insulation, specifically for railroad equipment and locomotive parts. Boilers, engines, pipes and electrical panels were covered with this toxic substance. This use left repairmen, train operators, conductors or yardmasters in danger of inhaling asbestos fibers for prolonged periods of time.

After the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) limited the use of asbestos-made products, some railroad companies continued to use asbestos and hid the dangers from their employees. Many companies have filed for bankruptcy and had to establish trust funds to pay for their negligence. Workers diagnosed with mesothelioma today can file a mesothelioma claim and receive compensation from a variety of asbestos trust funds.

2. ShipbuildersLarge commercial and naval vessels were built with asbestos because of its fire-retardant and insulating properties. The United States Navy, specifically, used this substance to build many of their ships until the latter half of the 20th century. Asbestos was mostly used to increase durability in materials like gaskets, insulation and some filters. Shipbuilders also used asbestos to insulate the pipes in these vessels. Boats built for recreational use also may have included this toxic substance. Asbestos was used in electrical wire insulation, caulking and sealants. Shipbuilders were at risk for inhaling these fibers when the substance loosened, or broke apart, and became airborne.

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5 Occupations Most Affected by Mesothelioma - Occupational Health and Safety

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --The US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate greatly fears that a Navy Veteran with recently diagnosed with mesothelioma or their family will get hijacked by law firms offering 'free' books, kits, packages, calculators or a local car accident attorney rather than getting direct help from some of the nation's most skilled and experienced mesothelioma lawyers.

To help a Navy Veteran with mesothelioma nationwide receive the very best possible financial compensation the Advocate has endorsed the law firm of Karst von Oiste and their founding partner Erik Karst for a Navy Veteran dealing with this rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure as they would be happy to explain anytime at 800-714-0303.

The lawyers at the law firm of Karst von Oiste are responsible for over a billion dollars in financial compensation for Navy Veterans or people with mesothelioma and asbestos exposure lung cancer and they make house calls. In other words, these remarkable lawyers will travel to meet a Navy Veteran with mesothelioma in their home for a face to face conversation about financial compensation as well as try to determine the potential value of the Navy Veteran's compensation claim. For direct access to attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste please call 800-714-0303 anytime.www.karstvonoiste.com/

The US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate says, "We want a Navy Veteran with recently confirmed mesothelioma to receive a five-star service. Our services are free, and they are dedicated to being extremely helpful to a Navy Veteran with mesothelioma. In addition to making certain a Navy Veteran in any state is talking directly with attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste for a dedicated focus on achieving the best possible compensation results, we will also work with the Navy Veteran or their family on VA disability payments, treatment options and everything else possible as we would be happy to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303.

In addition, we offer a Navy Veteran or their family members a free service we call the list. The 'list' is designed to document how, where and when a Navy Veteran could have been exposed to asbestos prior to the navy, during the navy and after the navy. It is this incredibly vital information that becomes the basis for a mesothelioma compensation claim for a Navy Veteran as we would like to explain anytime at 800-714-0303." https://USNavyMesothelioma.Com

For specific information about US Navy warships and submarines please review their website on this topic:https://www.navy.mil/navydata/our_ships.asp.

For a listing of all VA Medical Centers in each state please review the VA's website:https://www.va.gov/directory/guide/allstate.asp.

The states with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

However, based on the calls the US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate receives a US Navy Veteran diagnosed with mesothelioma could live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas, New Hampshire, Vermont, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska. http://www.karstvonoiste.com/

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer:https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma

Contact:Michael Thomas800-714-0303229064@email4pr.com

SOURCE US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate

https://USNavyMesothelioma.Com

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US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate Now Offers Direct Access to Attorney Erik Karst of Karst von Oiste for a Navy Veteran with Mesothelioma to...

NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "We are urging any type of electrician or electrical worker in any state who has just been diagnosed with mesothelioma or their family members to call us anytime at 800-714-0303 for our unsurpassed free services. Rather than offering a 'free' kit, package, book or calculator about mesothelioma we offer direct access to attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste, we offer medical treatment options specifically researched for the person with mesothelioma, and we offer a service we call the 'list' which documents how, where and when an electrician with mesothelioma was exposed to asbestos. It is this information that becomes the foundation for a mesothelioma compensation claim.

