Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Patients with mesothelioma suffer from malignant cells proliferating in the mesothelium, a type of protective tissue that encases our bodies vital organs. The cancer’s attack on the mesothelium wreaks havoc in the patient’s body, causing tumors, swelling, the accumulation of fluid in the chest and abdominal cavities, inflammation, and a general breakdown of many organ systems. Sadly, mesothelioma has a poor prognosis; most cases are very difficult to treat effectively and almost all cases are terminal.
The substance that causes mesothelioma, asbestos, was used in a variety of industries until the mid 1980’s. Its continued use after the discovery was made of its ill effects in the 1930’s has been a widespread cause for legal action in the United States and the rest of the Western world. Asbestos is incredibly dangerous, and while OSHA does define standards for maximum levels of asbestos in the workplace, Britain’s HSE (Health and Safety Executive) maintains that there’s no safety threshold for asbestos, that is, any amount of the substance should be considered dangerous.
The cancer cannot be diagnosed by its symptoms alone; it must be diagnosed either by a chest X-ray or by a tissue sample also known as a biopsy. Symptoms of mesothelioma have been described as flu like and include shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing, chest pain, weight loss, fatigue, weakness and yellowing of the eyes and skin. If you or someone in your family has been exposed to asbestos in the workplace you may be legally entitled to some compensation.
