Unfortunately, Paterno did not make a recovery. Because of the short time period between his diagnosis in November 2011 and his death in January 2012, Paterno and his time had little time to speculate of what could have caused the cancer. Now, doctors question whether Paterno’s illness was the result of asbestos exposure earlier in life.

The reason for the speculation is surrounding the specific type of lung cancer Paterno died of. The doctors at Mount Nittany Medical Center, where Paterno was a patient, stated that his cancer was only synonymous with smokers. Paterno, who was a non-smoker, may have developed the cancer as a result of asbestos exposure.

Apparently, the small-cell lung cancer that Paterno died is almost non-existent in non-smokers. Like mesothelioma – a rare cancer associated only with asbestos exposure – the cancer is extremely aggressive and offers a bleak outlook for victims. Paterno, himself, hardly had a chance to battle the disease, as the chemo treatments proved too hard on his body.

Asbestos in the U.S.

Asbestos is a mineral that was in high demand for manufacturing in the 20^th century. However, sometime mid-century, information began surfacing about the dangers of asbestos to the human body and about the deadly, aggressive cancers it was responsible for causing.

Asbestos remained a large part of U.S. manufacturing until the 1980s, when restrictions were placed on its usage. However, because of its long latency period (it can take several decades for illness to develop), it is often difficult for victims to trace the original source or sources of asbestos exposure. But in the past, those who did were successful in getting large settlements from the companies at-fault for careless exposure.

Paterno’s family has not commented on whether they will consider their legal options concerning the development of the beloved coach’s cancer and subsequent death. Only time will tell if they can prove that the cancer was caused by asbestos exposure, and if so, where that exposure came from.

Approximately 400 tons of asbestos were used in the construction of the World Trade Center in New York City. At the time the twin towers were built, asbestos was a standard component of building construction and insulation. The mineral, however, is extremely hazardous to human health and has been proven to cause a fatal form of cancer known as mesothelioma.

Unfortunately, an ultimatum deadline two weeks ago left survivors, rescuers and bystanders who were exposed to the asbestos ash that coated the city with few options for getting compensation for their asbestos-related diseases.

Victim’s Compensation Fund

In 2010, the government established a Victim’s Compensation Fund worth $2.76 billion. The fund’s purpose is to provide aid to individuals who are suffering or will develop health problems as a result of the dust, smoke and debris that surrounded the city that day. However, the government left out one important component – coverage for asbestos exposure.

Although the fund does provide coverage for a number of respiratory problems, victims who develop mesothelioma and asbestosis – arguably some of the most severe effects of toxic dust exposure on September 11^th – will not receive any compensation to help pay for medical expenses and other losses related to the diseases. However, the government is expected to review the provisions in the fund very soon, which will likely include reconsideration of funding for asbestos-related diseases and complications.

Until now, many of the victims who were concerned about asbestos exposure and the diseases that have or could develop as a result of it have filed lawsuits against those responsible for the presence of asbestos is the towers. However, when the Victim’s Compensation Fund was established, it was designed to provide financial provision for victims who do not receive alternative compensation from a separate lawsuit or settlement.

The deadline to decide whether to pursue compensation in court or to apply for compensation from the Victim’s Compensation Fund was on January 2, 2012. Anyone who had a pending lawsuit was forced to decide whether to drop the litigation and hope for modifications to the Victim’s Compensation Fund rules, or else gamble on the chance of getting a settlement or favorable judgment in court.

As of now, anyone who chose to drop their lawsuits will not be covered by the Victim’s Compensation Fund if they develop asbestos-related problems. Only time will tell if the federal government will choose to extend the provisions of the fund to help them as well.

That’s nearly double the budget the school originally had for asbestos abatement costs. In fact, with the costs of asbestos removal at the school included, it makes the new Newton North High School the most expensive high school ever built in Massachusetts, which is not making many residents and tax payers very happy.

The $14 million bill came as the result of having to deconstruct the old high school brick by brick to avoid polluting the air with dangerous asbestos fibers that are known to cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. A multitude of asbestos-related lawsuits, along with pressure from state and federal environmental standards, persuaded the district to take extreme precaution with the project.

Mixed Emotions Surround Asbestos Abatement

Although many residents are outraged at the steep costs associated with asbestos abatement at the Newton North High School, parents, teachers and school officials are relieved and comforted knowing that the building was properly abated and no threats of asbestos contamination remain.

Despite the price of the abatement, it is possible that the millions spent in abatement costs could pale in comparison to possible future lawsuits from those exposed to the mineral due to improper, although more affordable, asbestos removal from the building.

Asbestos is a fire-retardant, naturally occurring mineral that was used heavily in construction between the 1950s and 1970s, despite confirmations that the mineral caused serious health conditions and even fatalities in those exposed to it. Although asbestos is no longer used in to build homes, schools and other structures, many buildings still contain the mineral.

The Environmental Protection Agency requires professional handling and abatement of asbestos in those buildings before they can be demolished in order to avoid causing workers and building occupants to develop potentially deadly diseases.

Asbestos in Navy Shipyards

Many navy veterans are suffering from the effects of prolonged asbestos exposure. Asbestos, a fire-resistant mineral frequently used in navy shipyards during the World War II era, is extremely hazardous to the human respiratory system. Asbestos fibers are so small and fine; they are easily inhaled or ingested, embedding in to the lining of the lungs and chest cavities. It is there that the fibers lay dormant for decades, before eventually causing complications – the most severe of which is mesothelioma cancer.

Navy shipyards contained asbestos between the 1930s and the 1970s, and other branches of the U.S. military began using it during the 1940s. During that time, hundreds of thousands of veterans were exposed to the fibers. Today, approximately 30 percent of all cases of mesothelioma diagnosed occur in veterans.

Not even Pearl Harbor service members were spared of the effects of asbestos. In a November interview with National Public Radio, surviving Pearl Harbor veteran, Frank Curre, not only recounts the events of Pearl Harbor from his position on the USS Tennessee, but he also shared with the well-known media outlet that he suffers from mesothelioma as a result of his time and service in the U.S. Navy.

The symptoms of mesothelioma imitate respiratory diseases, causing chest pains, coughing and a struggle to breathe. Under the surface, however, the effects are even more serious. The cancer causes fluid build-up and the development of tumors in the mesothelium lining of the chest, lungs and abdominal cavity. Often, mesothelioma does not respond to traditional cancer treatments, leaving victims with a poor prognosis for survival.

Filing a Mesothelioma Claim Against the U.S. Navy

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs offers voluntary compensation only to veterans suffering from mesothelioma who can prove that the disease is the direct result of serving in the military alone. If the VA suspects that there could be any secondary sources of asbestos exposure, it may not approve compensation. For this reason, veterans are encouraged to acquire legal assistance in filing a claim for mesothelioma damages.

Resource:

National Public Radio: Living to Tell the Horrible Tale of Pearl Harbor

When contractors began work replacing the pipes in the reactor’s turbine building, there were no asbestos warning labels present on the pipes. However, as workers began to cut into the pipes, a fine, particle-like substance filtered into the air – landing on the contractors’ clothing and permeating the air they were breathing. After following the pipes down two floors, they discovered an asbestos warning label.

