What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, abdominal organs, and/or heart. It is a rare and very painful form of cancer. It kills quickly once symptoms appear, but it is an excruciating death. Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure.
How is mesothelioma different from lung cancer?
Lung cancer is cancer of the lungs themselves. Mesothelioma is cancer of the protective lining that surrounds the lungs, called the pleura. Asbestos exposure can also cause lung cancer.
Is mesothelioma contagious?
No, like other forms of cancer, mesothelioma is not contagious. It is caused by exposure to asbestos.
However, if you live or have lived with someone who has developed mesothelioma, you may need to get checked for it yourself. If the exposure happened in your home, you have also been exposed. People who are exposed at work and other places away from home, such as at school, can carry the fibers home on their clothing and in their belongings and expose their entire household.
How do you get mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is caused by inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers.
Asbestos can be found in older homes and buildings, at the workplace in many industries, and in many household products. Some people believe that asbestos has been outlawed and that exposure is no longer possible or no longer common. That is incorrect.
Symptoms usually take at least 10 to 20 years to appear and can take up to 50 years to appear, after you have been exposed. In rare cases of extreme exposure, symptoms can appear much more quickly.
Does smoking cause mesothelioma?
No. Smoking can increase your chance of developing lung cancer and other cancers, but asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma and lung cancer in people who have never smoked.
If you have been told that your mesothelioma was caused by smoking or that you do not have a case because you are or were a smoker, you have been misinformed. If you have developed lung cancer and suspect that you have been exposed to asbestos, you should talk to your doctor about the possibility of other asbestos related conditions, even if you smoke or used to smoke.
Is there a cure for mesothelioma?
Unfortunately, no. New mesothelioma treatments and possible cures are being researched. The prognosis for mesothelioma patients has improved over the years, however, to be eligible for the best treatments you must be in the early stages of the disease.
Are there different types of mesothelioma?
Yes. All types of mesothelioma affect the mesothelium which is the protective lining around the organs in the body. The types of mesothelioma are defined by the area of the body they affect:
- Lungs – pleural
- Heart – pericardial
- Abdomen and testicles – peritoneal
If you have been exposed to asbestos in the past and have been diagnosed with any of the diseases related to it, you may very well deserve compensation. Click on your state on the above map to contact a mesothelioma lawyer in your state. Alternatively, please e-mail or call us at 1-877-LOSS RECOVER (567-7732) today to speak with a mesothelioma lawyer near you.