Mesothelioma

Yes, mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer that most often develops in the lining of the chest and lung called the pleura. Pleural mesotheliomas account for roughly 75% of the estimated 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the U.S. every year. Mesothelioma can also develop in the tissue that lines the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) or the lining around the heart (pericardial mesothelioma).

The three main types of mesothelioma by microscopic cellular appearance are epithelioid, sarcomatoid, and biphasic (or mixed epithelioid and sarcomatoid). Epithelioid is the most common type of mesothelioma and has the best prognosis of the three types. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma, the least common type, is typically the most aggressive.

Any exposure to asbestos above background levels puts you at an elevated risk for mesothelioma. The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma: may include chest pain, shortness of breath, pleural effusion, cough, hoarseness, fatigue, and weight loss. A pleural effusion is an abnormal collection of fluid between the pleura and the wall of the chest cavity. This presence of fluid is a very common feature of pleural mesothelioma. The most common symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, nausea, and weight loss.

The main cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Most people who develop mesothelioma have experienced some type of exposure to asbestos during their lifetimes.

Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring minerals made up of microscopic fibers widely mined and used as a heat-resistant additive to insulation and other products in many industries for decades. The six types of asbestos fibers are chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite.

The time between a person’s initial exposure to asbestos and his or her development of mesothelioma, known as the latency period, is exceptionally long and may take from 25 to 40 or more years.

People at greatest risk of developing mesothelioma have had exposure to asbestos during their lifetime. Most cases of mesothelioma occur in people who have worked in occupations or at job sites where they breathed in asbestos at some point in their lives. The greater the frequency, proximity, and duration of asbestos exposure, the greater the risk of developing mesothelioma. Historically, U.S. Navy and other military veterans, shipyard workers, factory workers, construction workers, contractors, drywallers, plasterers, insulators, pipefitters, electricians, roofers, boiler technicians, machinists, brake mechanics, and many other occupations are at an increased risk of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. Other people develop mesothelioma from nonoccupational exposure to asbestos, including, for instance, from renovating and remodeling their homes, from playing or working around old asbestos-covered boilers and furnaces in basements of childhood homes, and from handling and laundering work clothes of asbestos-exposed family members.

Mesothelioma is very difficult to treat and is an incurable disease; however, some people have survived for years after aggressive treatment. Some factors that provide the best prognosis and a chance at remission include diagnosis at an early stage of epithelioid mesothelioma, a younger patient age with good underlying health, and aggressive treatment by experienced mesothelioma doctors. In rare cases, with aggressive surgery and additional treatments, mesothelioma may go into remission for years. However, long-term survival is rare, with fewer than 10% of patients living beyond five years.

The average life expectancy for mesothelioma patients is approximately one to two years. Long-term survival is rare, with fewer than 10% of patients living beyond five years. Life expectancy can vary based on a number of factors, such as the mesothelioma cell type and location, whether the mesothelioma is diagnosed at an early or advanced stage, the age, gender, and overhaul health of the patient, and other factors. There is no cure for mesothelioma and the survival rates are low because most diagnoses are made in the later stages when the cancer has spread and treatment options are limited and mesothelioma is a very aggressive cancer that spreads readily. There are treatment options that can help improve a patient’s prognosis and life expectancy on a case-by-case basis.

If you or a family member have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you have time-sensitive legal rights to pursue a claim or claims against the manufacturers and sellers of asbestos-containing products that caused your cancer. You may have a right to recover compensation for medical costs, lost earnings, pain and suffering, wrongful death, and other damages depending on your case. Contact Duffy Law LLC without delay for a free consultation to learn more about a potential case.

Duffy Law LLC represents its mesothelioma and lung cancer asbestos clients on a contingency fee basis. That means that Attorney Duffy is paid based on a percentage of the amount of financial compensation he ultimately recovers on behalf of his client. There is no out-of-pocket cost to you to pursue a case. If there is no financial recovery, Duffy Law LLC does not earn any fee. Duffy Law LLC also advances all expenses of your case, such as filing fees, medical record fees, expert fees, and other litigation costs.

Attorney Duffy has vigorously and successfully represented hundreds of mesothelioma clients in asbestos litigation for more than 20 years. He has obtained millions of dollars in settlements for his mesothelioma clients from manufacturers and suppliers of asbestos-containing products. Relying on Attorney Duffy’s vast experience and expertise to handle your mesothelioma case will allow you to focus on your own medical treatment while we work to provide financial support for you and your family.