Because the nuclear plant’s owner had no air sampling equipment present at the time of the incident and state investigators didn’t arrive until three days after the incident, investigators are unsure as how much asbestos the contractors came in contact with. However, reports from the State Department of Labor reveal that asbestos fibers were found on 12 workers, as well as three work trailers.

Asbestos is a dangerous mineral fiber used heavily in manufacturing between the 1920s and the 1970s, despite warnings that the fibers could cause respiratory problems, as well as life-threatening cancers. Many companies began eliminating the use of asbestos in the 1980s before it was finally banned permanently in the early 1990s. Unfortunately, contractors remain at increased risk for exposure to the mineral when working on old structures built using asbestos, such as the Surrey nuclear power plant.

Doug Larkin, co-founder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, notes that state and federal oversight of company compliance with asbestos safety laws needs improvement. Larkin says that there are too few inspectors available to ensure public and worker safety, and with regard to the Surrey nuclear plant incident, he says, “It’s incredible that people are still being exposed today. This type of behavior is absolutely appalling.”

Asbestos inhalation and ingestion is directly responsible for the development of mesothelioma in thousands of people each year – many of whom do not develop the disease for several decades following initial exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with no cure, and it’s almost always fatal.

The state fined Quality Specialties Inc. $4,900 for improper pipe labeling at the Surrey nuclear facility, but that doesn’t necessarily indicate that further accountability will not be required of Quality Specialties Inc., plant owners or other companies involved in the hazardous asbestos exposure incident. Apparently, the contractors are currently exploring their legal options regarding the event. According to Dr. Arthur Frank, chair of Drexel University’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, the workers “are at an increased risk, but it’s hard to say if they’ll develop diseases. Only time will tell.”

Many cases of mesothelioma are due to negligence on behalf of companies who knew of the dangers of asbestos exposure, yet continued to profit from use of the mineral in consumer products and in the workplace. Individuals exposed to asbestos who later develop mesothelioma often receive a poor prognosis – with few living more than a year following diagnosis.

Furthermore, mesothelioma has a long latency period following exposure to asbestos. Some individuals will not develop the disease for several decades following exposure, leaving insurers uncertain of the value and extent of future claims. This dilemma, along with the increased costs of emerging mesothelioma treatments, has forced insurers, such as AIG and Hartford Financial, to brace themselves for big liability payouts.

However, it seems that AIG dodged a bullet. Amid worries of underfunding, in August 2011, billionaire Warren Buffet agreed that his investment firm, Berkshire Hathaway, would assume AIG’s future mesothelioma liabilities in exchange for a one-time payment from AIG worth $1.65 billion. This means that Berkshire Hathaway will pay for all future mesothelioma claims on behalf of AIG, but in the mean time, can invest the money to leverage profits before any claims payments are made.

It’s not the first time Berkshire Hathaway has assumed liability for an insurance company’s mesothelioma claims. In fact, this is the smaller of two other similar deals that were reached in 2006 and 2010 for asbestos-related liabilities on behalf of the Equitas affiliate of Lloyd’s of London and CNA Financial Corp. There’s no word on whether Berkshire Hathaway will engage in a similar transaction with other troubled insurers, such as Hartford Financial, though the investment firm has previously expressed interest in similar risk-transfer investments.

For now, however, AIG investors and mesothelioma claimants with lawsuits against AIG-insured companies can rest easy. Berkshire Hathaway will be footing the bill for all future claims, and investors can be sure that AIG will not be reserving large quantities of company funding for future mesothelioma claims.

After 47 years of marriage and four children, Michaela lost her husband, Robert Keyerlingk, to mesothelioma late in 2009. A healthy, non-smoker, Robert was a university professor who was possibly exposed to asbestos, mesothelioma’s cause, as a young man in the navy.

Following the loss of her husband, Michaela considered Canada’s heavy exportation of asbestos in light of the country’s strict domestic asbestos use policies. To raise awareness about this incongruence, and with the help of a family member, Michaela launched an online banner ad that reads “Canada is the only western country that still exports deadly asbestos!’’

However, as political rivalry between Conservative and Liberal parties continues, Michaela found a creative way to cinch her banner ad campaign. She included the Conservative Party of Canada (the current leading party) logo on the ad. With such a direct finger pointing at the federal government, Michaela was quickly contacted by a government representative. She was informed that use of the logo in that way was unauthorized. She was asked to take it off the banner.

Asbestos was mined, bought and sold around the world in large quantities through the last century. Leading nations such as UK, US, Japan and Australia built their industrial and manufacturing empires on the back of this naturally occurring substance. However, as time progressed, health hazards became more closely associated with asbestos. Realizing the toxic substance caused malignant mesothelioma and other fatal respiratory illnesses, health and safety boards begin making stands for public and employee health. Regulations for asbestos use were created and continually tightened.

Following health awareness, much of the western world greatly minimized asbestos use and sale; Canada, however, continues to export the material overseas. While international medical officials ask for Canada to close its asbestos market, the export arena, backed by the federal government, states the material to be safe as long as used properly.

Unfortunately, most developing countries using the material have little or no safety precautions in place to protect workers and the public from asbestos exposure. Health screening and treatment facilities in these countries are minimal as well, if existent at all.

In response to the federal government’s request, Michaela had a request of her own. She said she would take the Conservative Party logo off the ad if a federal government official will meet with her to hear her story and to explain Canada’s continued asbestos exportation. No such meeting has been scheduled. In the meantime, Michaela’s banner ad raises awareness and attracts attention to a growing international problem.

World Health Organization estimates twenty thousand people die of mesothelioma each year around the world. This number is considered to be a low estimate as countless cases are thought to go unrecognized and unreported. Without an immediate stop to worldwide asbestos use, it is estimated that global, annual case numbers could reach ninety thousand in just a few short years.

Once asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can begin a mutative process in otherwise healthy tissues. Characterized by a long latency period, typically ranging from twenty to fifty years, mesothelioma does not demonstrate symptoms until decades after original asbestos exposure. This makes early detection of mesothelioma very difficult, particularly as most mesothelioma patients have no idea they were ever exposed to toxic asbestos in the first place. Malignant mesothelioma symptoms mimic those of pneumonia and bronchitis, often further postponing proper diagnosis.

Particularities of mesothelioma are not unknown to Mario De Simone, a Plymouth, Pennsylvania resident and native of Italy, whose story was covered by a recent Times Herald article.

Diagnosed in March with mesothelioma, De Simone is now home trying to rest and enjoy the time he has left with family and loved ones. De Simone is a husband, father, grandfather and sibling to three.

De Simone believes his asbestos exposure may have taken place during his employment at a steel company back in the 1970s. It wasn’t until the 1980s that asbestos regulations and workplace protection would become stringent and strictly enforced. Until then, asbestos was used heavily in manufacturing and industry in the US and other leading industrial nations. Due to mesothelioma’s latency period thousands of people suffered with the disease before the connection could be put together and steps taken to protect employees and the public.