"Our bottom line is we want an electrician or electrical worker with mesothelioma and or their family to receive the best possible compensation results as well as the best resources and our services are free as we would be happy to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303." https://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

The reason the Mesothelioma Compensation Center has endorsed the law firm of Karst von Oiste and their founding partner Erik Karst is because these remarkable lawyers are responsible for over a billion dollars in financial compensation results for their clients and all they do is mesothelioma and asbestos exposure illness compensation work nationwide for their clients. Additionally, if a person with mesothelioma calls the law firm of Karst von Oiste they send out an attorney to have to face to face meeting with the person with mesothelioma so that they can understand exactly how the person with mesothelioma was exposed to asbestos.

For direct access to attorney Erik Karst and his amazing colleagues at the law firm of Karst von Oiste please call 800-714-0303 anytime.www.karstvonoiste.com/

The types of electricians or electrical workers with mesothelioma the Mesothelioma Compensation Center is trying to assist were exposed to asbestos at the following types of workplaces:

For a state by state list of requirements for electricians please review the following website: https://www.electricianschooledu.org/state-by-state-licensing-guide/.

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center specializes in assisting specific types of people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. These people include the US Navy Veterans, oil refinery workers,power plant workers, nuclear power plant workers, public utility workers, hydro-electric workers, chemical plant workers,plumbers, electricians, welders, or oil and gas production workers. In most instances these people were exposed to asbestos in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s.https://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.com

The states with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

However, an electrical worker or electrician with a confirmed mesothelioma could live in any state includingCalifornia,New York,Florida,Texas,Illinois,Ohio,Iowa,Indiana,Tennessee,North Carolina,Mississippi,Georgia,Nebraska,South Dakota,North Dakota,Wyoming,Colorado,New Mexico,Nevada,Utah,Arizona,Idaho, or Alaska.www.karstvonoiste.com/

For more information about mesothelioma, please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer:https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma

Media Contact:Michael Thomas800-714-0303229062@email4pr.com

SOURCE Mesothelioma Compensation Center

https://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

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Mesothelioma Compensation Center Now Urges an Industrial Electrician with Mesothelioma to Call Them for Direct Access to Attorney Erik Karst of Karst...

Cytoreduction with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a challenging procedure, one which usually takes hours to complete.

The treatment is the best method for many peritoneal mesothelioma patients to prolong their lives and rid their bodies of mesothelioma.

Cytoreduction with HIPEC is also linked to an improved quality of life, including decreased depression.

Wake Forest University and Wake Forest Baptist Cancer Center researchers found this result in the 46 people analyzed in a recent study. The patients all underwent cytoreduction with HIPEC and had a median survival of 40 months (3.4 years).

More than half of the patients survived for at least three years after the operation, and around 30% lived for at least five years. The one-year survival in the study was 77.4%.

This treatment is often associated with lengthy survival times. However, the operation can be intimidating at first glance.

Peritoneal mesothelioma forms in the peritoneum, which is a thin membrane covering the abdominal cavity. The cancer is comprised of microscopic tumors that can spread into the cavity, affecting nearby organs such as the intestines, liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas and kidneys.

Cytoreduction with HIPEC aims to remove these tumors and protect the organs in the abdominal cavity. The cytoreduction phase involves removing the peritoneum along with these tumors. Doing so reduces as much bulk as possible, which precedes the HIPEC portion of the treatment.

HIPEC is a heated chemotherapy bath in the abdominal cavity. This liquid chemotherapy attacks the remaining cancer cells not removed during cytoreduction. The entire operation can take several hours, and recovery (combining in the hospital and at home) could take up to two months. The lengthy rehabilitation is due to the abdominal cavity being comprised so many organs.

Despite this lengthy recovery time, there is evidence showing the long-term benefits.

Many mesothelioma-involved studies focus on survival times, but studying the mental health of mesothelioma patients is also essential.

Researchers used the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) to help determine the patients quality of life following surgery. CES-D is a screening test for depression and depressive disorder. It measures symptoms defined by the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.

Researchers reported that the patients CES-D score worsened in the three months following surgery but then improved at the 24-month mark. They also found that:

Quality of life returned to baseline or improved from baseline between three months and one year following surgery, the researchers wrote in their report. Despite the risks associated with this operation, patients may tolerate HIPEC well and have good overall quality of life postoperatively.

Before choosing a mesothelioma treatment for your diagnosis, understand what each entails. Knowing the benefits and risks of each will help you make an informed decision on how to attack this disease.

You should also prioritize finding a mesothelioma specialist who can guide you to the appropriate treatment. You may be a candidate for cytoreduction with HIPEC, or you may be better suited for a clinical trial or other forms of care. Our patient advocate, Jenna Campagna, can help you connect with an experienced mesothelioma doctor. Email her at jenna@mesotheliomaguide.com to discuss further your options as a patient.

