As I research treatment options for those suffering from mesothelioma, I find a mixture of hope and hopelessness.There are the articles written by loved ones who have watched their partner, parent or close friend die a painful death; and there are articles filled with the promise of treatment and beating the fatal disease.
According to the National Cancer Institute, mesothelioma is cancer of the tissue that lines your lungs, stomach, heart and other organs.It is a rare but serious type of cancer. It usually starts in the lungs, but can also start in the abdomen or other organs. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, although can be caused by secondary exposure as well.
Symptoms of the disease can take 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos to develop. Treatmentusually includes surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or all three.
Recently researchers from the U.S. and Britain have discovered a gene that may play an important part in protecting someone from developing mesothelioma and other forms of cancer.The gene known as the LIMD1 has been found to be missing in patients who are suffering from lung cancer.Researchers believe the gene may act as a tumor suppressor in the body, defending against changes in the cells that lead to cancer.
Sufferers of mesothelioma and their families are hopeful that this breakthrough might help protect people against the disease and provide a way to finding a cure for the illness.
Anita Steiner was diagnosed with mesothelioma two years ago at the young age of 45.Mesothelioma is a rare and often incurable cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos.The onset of cancer can take anywhere from 10 to 40 years to develop.Anita seems to be another case of secondary exposure, coming into contact with the deadly mineral as a young child when watching her father pull down a shed. Most people diagnosed with mesothelioma die within a year and there are no known cures.After six months of exhausting chemotherapy and drug treatments, Anita had all but given up hope and had set her mind to enjoying the short time left to her life.
Given her circumstances, Anita and her partner, Patrick Lemmens, could hardly believe when they were told that the cancer was in remission in January.They were even more surprised when they were told that Anita was pregnant!Despite worries over the health of the fetus, a healthy baby girl was born on December 4th.A very happy ending to a story that usually ends with sorrow and loss!
The British Lung Foundation (BLF) has developed a survey for people with mesothelioma, their family members and people who have lost a close one to the deadly disease. Malignant mesotheliomais a cancer that affects the lining of the chest. The cause of the cancer is due to inhaling asbestos fibers. Commonly, it takes anywhere from 15-40 years after exposure to develop mesothelioma. According to the BLF, mesothelioma kills one person every five hours in the UK. The high rates of this cancer are believed to be due to the region’s history of shipbuilding and heavy industry.
The survey is being offered in hopes to better understand and meet the needs of people who are currently coping with the disease or anyone who’s life has been affected by the deadly disease. The BLF is also hoping to use information gathered to help form campaigning messages for 2009 Action Mesothelioma Day, which will be held in several regions February 27.
For those in the UK, to complete the survey please visit the BLF website at www.lunguk.org/mesosurvey. The survey only takes 10 minutes to complete.
Several weeks ago, soldiers in Fort Bragg, North Carolina were instructed to remove floor tiles in an old barracks storage room. One of the soldiers told his dad, Evon Colchiski, about their assignment to remove the tiles. His father immediately became concerned about the soldiers scraping the old floor tiles and removing the debris. His concern was that the tiles may contain asbestos, a fibrous mineral which was widely used in building materials prior to the 1980’s.
Exposure to asbestos damages the lungs and can cause cancers such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestos isn’t considered hazardous in it’s stable form, but when damaged or broken up, as in the case of demolition work, dust can be released creating a health risk to all those in the area.
Pvt. Jason Colchiski’s father is skeptical that the Army’s did not know about the potential danger, and claims that one of the sergeants warned the soldiers to be careful when removing the tile because it may contain asbestos. Evon Colchiski tested a sample of the tile, which showed the backing to contain asbestos above the level considered to be safe.
Jason’s father and cousin have both spoken out about their concerns and are asking for on-going monitoring of the soldier’s health, that proper training be done, and that more safety precautions be taken while performing demolition.
Registration for the 5th Annual Asbestos Awareness Day Conference is now open.The conference will be held March 27 – 29, 2009 in Manhattan Beach, Calfornia at the Manhattan Beach Marriot Hotel.The conference is held annually to provide the most advanced medical, occupational, and environmental information about asbestos-related diseases for individuals and families, employers, employees, research scientists and medical experts.
Expert speakers will discuss how to prevent asbestos exposure, identify when exposure has occurred, and recognize early warning symptoms of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.This year there will be a special emphasis on prevention and early detection both nationally and globally.
There are still many places internationally, especially developing countries, where exposure rates are rising. The conference hopes to further awareness about the dangers of asbestos and prevention and treatment options.
There has been a lot in the news lately about improper removal of asbestos that has led to fines for developers, contractors, store and property owners.Asbestos is an air contaminant for which there is no known safe level of exposure and a respiratory hazard.Asbestos exposure and inhalation of asbestos fibers cause serious diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer, often resulting in death.