Today, World Health Organization estimates at least twenty thousand people worldwide die of mesothelioma each year. Many cases go unrecognized and unrecorded, however, so this number is considered conservatively low. If asbestos use is not immediately halted or greatly curbed globally, ninety thousand people annually could be diagnosed with mesothelioma in the near future.

Although mesothelioma treatments exist, there is no known cure for the disease. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, often administered in combination to relieve pain and extend patient life expectancy.

The De Simone family is hosting a beef and beer fundraiser celebration in honor of Mario. Family, friends, and participating community organizations hope to make the occasion a special one for their suffering loved one.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer caused by exposure to toxic chemical asbestos. Once asbestos fibers are inhaled they can begin a mutative process in otherwise healthy cells, which leads to malignant tumor development. These tumors spread irregularly through surrounding areas without showing any external signs or symptoms for a characteristically long latency period. Mesothelioma latency periods typically last twenty to fifty years. Kevin is at the age that most patients are when they first come in contact with toxic asbestos, rather than the standard age of diagnosis, which usually follows decades later.

Asbestos was heavily mined, bought and sold around the world through the last century, particularly in countries with advancing industrial markets such as US, UK, Australia and Japan. Developing countries around the world continue to use asbestos without adequate safety precautions or protection. World Health Organization estimates global mesothelioma cases are on the rise and could quickly reach ninety thousand annually if asbestos use trends are not immediately and greatly curbed.

Preferred in manufacturing for its fire resistant and durable qualities, asbestos was used in shipbuilding, munitions and military equipment construction. Asbestos was also used as an additive in countless household items and residential construction components. Although the health hazards associated with asbestos began to be understood in the late 1900s, regulations came after decades of exposure. Thousands of individuals continue to be diagnosed with mesothelioma each year following the characteristic latency period.

Mesothelioma treatments include surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These are often administered in combination as palliative care, to focus on patient quality of life and to try to lengthen life expectancy. In standard mesothelioma cases, patient life expectancy averages just eighteen months following diagnosis.

According to local Boston news, Kevin’s health care providers have allegedly suggested alternative treatments for his case, which are not available in the Boston area. An avid athlete in high school, Kevin’s age and health may put him in a high success bracket for treatments. The specific type of mesothelioma he has been diagnosed with, peritoneal mesothelioma, has been more effectively treated in past cases than the more common plural mesothelioma, as it does not affect such primary organs like the heart and lungs.  Kevin’s family and friends are holding fundraisers to try to help his family with costs of travel, treatment and care.

Asbestos causes several severe respiratory illnesses, including rare cancer mesothelioma. So many cases of mesothelioma have been diagnosed in former Swindon workers that the rare cancer has gained the nickname “Swindon disease.” Sadly, current Swindon Mayor Rex Barnett is the most recent patient of “Swindon disease.”

Diagnosed earlier this year with mesothelioma, it is believed Mayor Barnett began developing the disease during his employment with British Railway in the 1950s and 1960s. Mayor Barnett worked on repairs at the time that exposed him to asbestos fibers.

Characteristically, Mayor Barnett has undergone a long latency period, during which time malignant mesothelioma tumors spread through protective organ lining in irregular web like fashion.

Mesothelioma affects a growing number of people worldwide, according to World Health Organization. Although asbestos regulations have become more and more stringent in many countries, including UK, US, Australia and Japan, dozens of developing countries continue to use the toxic material without enforced safety precautions. About twenty thousand cases are currently reported annually; health officials estimate this number will quickly rise to ninety thousand if asbestos use is not halted.

Mesothelioma treatments include surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These are often administered in combination as palliative care to focus on patient quality of life and to lengthen life expectancy. Following diagnosis, mesothelioma patient life expectancy ranges from just six months to two years.

Mayor Barnett’s health care providers have recommended chemotherapy. Although he is just at the end of his term as Mayor he has decided to move ahead with treatments sooner rather than later According to the Swindon Advertiser, he says, “I don’t doubt I could delay the chemo, but I don’t want to because I want to fight this thing now. I think every day I fight it, the better off I will be – if I said I will do my final bit as mayor and the handover properly, I’m wasting my chances.”

Mayor Barnett and his wife are known and respected for the many charitable donations they made possible through fundraisers and events. Public sympathy and concern for their sad news continues to be expressed.

Asbestos was introduced to developing industrial markets in the early nineteen hundreds. A naturally occurring substance that can be mined from the earth, asbestos was found to be durable and fire resistant. This made it a prime substance for use in insulations, construction components and any product facing consistent wear and tear. Asbestos was added to floor tiles, roofing sheets, paint, plumbing works and countless other items. Through the last century raw asbestos was mined, bought, sold and used in all major industrial markets. US, UK, Australia, Japan and other countries built their industrial empires on the back of this material. Asbestos containing materials made it into almost every structure, building, equipment and home built between the nineteen twenties and nineteen eighties.

As health threats associated with asbestos exposure began to surface, regulations for safe use were put in place in many working arenas. However, due to ignorance or negligence, many employers did not communicate asbestos health threats to their employees, or did not provide them with necessary protection. Malignant mesothelioma, characterized by a long latency period, began showing up decades after original asbestos exposure. Often, these cases were found in individuals long since retired from their work and twenty to fifty years past any asbestos contact.

Today, over six hundred thousand asbestos related lawsuits have been filed. Most of these are employees suing current or former employers for some form of negligence or intent to harm. With only one known cause of mesothelioma, it is not very difficult to find the asbestos culprit in someone’s work history.

Mesothelioma is most often found in protective lung lining, although it can affect other abdominal cavities as well. Mesothelioma is characterized by irregularly patterned tumors that grow through affected areas without showing signs or symptoms until decades after original asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma treatments include surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. There is no known cure for mesothelioma.

The three deaths in connection with Bradford district were all found to be asbestos related. According to the Telegraph & Argus news, postmortems found asbestos-caused plaque in one victim; asbestos fibers in another; and the third had been advised by his doctors that he was experiencing mesothelioma symptoms.

Chairman of Bradford Asbestos Victim Support Group, Carol Deurden, said of recent findings, “We are getting more and more inquiries about mesothelioma. The national figure is rising every year and is expected to keep on rising.”

Discussions are under way in hopes of scheduling clinical testing next year. Chief Executive at Bionomics, Deborah Rathjen says, “It has always been Bionomics’ intention to initiate further clinical trials of BNC105. The decision to undertake a clinical trial in women with ovarian cancer has followed extensive consultation with key opinion leaders in Australia and the US.”

Where ovarian cancer is specific to women, mesothelioma has long since affected a majority male population. This is not due to specific organs mesothelioma effects, but to its cause, toxic asbestos, and the environments historically responsible for asbestos exposure.

Considered an ‘industrial disease,’ mesothelioma is associated with large-scale works such as shipbuilding, mining, and refineries. For the first sixty-plus years of asbestos use in the world’s leading industrial markets, these arenas were operated and manned almost totally by men. In the past several decades as working demographics have shifted drastically, female cases of mesothelioma have risen.