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More Than Survival: Cytoreduction With HIPEC Has Psychological Benefits - Mesothelioma Guide

Fourteen years! I still cant really believe that Ive made it this long.

When I was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma, they told me I would be lucky to make it 15 months, let alone 5 years. And here I am, about to mark the 14th anniversary of my mesothelioma diagnosis.

November is still a tough month for me. It is like the cells in my body remember what was happening all those years ago. Every November, I feel a little out of sorts, a little tender and a little wary.

This year, I am trying something different, something to reclaim the month for me, not the cancer. Ive decided to really embrace what November is about: Thanksgiving. Im not talking a turkey dinner here. Im talking real thanks for all Ive been given, and I have much to be thankful for.

Here is the short list:

This is just a short list of a much longer gratitude journal Ive been keeping since the start of November.

I was never supposed to make it this long. And the fact that Im still here is something Im continually thankful for.

Sometimes ok, more often than not I get caught up in the day-to-day stuff that is just life. I woke up late, my daughter is sick, the refrigerator breaks down right before Thanksgiving and isnt repairable so we need to buy a new oneyou get the idea.

But then I stop and remember, Im here to witness and be a part of this life in all its messy glory. Through the good AND the bad, that is what Im grateful for. It is a daily conscious decision to think that way. It is what helps me through the hard times. Im even thankful for those.

As I look forward to 14 years of not only surviving cancer, but thriving, I am setting some goals to achieve in 2020. I am starting my own Cancer Coaching practice. I want to teach others to live despite dire circumstances.

I am going to publish my autobiography because I believe that my story of hope is a universal one that people want to hear. I want to write more, partner with movers and shakers more, and I want to make more people aware of this cancer and give more people hope. I want Lung Leavin Day to raise even more money for research and I cant wait to see what else my 14 years of thriving brings.

I am so very blessed to not only be here, but to be able to do what I love and help others. That is something that will just grow more in the coming years.

Most of all, Im so grateful for all the support from the mesothelioma and cancer community that has been behind me since I started this. Together we are better, and because of that, 14 years strong is going to be just fabulous!

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Heather Von St. James Celebrates 14 Years of Survivorship - Mesothelioma.com

NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --The Mesothelioma Victims Center is appealing to the family of a school or hospital maintenance man with recently diagnosed mesothelioma to not shortchange themselves on their financial compensation-because they hired a local car accident attorney to assist with compensation. Frequently school or hospital maintenance workers with mesothelioma took care of boilers, plumbing pipes and pumps, they did electrical work, and they were constantly being exposed to asbestos. As the group would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303 the financial compensation for people like this could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.

To get the financial compensation job done for a school or hospital maintenance man the Mesothelioma Victims Center has endorsed the law firm of Karst von Oiste and their founding partner Erik Karst. These remarkable lawyers are responsible for over a billion dollars in mesothelioma and asbestos illness financial compensation and these amazing attorneys work overtime for their clients nationwide. For direct access to attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste please call 800-714-0303 anytime. http://www.karstvonoiste.com/

The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "The remarkable mesothelioma lawyers we suggest at the law firm of Karst von Oiste know their plumbing products, insulation, boilers, pipes and or plumbing pumps and these are the types of products that exposed a school or hospital maintenance man to asbestos. It is this type of wisdom that will help these very skilled mesothelioma lawyers obtain the very best possible financial compensation settlement for a maintenance man who has this rare asbestos exposure cancer as we would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303."

The Mesothelioma Victims Center is pointing to the following types of facilities where a maintenance man or custodian could have been exposed to asbestos include:

The EPA now has a website that discusses schools and asbestos exposure. Nothing like this existed prior to 1980:https://www.epa.gov/asbestos/monitoring-asbestos-containing-material-acm

Today boiler technicians must be licensed. In the 1950's or 1960's this may not have been the case in every US state. For more information about a boiler certification today please review the following website:http://www.boilerlicense.com/.

High-risk work groups for exposure to asbestos include Veterans of the US Navy, power plant workers, shipyard workers, steel mill workers, oil refinery workers, factory workers, plumbers, electricians, welders, pipefitters, millwrights, pipefitters, miners, auto mechanics, machinists, pulp or paper mill workers, printers, firemen, rail road workers and construction workers. In most instances people with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's.www.karstvonoiste.com/

According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

However, based on the calls the Mesothelioma Victims Center receives a maintenance man or a boiler technician diagnosed victim of mesothelioma could live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska.https://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer:https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma.