Fines are being handed out to those removing asbestos improperly.A little over a week ago, Brooklyn developer State Assets LLC faced a fine of $48,100 due to allegations of serious violations of health and safety standards at a New Haven site.The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited State Assets for 18 violations.One of these citations was for willful violation, an act where the employer knew of a work hazard and acted with intentional disregard for employee safety and health.It is alleged that unprotected workers were removing asbestos from an unventilated property, that piles of asbestos-coated debris had been left unsecured outside, and that illegal immigrants had been unloading the asbestos laden material out at night without any training, proper protection, or safe disposal.
Another developer in Oregon also faces fines for improper asbestos disposal.The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) cited two contract construction companies for violations made during demolition of three mobile homes in Bend.The Hoviss Build Group LLC and Willamette Builders Group LLC were cited for performing unlicensed asbestos abatement and failing to deposit asbestos-containing waste material at DEQ- approved sites.
This week, the retailer Woolworths is being fined after improper removal of asbestos during renovations at two Devon stores caused hazardous exposure to staff.For more details, read the headlines news at Clapper, Patti, Schweizer, and Mason.
In all three situations, surveys had been previously conducted before demolition that detected the presence of asbestos and yet the removal of the dangerous material was not removed properly nor according to set health standards.Licensed asbestos abatement contractors must handle asbestos-containing materials, especially those that are “friable” and can easily release asbestos fibers into the air.Licensed contractors who perform removal according to health standards prevent exposure to others and prevent ongoing emissions of asbestos into the air.
Yet another school is being affected by the presence of asbestos in it’s building material.
School officials have closed part of Bozeman High School in Montana after discovering pieces of asbestos roofing material in some of it’s classrooms. Superintendent Kirk Miller says the material fell into an art room and custodial garage-storage room while a new roof was being installed as part of a renovation project. Although some of the samples were found to contain a small percentage of asbestos, the material was found to be non-friable. This means that it wouldn’t normally release asbestos fibers into the air.
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was once used widely in construction but is now known for long term risk of causing cancer and fatal lung scarring, such as pleural malignant mesothelioma. Intact, undisturbed asbestos-containing materials generally do not pose a health risk. These materials may become hazardous and pose increased risk if they are damaged, are disturbed in some manner, or deteriorate over time and release asbestos fibers into building air. Since there was some disturbance in roofing material that was determined to contain asbestos, the school district has closed the rooms and hired a cleanup firm to eliminate any risk.
Big Penguin, a major tourist attraction in the northwest Tasmanian town of Penguin, was being inspected after concerns were raised by the worker who helped build the ten foot statue. The Penguin was originally constructed in 1975. The sculptor Andrew Bennie, a former Goliath cement plant worker, alerted the Central Coast County with concerns that the statue contained deadly asbestos fibers and posed a health risk to the many tourists who come to stand beside it. Asbestos is known to have toxicity. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause grave illnesses, including malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Therefore the Central Coast County was taking the issue seriously, ordering a forensic examination.
Results from the examination confirmed that asbestos was used to make the penguin, but Local Mayor Mike Downie says any asbestos cement used is surrounded by a complete layer of polyester resin and a fiberglass reinforced mat. “Asbestos containing construction materials can not escape from beneath this layer unless the outer resin/fiberglass covering is destroyed or opened,” he said. He went on to say that no asbestos fibers were detected in the exterior sampling and does not pose a public health danger. According to the American Cancer Society, ”There is no risk to human health if the asbestos is bonded into intact finished products, such as walls and tiles. As long as the material is not damaged or disturbed, for example by drilling or remodeling, there is no way for the fibers to be released into the air and inhaled.”
Regular inspections of the paint and fiberglass encapsulation will be conducted to make sure there is no cracking on the outer shell.
Asbestos-based insulation and other asbestos products commonly used in homes and buildings throughout the past are now known to contribute to mesothelioma, a deadly lung cancer.
Today, environmentally aware builders and homeowners are more likely to use non-asbestos ‘green’ alternatives such as cellulose, cotton fiber made from recycled batted material (such as denim), a water-based polyurethane foam and other non-toxic materials. Such eco-friendly products can cut energy costs by 35% a year per household.
Asbestos is particularly deadly when it is broken up during removal, which releases the toxic fibers into the air. The attorneys at Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason urge all homeowners to seek licensed abatement professionals when handling asbestos products and not to undertake removal on their own.
Asbestos management in British schools has come under scrutiny by the Asbestos Sub-Committee of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health, according to TimesOnline. Unsafe levels of asbestos exposure can cause serious lung diseases, including mesothelioma, a terminal cancer that is difficult to diagnose and treat.
Underfunding of school maintenance has allowed asbestos to deteriorate, threatening the health of students, the subcommittee maintains. The irony, they say, is that the Palace of Westminster will be closed during removal of deteriorating asbestos. “When it comes to preventing exposure there seems to be one rule for our legislators and another for our children,” the TimesOnline article stated.
Advocacy groups have asked the government to carry out a national audit of the asbestos content and condition in schools and to do more research on mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Blog of Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
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