Malignant mesothelioma is characterized by a latency period ranging from twenty to fifty years. Patients usually have no idea they are developing the fatal cancer until symptoms begin to show at the end of this latency period. For many, time or place of original asbestos exposure is a mystery, if they even know they were exposed at all.

As health and safety regulations began to change to match the growing information about the dangers of asbestos, employers had to follow through with employee education, awareness and safety precautions. Sadly, many did not, either out of ignorance or intentional negligence; many employers allowed their workers to continue working in environments made hazardous by asbestos. Because of this, to date, over six hundred thousand lawsuits have been filed related to asbestos; most by employees suffering with mesothelioma or another asbestos related disease, against their current or former employer.

Bionomics cancer drug could become a valuable addition to mesothelioma treatment options. There is currently no known cure for mesothelioma. Most treatments are administered as palliative care in an effort to extend patient life expectancy, which averages just eighteen months following diagnosis, and raise quality of life. Current treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Howie’s widow, Joyce, is quoted in the Daily Record. She said, “He had mesothelioma, which he could have contracted at any time during his work. He used to do layer upon layer of paint, always scraping, sanding, cutting it back to paint over it again and again in order to create a certain effect. He would keep repeating this process until it resulted in the thing he was looking for.”

It is not certain if Howie’s mesothelioma was caused by his artwork, but an autopsy will hopefully reveal more about the case. “Although we have the death certificate, we’re still awaiting the results of a final autopsy,” said his widow. Mesothelioma treatments exist, but there is no known cure.

Mesothelioma is a leading cause of work related deaths in the UK. However, this statistic is usually in connection with historic, industrial use of asbestos. Throughout the last century UK, US, and other nations used asbestos in countless industrial and manufacturing arenas. Asbestos is known for its durability, fire resistance and stabilizing qualities. Products necessitating these characteristics were often not built without some quantity of asbestos additive. Common asbestos containing products include insulation, floor and ceiling tiles, and roofing sheets.

Although asbestos is relatively safe when contained, fibers can be released when the containing material breaks apart, whether from long-term wear and tear, sudden demolition, or other causes. Once asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested they can become a serious health threat.

Mesothelioma development is specific to protective organ lining. Most often found in lung lining, mesothelioma can also affect other organs such as the diaphragm or heart. Malignant tumors spread through effected areas in an irregular pattern, causing no visible signs of distress or change to the patient.

Mesothelioma undergoes a latency period typically ranging from twenty to fifty years. Patients who do not know they have been exposed to asbestos will have no cause to consider that they could be developing cancer. Towards the end of the latency period symptoms mimicking those of bronchitis or pneumonia begin to demonstrate.  These may be accompanied by fatigue, shortness of breath or abdominal discomfort.

The property is privately owned and the owner, according to a recent Courier Press report, is refusing to pay for asbestos abatement; some responsibility conflicts have come about in a search for appropriate handling of the damage.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) project manager Kevin Turner said in regards to the conflict, “We have engaged the owner to clean it up and he refused. There is a civil process we go through. Under the law he can say he will do it or not do it but that doesn’t relieve him of any liability or financial responsibility.”

The EPA has stepped in to handle safe clean up of the area with an estimated $400,000 budget. Turner says EPA will remove the asbestos materials but will not be responsible for demolition.

Fires and natural disasters such as tornadoes and earthquakes can quickly take relatively safe materials and turn them into a death threat. Asbestos, a naturally occurring chemical considered a Type 1 carcinogen by World Health Organization, is present in countless products and building components throughout the US and around the world. Until containing materials are broken or wear down, toxic asbestos fibers have no way of being released into the air. Disasters like Gordon County’s fire can do a quick job of starting a major public health hazard.

Once asbestos fibers are inhaled they can start a mutative process in protective organ lining. This process leads to development of tumors that spread through surrounding areas as malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period and symptoms that mimic those of bronchitis or pneumonia. Sadly, symptoms do not show until twenty to fifty years after cancer development begins, making mesothelioma next to impossible to diagnose early. Mesothelioma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. There is no known cure for mesothelioma.

Global regulations for asbestos clean up and removal have become more stringent over the past few decades.  Asbestos abatement must be done by qualified professionals and materials have to be disposed of in licensed facilities under specific conditions. Costs associated with proper asbestos abatement have led many individuals and companies to cut legal corners, leading to lawsuits and damaging the quality of breathable air.

Even as many countries enforce asbestos regulations, older asbestos-containing components built before such regulations were in place are wearing down or being demolished for replacement, releasing asbestos fibers into the air. Today, millions of people employed outside the industrial workforce could be in danger from asbestos—what has long been considered an “industrial hazard.”

Adrian Budgen, of UK law firm Irwin Mitchell, recognizes this change in asbestos exposure potential and patient demographics. In a July 5^th article in The Star, Budgen says: “Asbestos has long been associated with heavy industry but sadly we are seeing an increasing number of people from other sectors – such as health and education – falling victim to diseases like mesothelioma.

“Over the years, as asbestos-containing materials began to deteriorate and crumble, many UK workers were inhaling the lethal fibres as they went about their daily tasks, completely unaware of the dangers they were facing, putting them at risk of developing an asbestos-related disease.

“The rising numbers of white- collar workers who are going on to suffer from mesothelioma highlights the need for a proper record of which public buildings – whether they are council offices, hospitals or schools – contain asbestos to prevent future, needless tragedies.”

Mesothelioma is considered a fatal cancer. It affects the protective lining of lungs and other abdominal cavities and is caused by inhalation or ingestion of toxic asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period following asbestos exposure, and a short life expectancy following diagnosis. There are several mesothelioma treatments available, but no known cure.

Now, after much clean up and economic change residents of Libby, Montana have found yet another present threat. Large piles of wood chips accumulated over the years in the community have been used locally and hauled to distant locations to be used in a projects ranging from large-scale landscaping and erosion control to residential garden mulching.

Officials have found that wood chips from these piles are also contaminated with asbestos. Amounts of the toxin present in the wood chips have not been clarified. However, the federal government has allegedly been aware of the chips’ contamination for some time. Residents and local authorities are wondering who they can trust.

According to a recent Associated Press report, Montana U.S. Sen. Max Baucus said of the community’s situation: “The people of Libby have already been poisoned in the name of greed and I won’t allow them to be poisoned again because of negligence.”

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that affects lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. It is characterized by a long latency period and symptoms that mimic pneumonia and bronchitis; these attributes make mesothelioma difficult to diagnose. Once a diagnosis has been made average patient life expectancy ranges from six months to two years. There are mesothelioma treatments available, but no known cure.

Pleural mesothelioma is one of two known types of the rare cancer. Affecting lung lining, pleural mesothelioma makes up about 80% of all mesothelioma cases. The other 20% affects linings of other abdominal organs and is called peritoneal mesothelioma. Both types are considered fatal and without cure.

Asbestos fibers cause malignant mesothelioma through inhalation or ingestion. Fibers become lodged in lung lining and begin a mutative process of healthy cells. This process turns into tumor development and lasts for twenty to fifty years. Most mesothelioma patients have no idea they were ever exposed to toxic asbestos and therefore have no idea they are developing the deadly cancer.