Media Contact: Michael Thomas800-714-0303 229061@email4pr.com

SOURCE Mesothelioma Victims Center

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Mesothelioma Victims Center Now Appeals to the Family of a School or Hospital Maintenance Man with Mesothelioma to Call Them for Direct Access to...

October 28, 2019

Before being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, Peter Komiak worked as a carpenter and a flooring installer, as well as a home renovation professional. The New York mans career started in 1960, when he worked part-time for a carpeting retailer in Hempstead, Long Island while still in high school. Over the next thirty years he worked with numerous versions of Goodyears vinyl asbestos floor tiles, breathing in dust as he swept floors, empties the trash, and cut carpet and padding. When he was diagnosed with the asbestos-related disease in September of 2017 he filed a mesothelioma lawsuit but died a year and a day after his diagnosis. Despite his loss, his claim is continuing, and New York Asbestos Court judge Manuel J. Mendez recently ruled that despite its objections Goodyear must face a jury in the case.

Mr. Komiak gave a detailed deposition before his mesothelioma death, and the lawsuit provided supporting evidence showing that the companys tile was contaminated with asbestos, yet despite this Goodyear filed a motion for summary judgment claiming that its product did not contain asbestos. Their motion was based on an affidavit provided by a corporate representative, Mr. Joseph A. Kemmerling.

Mr. Kemmerling worked for Goodyear from 1968 through 1979, and testified that Mr. Komiak could not have gotten mesothelioma from their product because for the period of his employment the companys tiles did not contain any asbestos. He also claimed that prior to his employment the company did not sell vinyl asbestos tile.

In response to Mr. Kemmerlings claims, the mesothelioma victims legal team pointed to testimony provided by a Goodyear floor tile development engineer that had been provided in a different lawsuit. That man had testified that the companys tile contained asbestos between 1954 and 1975, and that special orders after that date also contained asbestos.Other similar testimony from Goodyear employees contradicting Mr. Kemmerling was also brought into evidence.

In reviewing this and other testimony, Judge Manuel J. Mendez denied Goodyears motion, pointing out that there was substantial evidence to be considered by a jury. Mr. Komiaks family will be able to continue seeking justice on his behalf.

There were so many commonly-used products contaminated with asbestos in the twentieth century that it is remarkable that more people havent been sickened with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with this rare and fatal disease, we can help you get the resources you need to move forward. Contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at1-800-692-8608.

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Goodyear Must Face Jury In Face of Carpenter's Mesothelioma Death - Mesothelioma.net Blog

NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "When it comes to the best possible financial compensation for a coal, gas, or nuclear power plant worker who has been recently diagnosed with mesothelioma in any state it is vital the person, or their family, are dealing directly with some of the nation's most skilled and experienced mesothelioma attorneys. It is for this reason we have endorsed the law firm of Karst von Oiste and their managing partner Erik Karst as we would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303.

"We are advocates for power plant workers with mesothelioma and we want people like themtoget the best possible financial compensation results from coast to coast and all states in between. Power plant workers with mesothelioma are at or near the top of the list when it comes to potential financial compensation. As we would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303 we offer direct access to attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste because he and his colleagues have generated over a billion dollars in mesothelioma or asbestos compensation results for their clients over the years-and these amazing lawyers know what they are doing."www.karstvonoiste.com/

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center also wants to emphasize attorney Erik Karst or his colleagues at Karst von Oiste will travel anywhere in the nation to meet any type of power plant worker with mesothelioma in their home-for a free no obligation house call. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer and the group fears many power plant workers with this rare cancer will wait too long to begin the financial compensation process.

The group also worries a power plant worker with mesothelioma, or their family will waste valuable time on 'free' books, kits, packages, claims centers and other nonsense as they would be happy to discuss at 800-714-0303. "Once you hire a law firm to assist with mesothelioma compensation you are stuck with them."https://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

For a listing of all power plants in the United States please refer to the US Energy Information Agency's website on this topic:https://www.eia.gov/ maps/

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center specializes in assisting specific types of people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. These people include the US Navy Veterans, oil refinery workers, power plant workers, nuclear power plant workers, public utility workers, hydro-electric workers, chemical plant workers, plumbers, electricians, pipefitters, millwrights, welders, or oil and gas field workers. In most instances, these people were exposed to asbestos in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s.https://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.com

According to the CDC, the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma includeMaine,Massachusetts,Connecticut,Maryland,New Jersey,Pennsylvania,Ohio,West Virginia,Virginia,Michigan,Illinois,Minnesota,Louisiana,Washington, andOregon. However, a coal, gas or nuclear power plant worker with mesothelioma could live in any state includingCalifornia,New York,Florida,Texas,Illinois,Ohio,Iowa,Indiana,Tennessee,North Carolina,Georgia,Nebraska,North Dakota,Wyoming,Colorado,New Mexico,Nevada,Utah,Arizona,Idaho, orAlaska.www.karstvonoiste.com/

For more information about mesothelioma, please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer:https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma.