Characterized by such a long latency period, mesothelioma is extremely difficult to diagnose. Once symptoms begin to show mesothelioma is in its final and most aggressive stage; following diagnosis life expectancy averages just eighteen months. Although mesothelioma treatments exist, many patients choose palliative care rather than cancer-direct treatments. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy—standards in mesothelioma treatment—can be quite taxing on patients already struggling with the effects of the disease. Providers often choose to focus on pain management, raising quality of life, and extending life expectancy, rather that picking a battle with fatal mesothelioma.

Crizotinib showed promise in clinical testing by greatly increasing life expectancy in patients with advanced cases of NSCLC. Standard life expectancy for NSCLC cases peaks at 2 years; at which point only 20% of patients are alive. With crizotinib, 74% of patients tested were alive after one year, and 54% were alive after two—this is a great step in extending patient life expectancy in an arena of such characteristically low mortality rates.

New treatments are a welcome development in a world witnessing rising mesothelioma cases. Asbestos continues to be used globally and more so in developing countries where safety precautions are minimal, if existent, and health hazards go unchecked. Experts expect to see a rise in worldwide mesothelioma cases unless asbestos use is stopped immediately. Sadly, many struggling economies are dependant upon export or import of the toxic material keeping an end to asbestos use out of sight.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. Typically affecting lung lining, mesothelioma can also be found in lining of other abdominal cavities. Characterized by a long latency period and a short life expectancy following diagnosis, there is no known cure for mesothelioma.

Unlike the thousands of Americans fighting mesothelioma each year, Davis has taken a non-traditional approach to his cancer survival. Rather than participating in standard mesothelioma treatment regimes of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, Davis has focused on boosting his immune system and allowing his body to fight for him. Although Davis is scheduled for his fifth surgery since diagnosis, he daily fights the cancer with vitamins, supplements and exercise.

“I’m an enigma in a lot of ways,” says Davis. “This thing (mesothelioma) is like going to a casino. To win, you have to be very lucky. It’s designed for you to lose. All you’re trying to do in the fight is make the odds a little more in your favor.

“The health care side of this has been a nightmare. There are too many doctors out there — some so-called authorities — who don’t really know what they’re doing, using treatments from the ’70s that just don’t work, copying someone else’s failures.

“I would have been dead long ago, if I had listened to some of the medical professionals and the treatments they suggested. I’ve learned the hard way that there are some pain medications, even some anesthetics, that (do) more harm than good.”

Davis’s approach has been a brave one—standard mesothelioma treatments are often people’s only hope for extending life expectancy.

Davis’s daughter Courtney said of the triathlon, “There is nowhere else I’d rather be on Father’s Day than with him in a triathlon. With this next surgery, we don’t know what’s around the corner for him, but he’s always been a fighter. And he’s not about to give up this fight anytime soon.”

In preparation for the event Davis took swimming lessons. “I was a runner,” he said. “ I’ve always run. Swimming just isn’t my thing. I might be the only one in the race this weekend wearing water wings. I’ve become proof that a rock can swim. The triathlon has taken my mind off the surgery, and it has forced me to become healthier and physically stronger for the surgery.”

Just before his next scheduled surgery, Davis will receive the Volunteer of the Year Award along with founder of Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, Linda Reinstein, at International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma, in Washington, D.C., June 23-25.

Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer affecting protective lining of abdominal organs, the membranous, mesothelium. Unlike many other deep tissue cancer tumors, mesothelioma tumors are wider than they are deep, spreading through the thin mesothelium.

Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period, typically spanning several decades. During this latency period mesothelioma does not demonstrate symptoms. Unless the patient knows to look for the rare cancer, there would be no signs that anything was amiss until twenty to fifty years after development begin. Due to the long latency period and small, wide characteristics of mesothelioma tumors, mesothelioma poses quite a diagnostic challenge.

Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos fibers, which can be inhaled or ingested into the body. These fibers begin a mutative process of cancer development.

Products similar to “Cornell dots” have been developed, but none approved by Food and Drug Administration until now. Make-up of “Cornell dots” have made them just right for entry into the body—they are not considered intruder cells—and for detection by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Once “Cornell dots” have attached themselves to cancer cells, their particular qualities glow in response to specific light sources, guiding providers to cancer cells and tumors.

According to the researchers, this new technology “enables visualization during surgical treatment, showing invasive or metastatic spread to lymph nodes and distant organs, and can show the extent of treatment response.”

Currently, an estimated twenty thousand people suffer from mesothelioma worldwide; this number is expected to grow as asbestos use continues to go unregulated in many developing countries. With a rise in cases, new diagnostic tools aiding in early cancer detection could break the fatal record associated with mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. It is caused by asbestos fibers inhaled or ingested into the body. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period, often spanning several decades, and a short life expectancy following diagnosis. Although there are many mesothelioma treatments available, there is no known cure for mesothelioma.

Mrs. Witney helped to nurse and care for her husband during his last days in hospital. In light of her husband’s sudden death, Mrs. Witney believes patients and their families are not given enough information about drug trials to make an informed decision. Now, her campaigning has finally paid off. Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust has published an informational pamphlet covering details of drug trials and possible side effects.

Mrs. Witney has mixed feelings about the pamphlet. She said, “So many people suffer inadequate care within the NHS [National Health Service], not only patients but also dedicated nursing staff, due to poor management, an inability on the part of the decision makers to admit they are sometimes wrong, and the curtain of secrecy in which they like to cloak themselves when dealing with anything they find unpalatable, in the hope it will eventually disappear.

“I want to thank everyone at the Oxford Mail for the huge support they gave me at a time when I struggled to get up each morning let alone find the strength to battle with a pretty formidable opponent.

“I am extremely pleased that at last something concrete has appeared, but sadly a little skeptical as to how well the leaflet will be presented to trials patients.

“The reason for my skepticism is that this simple piece of paper has taken a ridiculously long time to produce and I feel it has been completed with some reluctance as I have been constantly fobbed off throughout this time.”

Dr. Rachel Ben-Shlomo and Dr. Uri Shanas of University of Haifa, tested the connection between mutative cancers and heightened asbestos presence. A recent study had shown the mouse population of Western Galilee was also suffering from genetic changes—many quite drastic. “This study clearly indicates that there is a link between the higher levels of asbestos in the environment and the frequency of genetic somatic mutations in the mammals,” said Dr. Ben-Schlomo and Dr. Shanas. If mice were at such risk of genetic mutations, people would also be in some danger from the present asbestos materials.

Mesothelioma is one cancer caused by asbestos fibers. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they become lodged in internal tissues, beginning a mutative process of cancer development. Malignant mesothelioma grows through protective organ lining, creating an irregular web-like system of tumors. Mesothelioma is characterized by a latency period ranging from twenty to fifty years; many mesothelioma patients have no idea they are ill until the final and most aggressive stage of the disease. During this final stage, symptoms demonstrate as those of other common respiratory infections, making mesothelioma difficult to diagnose.

Mesothelioma life expectancy following a proper diagnosis ranged form six months to several years. There are mesothelioma treatments available, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, however, there is no known cure.

Dr. Ben-Schlomo and Dr. Shanas conducted a study of two wild mice population samples to test the connection between asbestos fibers and genetic mutations.  The first sample of mice was taken from near an asbestos products manufacturing plant, where asbestos fibers could be found in the air and on surfaces, available for inhalation and ingestion by the mice. The second mice population sample came from some distance away where there was no asbestos presence detected. The researchers found the mice from near the asbestos products plant to be much changed genetically and living with obvious physical mutations, while the second sample continued to live and procreate without genetic mutations.

The doctors concluded, “These findings teach us that the pollutive, mutagenic asbestos increases somatic mutational frequency, which can in turn heighten the chances of developing cancerous growths.”

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. If asbestos fibers are inhaled they can begin a mutative process in lung lining, or lining of other abdominal cavities, which leads to malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is characterized by growth of irregularly patterned tumors through affected tissue. Most patients have no idea they were ever exposed to asbestos and undergo a latency period of twenty to fifty years—postponing possibility of diagnosis. Symptoms demonstrate during mesothelioma’s final and most aggressive stage. Following diagnosis, mesothelioma life expectancy ranges from six months to several years.

Asbestos has long been a workplace hazard. Used in several industries through the last century, and making its way into countless products and building components, asbestos has been spread across the globe. Until the 1980s US industries and workplaces used asbestos without heavy regulations and safety precautions. Although the Environmental Protection Agency has defined expectations for asbestos use, there are still many ways to be exposed to its toxic fibers. Employers cut corners on safety equipment or just fail to mention the present danger to employees. Natural wear and tear in asbestos containing materials, as well as planned or sudden demolitions, can also account for asbestos fibers being released into the air.

Edward Comer believes his asbestos exposure was a result of his work as an insulator. Form 1960 to 1984 he was employed by and involved, directly or otherwise, with the 143 companies he and his wife are suing. According to the Comers, his exposure could have been avoided had the companies accused been more forthright. The Comers are seeking a jury trial for their case, and join an estimated 1 to 3 million claimants who have filed in asbestos law suits to date.

Mesothelioma is typically diagnosed in males between the ages of sixty and seventy. Caused by asbestos exposure, mesothelioma is most commonly associated with workplace hazards and negligence. Asbestos has been prevalent in countless US industries and manufacturing trades for decades, characterizing gender and average age of mesothelioma patients by historical regularities of national employment.  Austin’s case is incredibly uncommon, adding to just a handful of children and young adult cases of mesothelioma recorded through history.

Mesothelioma development begins after inhalation of toxic asbestos fibers. These fibers can become lodged in protective tissue around lungs, heart or other abdominal organs. A cancerous mutation of healthy cells occurs; tumors begin to spread irregularly through nearby tissue. Characteristically, mesothelioma undergoes a latency period of twenty to fifty years—another reason Austin’s case stands out—not demonstrating symptoms until it’s final and most aggressive stage. Mesothelioma symptoms can lead to misdiagnosis as they are easily mistaken for those of pneumonia or bronchitis. One proper diagnosis is made mesothelioma life expectancy is short and grim, averaging eighteen months.

Mesothelioma treatments available include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy; new procedures and drugs continue to be tested and added to the standards. Combination treatments are administered to extend patient life expectancy and alleviate pain. Like so many other cancers, there is no cure for mesothelioma.

Austin played football for Pasadena and hoped for a career in the sport some day. As he told his mother, though, he would be happy to coach if his health kept him from playing. Austin suffered through the last year with fatigue, shortness of breath, heart failures and hospitalizations. Despite his worsening condition he was known for his perseverance and encouragement of others. Schoolmate and fellow football team member, Armon Easley, said of Austin, “When I was on the field and down, he would always encourage me to play harder and make up for it on the next play. He was a leader. He was somebody to look up to.” Austin will be sadly missed by family and friends.

In decades past extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) has been a common option in mesothelioma treatment, in spite of its 60% complication rate. An EPP consists of removing not only malignant mesothelioma tumors from patients, but the most affected lung, all affected lymph nodes and surrounding tissue, parts of the heart lining and diaphragm. Considered radical, unnecessary and not in the patient’s best interests, UK medical practices discontinued use of EPP in years past.  During the symposium UK and US mesothelioma surgeries were studied; medical officials present also decided EPP is not the best choice for mesothelioma treatment.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer affecting protective linings of abdominal cavities, most often lung lining. Caused by toxic chemical asbestos, mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period and a short, painful life expectancy following diagnosis. About three thousand Americans, and an estimated twenty thousand people worldwide, suffer with mesothelioma each year.

Director of UCLA Mesothelioma Research Program and symposium chairman, Dr. Robert B. Cameron, said, “The information presented at this Symposium makes an incredibly strong statement that surgical removal of the lung for treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma should no longer be performed anywhere in the world, just like it has been abandoned already in the U.K.”

Dr. Cameron communicated that experts at the symposium decidedly suggest pleurectomies as the “preferred surgical procedure.” A pleurectomy is a surgical procedure in which as many tumors and affected tissues are removed without removing or damaging the organs. Patient recovery, pain management and extended life expectancy are common goals of pleurectomies.

Thompson died after battling mesothelioma cancer, a rare and aggressive disease affecting about three thousand Americans each year. Thompson wanted desperately to spread the word about his disease in hopes of raising awareness about mesothelioma and its cause, asbestos. Sadly, due to his condition, he was unable to undertake such a task. His family and friends, though, are stepping up in his memory. Thompson’s daughter-in-law, Leslie Gabor, said, “He said, ‘Promise me that you will get awareness out there and . . . tell people the signs so they can get checked.’”

Mesothelioma is a harsh disease, mercilessly attacking healthy tissues protecting lungs, heart and other abdominal cavities. Characterized by a latency period spanning several decades, mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose until its final and most aggressive stage. Following diagnosis, mesothelioma life expectancy is short and grim.

Thompson believed his mesothelioma was a result of his fifty-three years as an insulator in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Like Thompson, many individuals who develop mesothelioma have no idea they were ever exposed to its cause, toxic chemical asbestos, until it is too late to treat with any hope of survival. Common to many workplace environments, employers often do not know, or do not say, that asbestos is a present hazard. Asbestos exposure, both accidental and intentional, has cost thousands of lives.

In recent years regulations have been put in place to protect employees and the general public from the threat of asbestos, but violations continue to happen.  Prized for its fire resistance, durability and stabilizing qualities, and with a high cost on asbestos abatement training and licensure, many companies ignore the regulations and proceed without protecting their employees or clients. Asbestos has been used so heavily for the past hundred years in America and around the world, opportunities for exposure are countless and widespread. A peak in mesothelioma cases is expected in future as latency periods beginning after establishment of asbestos regulations, come to an end.

Thompson’s son, Jim, said of his late father, “He wanted to go to the union halls . . . and try to get the word out to other guys about getting checked, but it didn’t work out that way, so now we’re picking up the pieces and trying to run with it. Hopefully, anybody that wants to know will be able to get information.  If we could save one person from going through what my father went through, it would be well worth it.”