Media Contact:Michael Thomas800-714-0303223495@email4pr.com

SOURCE Mesothelioma Compensation Center

Mesothelioma Compensation Center

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Mesothelioma Compensation Center Has Endorsed Erik Karst of the Law Firm of Karst von Oiste for a Coal-Gas or Nuclear Power Plant Worker with...

BARCELONA Despite showing promise in phase 2 trials, new results from a randomized phase 3 trial are disappointing in a tumor type that remains a major killer.

In patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) who had progressed after first-line chemotherapy, immunotherapy with pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) appears to offer no survival advantages over standard chemotherapy.

The results come from the PROMISE-meso study, presented here at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) annual meeting.

Despite "nearly four times more patients" responding to immunotherapy than standard chemotherapy, "unfortunately these responses did not delay progression or improve survival," noted study investigator Sanjay Popat, MD, PhD, thoracic medical oncologist, Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, England.

However, while pembrolizumab "was not superior to chemotherapy, survival was similar, and so pembrolizumab may represent an alternative."

He highlighted that, as in other immunotherapy trials in other cancer types, some of the mesothelioma patients had long responses, which suggests that some patients could "preferentially receive this treatment over chemotherapy."

Popat also suggested that, learning a lesson from lung cancer trials, combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy could have a beneficial effect.

"I would advise clinicians to enroll their patients into one of the large ongoing trials of first-line combination treatment so we can get answers as soon as possible about how to improve mesothelioma treatment," he said.

Commenting for ESMO, Federica Grosso, MD, from the Mesothelioma and Rare Cancers Unit at the Azienda Ospedaliera Nazionale SS Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo in Alessandria, Italy, said: "Although we did not see better survival with immunotherapy . . . the responses are encouraging."

Grosso explained that treatment of mesothelioma is limited, with the only approved regimen being the combination of pemetrexed and platinum derivatives. Patients generally die within 2 years of diagnosis.

There is currently no standard effective second line therapy for patients with mesothelioma. Those who respond well to pemetrexed- and platinum-based chemotherapy may be given a repeat course, while others are usually offered drugs such as gemcitabine/vinorelbine with response rates of approximately 10%.

Study discussant Nicolas Girard, MD, PhD, Curie-Montsouris Thorax Institute, Institut Curie, Paris, France, said that, overall, the results were "disappointing" despite being in line with findings seen with immunotherapy in phase 2 trials.

Putting the study in context, Girard said that MPM is a rare thoracic malignancy "that is aggressive and difficult to treat."

He noted that the majority of patients are diagnosed with advanced disease, with a median overall survival ranging from 12 to 20 months, and that patients with a nonepithelioid histologic subtype of tumor have a worse outcome.

"Given the aggressiveness of the disease and the absence of standard of care after the failure of platinum-based chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors represent a new avenue," Girard continued.

He noted that several phase 2, noncomparative trials with immunotherapy using pembrolizumab, nivolumab (Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb), or avelumab (Bavencio, Merck and Pfizer) have reported response rates of between 20% and 30%, and disease control rates of 50% to 60%.

Median progression-free survival (PFS) in these trials has ranged from 3 to 5 months, giving overall survival rates in the second- to third-line setting of between 7 to 18 months.

For comparison, the new results from the PROMISE-meso trial show a median PFS of 2.5 months with pembrolizumab and just under 3.5 months with chemotherapy. Overall survival was a median of 10.7 months with pembrolizumab and 11.7 months for chemotherapy (P = .85).

Girard noted that the majority of guidelines do not currently recommend the checkpoint inhibitors in second-line or relapsed settings.

However, the latest National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines do suggest pembrolizumab monotherapy or nivolumab with or without ipilimumab (Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb) as among the potential treatment options following first-line chemotherapy.

The PROMISE-meso study recruited a total of 144 patients with MSM between September 2017 and August 2018 in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Spain. Accrual was faster than expected, which Girard noted speaks to the high unmet clinical need for this disease.

The median age of the patients was between 69 and 71 years, and between 79.4% and 84.5% were male.