Due to the outage, one of the power plant’s nuclear reactors required refueling—a process DOM spokesman Rick Zuercher says can take up to a month, and hundreds of contractors. Different components of the reactor are located in separate areas or buildings of the power plant—contractors were coming and going throughout the facility for some time to complete the project.

One of these attending contractors reported an asbestos threat, which received the attention of State Department of Labor and Industry. Asbestos is a toxic chemical known to be used in power plant insulation and building elements. Highly regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency, asbestos causes severe respiratory illnesses such as lung cancer, asbestosis and rare cancer mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is perhaps most commonly associated with asbestos exposure. If inhaled, asbestos fibers can start a mutative process that develops into a system of irregularly patterned malignant tumors. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common of two mesothelioma types, spreading tumors through protective lung lining. Peritoneal mesothelioma is less common, specific to tumors in lining of other abdominal cavities, such as the heart or diaphragm.

Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period, often between twenty and fifty years. Mesothelioma victims usually do not know they have been exposed to asbestos, making early detection difficult. Symptoms mimic those of pneumonia and bronchitis and do not demonstrate until the final and most aggressive stage of the cancer. Diagnosis is usually followed by a short life expectancy, averaging eighteen months.

About three thousand Americans suffer with mesothelioma each year. Most of these cases are due to workplace asbestos exposure. The World Health Organization expects a rapidly increasing number of mesothelioma cases worldwide as asbestos continues to be used globally.

State Department of Labor and Industry, spokeswoman Jennifer Wester, was part of the Surry power plant investigation. She said, “We’re looking into it, yes,” but made no further comments about the investigation or situation.

Zuercher said a ‘team of experts’ had surveyed the questionable area and considered the exposure thereat well within the safe guidelines outline by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.

Although results of temsirolimus on mesothelioma cancer cells are showing similarities to those of kidney cancer cells, there is a draw back. Tests show malignant mesothelioma cells resistant to commonly used chemotherapy drug, cisplatin, to be even more resistant to temsirolimus. This led researchers to suggest temsirolimus as a second-line treatment for mesothelioma, or a drug to be used in combination with other first-line treatments.

Mesothelioma treatments are commonly given in combination. Standard procedures include surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These may be administered in cancer-direct form, attempting to eradicate the malignant cells from the patient body, or as palliative treatment in an effort to raise patient quality of life and extend life expectancy.

Mesothelioma is characterized by a short life expectancy following diagnosis, averaging eighteen months. Mesothelioma is caused by fibers of toxic chemical asbestos, which, if inhaled, begin a cancerous development in lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities.

Professor Walter Berger, PhD, of the Institute of Cancer Research at the Medical University of Vienna says this about rare cancer mesothelioma: “Malignant mesothelioma is a severe human malignancy characterized by a very bad prognosis, with a mean patient survival time of less than one year. This unacceptable situation is mainly caused by late diagnosis combined with a distinct resistance to all forms of systemic therapy available so far. Mesothelioma is frequently caused by asbestos exposure and unfortunately — based on the long latency period — the incidence peak lies, despite the ban on asbestos, still ahead. Consequently, novel therapeutic options for this devastative disease are urgently needed.”

Results and findings of the Austrian study were published in May’s issue of Journal of Thoracic Oncology. Berger said of the study: “In our preclinical study, published in the JTO, we were able to demonstrate that inhibition of the major oncogene mTOR is active against human mesothelioma especially after development of chemotherapy resistance both in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest the initiation of clinical trials involving mTOR inhibitors as a novel anti-mesothelioma strategy.”

These sad circumstances inspired the man’s son, Jamie Menzies of Potton England, to embark on an honorable adventure. Menzies has combined his love of the outdoors and support of his father in a creative way. He will ride through Europe on his bicycle to raise money for Papworth Hospital and to heighten mesothelioma awareness.

Papworth Hospital sees an average of 22,400 patients a year. Riding 100 meters per patient, Menzies will take his bike across 1,400 miles of England, France and Switzerland. Menzies plans to ride about 61 miles a day for a total of 23 days, returning to Papworth Hospital. His campaign is being called, “One man, Two wheels, Three countries, and An Amazing Cause.”

Mesothelioma research is an amazing cause. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates ninety thousand people die annually from mesothelioma. Over two thousand of these losses are in the UK, which Professor Julian Peto, of London School of Hygiene and Topical Medicine and the Institute of Cancer Research, believes is the highest national, annual mesothelioma death rate in the world.

Although there are mesothelioma treatments available, there is no known cure. Treatments include surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These treatments are often used in combination in either a cancer-direct approach or as palliative care to increase quality of life.

Mesothelioma is caused by toxic chemical asbestos. Once asbestos fibers are inhaled they begin a cancerous growth through lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. Pleural mesothelioma, the type Menzies’ father is battling, is specific to the lining of protective lung tissue. Peritoneal mesothelioma, the less common of the two types, is seen in other abdominal linings such as that of the heart or diaphragm.

Menzies goal is to raise $4375 dollars. His website has already received donations totaling $3600. “Every penny raised for the charity will go towards their [Papworth's] Mesothelioma fund, being used to research new techniques to tackle Mesothelioma.”

Menzies is sponsored by BikeTart, a local bike shop donating 5% of all sales to Menzies’ cause when ‘Cycle4Papworth’ is mentioned during the transaction.

To benefit and protect public health and safety, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created standards and definitions for asbestos use and removal in the US. According to the EPA, “Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used commonly in a variety of building construction materials for insulation and as a fire-retardant. Because of its fiber strength and heat resistant properties, asbestos has been used for a wide range of manufactured goods, mostly in building materials (roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, paper products, and asbestos cement products), friction products (automobile clutch, brake, and transmission parts), heat-resistant fabrics, packaging, gaskets, and coatings.  When asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed by repair, remodeling or demolition activities, microscopic fibers become airborne and can be inhaled into the lungs, where they can cause significant health problems.”

One of the health problems caused by asbestos is rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long almost undetectable latency period, usually between twenty and fifty years. When symptoms to demonstrate they mimic those of bronchitis and pneumonia making the disease still harder to diagnoses. When proper diagnosis is made, patient life expectancy averages eighteen months. Mesothelioma treatments are available, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Researchers, scientists and medical providers continue to search for a cure.

President of Delaware based Sussex Environmental Health Consultants, Susan White, said of the elementary school’s asbestos discovery, “A thorough building investigation should have involved testing some of the ceiling tiles.” She continues,  “Had it been discovered earlier, it could have been worked into the initial renovation budget. …it’s important that educational institutions across the nation look to ways of providing the healthiest IAQ [indoor air quality] possible for their students, faculty and others.”

What was heartily built up between the 1920s and 1980s in the US is now causing public health threats and safety risks across the nation. Asbestos containing materials, once durable and sturdy, are now aging, wearing and releasing toxic asbestos fibers into the air.

Asbestos causes severe respiratory illnesses including rare cancer mesothelioma, which affects about three thousand Americans each year. Although there are mesothelioma treatments available, there is no cure. In light of this danger, countless building and renovation project have been postponed or even stopped all together by the presence of asbestos.