The vast majority of patients (87.3% - 90.4%) had epithelioid tumors, and between 61.7% and 76.1% had a good European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) prognostic score.

At 6 months, 25.0% of pembrolizumab patients and 27.4% of those in the chemotherapy arm were progression-free, and 68.5% and 72.9%, respectively, were still alive.

Subgroup analysis did not reveal any patients who benefited significantly from one treatment over another, although those with nonepithelioid tumors appeared to fare better with chemotherapy than immunotherapy.

The overall response rate was higher among patients given pembrolizumab than in those treated with chemotherapy, at 22% vs 6% (P = .004), which appeared to be driven by a larger number of patients experiencing a partial response, at 21.9% vs 5.6%.

Surprisingly, the median duration of response with immunotherapy was far shorter for pembrolizumab, at 4.6 months vs 11.2 months for chemotherapy, although this difference was not significant and Popat pointed out that this was due to one chemotherapy patient being an outlier in terms of response duration.

Using predefined cutoffs of 0%, 1%, and 50%, the team were not able to identify a subgroup of patients in terms of their PD-L1 expression who performed better with pembrolizumab or chemotherapy.

This was underlined by a time-to-treatment failure analysis, which showed no significant difference between the two treatment groups, regardless of PD-L1 status.

Treatment-related adverse events were similarly frequent in pembrolizumab- and chemotherapy-treated patients, at 69.4% vs 72.9% overall and 19.4% vs 24.3% for grade 3 to 5 events.

Popat noted that nausea, constipation, oral mucositis, and decreased neutrophil count were significantly more common with chemotherapy treatment than with pembrolizumab, while pruritus, dry skin, and maculopapular rash were significantly more frequent with immunotherapy.

Girard said that, overall, the overall response rates and disease control rates seen with pembrolizumab, as well as the PFS and overall survival results are, in fact, comparable to those seen in past in phase 2 studies with immunotherapy.

However, the lack of benefit relative to chemotherapy means that, "obviously, this is disappointing data for immune checkpoint inhibitors in a late-line setting."

He also added: "I'm not sure that we will be able, from these data, to identify a subset of patients for whom pembrolizumab would provide a long-term benefit."

ESMO notes that mesothelioma is a rare but fatal form of thoracic cancer that is diagnosed in more than 30,000 people per year and kills over 25,000. Most cases (> 80%) arise from exposure to asbestos fibers that cause long-term inflammation in the mesothelial cells of the lung, slowly leading to cancerous changes 20 to 50 years later.

The incidence of mesothelioma has fallen in Australia, the United States, and Western Europe where asbestos or strict regulations were introduced in the 1970s and 1980s. Deaths in the United States have gradually decreased compared with Western Europe, where mortality is relatively stable. However, deaths in Eastern Europe appear to be rising, possibly due to later asbestos bans, and rates are also rising in Japan due to historical asbestos imports.

"The worldwide number of deaths is expected to rise as people exposed to asbestos before it was banned continue to be diagnosed many years later," commented ESMO expert Grosso, who is from Italy.

She noted that there are certain "hotspots" for the disease, for example, at Casale Monferrato in Italy "which had the largest asbestos plant in the world until it was closed in 1987. In a population of 35,000, there are approximately 50 cases per year an incidence more than 20 times higher than in the rest of the country."

"Mesothelioma is a huge problem because asbestos powder from the plants pollutes large areas. It isn't just people who worked in the plant who are being diagnosed, it is their families and unrelated people, some of whom are only 40 to 50 years old much younger than we would expect to see with mesothelioma," she pointed out.

"A similar situation of environmental exposure was recently reported in Sibat [Colombia] where a plant was closed only a few years ago and many cases of mesothelioma are being diagnosed," she added.

"Unfortunately, we can expect to see an increase in mesothelioma in countries where asbestos is still used for many years to come," she added.

The study was funded by MSD, manufacturer of pembrolizumab. Popat reports relationships with Boehringer Ingelheim, Epizyme, BMS, Clovis Oncology, Roche, Lilly, Takeda, AstraZeneca, Chugai, Novartis, Pfizer, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Guardant Health, and Abbvie. Girard reports relationships with Astra-Zeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Hoffmann La Roche, Lilly, Merck Sharp Dohme, Novartis, Pfizer, Pharmamar, Takeda and Trizell.

ESMO Congress 2019: Abstract LBA91_PR. Presented September 30, 2019.

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Disappointment Over Immunotherapy in Mesothelioma - Medscape