One group in Centerville, Maryland is not being put off by asbestos.  Staff and students of Wye River Upper School have a vision that will not be thwarted. After purchasing an old armory to be used for students with learning challenges such as ADHD and dyslexia, the school group has created a vision for the property embracing its unique aspects.

Once used as a training center for the National Guard, the old armory boasts rusty metal lockers, artillery closets, and a basement shooting range complete with bullet-holed walls. Although many of the original characteristics will stay through the renovated property, the overall change will be drastic. Head of School, Chrissy Aull sees an art and music studio in the armory’s garage; theater productions on the reclaimed stage and staff and students gathered around the original fireplace.

Although asbestos was found on the premises, Aull and her students are not reconsidering their goals. Abatement of materials containing the toxic chemical is first on the list, but to an excited group of staff and students, it’s just another part of the process, not a deterrent.

Aull is anxious to get the asbestos materials out of the way so visitors and students can begin touring the property. “All the tile has to come up,” Aull said. “That will clear the way for us to bring in other people.”

Wye River Upper School received a gift of $1 million from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. $475,000 of that gift went to the cost of the building; the balance will begin renovations. Torchio Architects have helped with pre-approval from the town and the students have begun tearing ivy away from the outside walls.

Looking forward, Aull said, “We’re hoping we can move in in September 2012.”

Metro died at 91 years old after fighting mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is caused by toxic chemical asbestos. There are no specific details on when or how Metro was exposed to asbestos, but he did share in a 2007 interview that he spent time working in the coalmines of Western Pennsylvania. Metro joined his father, a fulltime miner, for mine work during the summers.

Asbestos exposure is a risk associated with many types of mining. Miners often come in contact with raw asbestos while in cramped spaces with minimal ventilation. This makes inhalation of asbestos fibers and dust more probable than in an open area where the air is moving. Asbestos dust and fibers can be brought home on miners clothes, shoes and in their hair, extending possible asbestos exposure to family and household members who may never have entered mines themselves.

Once asbestos fibers are inhaled they can cause severe respiratory conditions, which include mesothelioma, as well as lung cancers and asbestosis. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period, often between twenty and fifty years. During this time there are no noticeable symptoms and the patient is usually completely unaware that they are developing cancer.

Mesothelioma grows in an irregular pattern of tumors through the lung lining or lining of other abdominal cavities. When symptoms do show they mimic those of bronchitis and pneumonia, usually postponing proper diagnosis. Once diagnosis is made, mesothelioma patient life expectancy averages eighteen months. There are mesothelioma treatments available, but no known cure. Treatment typically includes a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

During Metro’s summer work in the mines, he survived a blast that killed seven other men. “And I said ‘To heck with it’ after that,” he said. Metro decided a lifetime of mining was not for him.

Metro’s baseball career began in 1940. He played for the Detroit Tigers and then moved into management. For decades he worked in baseball management and scouting. After retiring he continued to be a part of the baseball world working as a consultant.

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that affects about three thousand Americans each year and an estimated twenty thousand people around the world. This number is expected to rise as mesothelioma’s cause, toxic chemical asbestos, continues to be used without proper safety regulations and protection. Although the US has greatly regulatd asbestos use in the last several decades, it has been called the backbone of American industry for its part in countless manufacturing arenas between the 1920s and 1980s. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act describes rules and codes for safe use and removal of asbestos.

Minton spent nearly twenty years working at Newport News Shipbuilding. We worked as a ship fitter in new construction for his first seven years at the yard. It was when he moved to a supervisor position in commercial ship repair that his asbestos exposure was allegedly the worst. Between 1966 and 1977 Minton was regularly exposed to the toxic chemical while working on Exxon oil tankers. His doctors blame the disease on his many years exposure while at the yard.

Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period, often between twenty and fifty years. This makes it hard to diagnose, particularly if the patient had no idea they were ever exposed to asbestos. Symptoms demonstrate decades after the cancer has begun growing through the respiratory system; they mimic those of bronchitis and pneumonia, further postponing proper diagnosis.

Mesothelioma grows as a system of irregularly patterned tumors through lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. There are mesothelioma treatments available which include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. There are also palliative treatments available for patients who wish to focus on quality of life rather than taking a cancer direct approach. Life expectancy following diagnosis averages eighteen months.

Minton’s lead attorney on the case, Bobby Hatten, was surprised at the jury’s decision. He said, “The jury awarded Minton $12 million in compensatory damages, $12.5 million in punitive damages, and $430,961 in medical expenses, plus interest. That brings the total verdict to about $25 million.” He continues, “Exxon got a good, old-fashioned horse whipping is what it is. They awarded two-and-a-half times what I asked for.” Hatten said,  “That shows how upset they were at Exxon.”

This demonstration of artificial intelligence (AI) caught the attention of Joseph Belluck, attorney and partner at New York City’s law firm of Belluck & Fox, LLP, representing mesothelioma victims. Long time advocate for the global ban of cancer-causing asbestos, Belluck was excited about the medical potential Watson represented.

“IBM’s Watson was able to weigh numerous options in response to ‘Jeopardy!’ questions – or answers, actually – and respond more quickly and more accurately than humans, and that also means that computers are one step closer to assisting physicians as diagnostic tools,” Belluck said in response to the televised demonstration. He continues, “Having this volume of information instantly available will be an incredibly valuable advance. Mesothelioma victims need as many options as possible to fight this terrible disease.”

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by asbestos, a toxic chemical used around the world in numerous industries despite its fatal dangers. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period and symptoms mimicking other conditions, which makes it difficult to diagnose. Life expectancy for mesothelioma patient averages eighteen months after diagnosis. There are mesothelioma treatments available including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but no known cure.

IBM announced a partnership with Columbia University, University of Maryland and Nuance Communications Incorporated. The collective will begin development of a cybernetic physician’s assistant (PA) capable of voice recognition. In as few as 18 months; AI PA’s may be making their way to doctor’s offices.

In a recent study by University of Illinois Medical Center, 62 – 88% of participating doctors missed key information in patient interviews. A cybernetic personality that doesn’t get tired, stressed, distracted or over-worked may be a welcome addition to the doctor’s office.

Belluck said, “Computers that can help with a complex medical diagnosis will be especially helpful for mesothelioma victims, since their symptoms are often confused with other conditions, and the earlier the disease is accurately diagnosed, the better the survival odds are.”

Andy received a trial mesothelioma treatment regime which brought on sudden severe side effects; he lost the use of both his legs and was stricken with uncontrollable diarrhea.

At the inquest following Andy’s death, Coroner Nicholas Gardiner, said death was caused by mesothelioma, but had possibly been accelerated by the trial treatments.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer, affecting lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities, such as the heart. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers, which after being inhaled can begin growth of irregularly patterned malignant tumors. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period—between twenty and fifty years. When signs and symptoms do demonstrate they mimic those of other respiratory condition such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Mesothelioma patient life expectancy following diagnosis is short, averaging eighteen months. There are mesothelioma treatments available, but no cure.

Karen Witney complained of finding her husband uncared for and unattended during his stay at Churchill Hospital. She sates on occasion his hygiene was neglected to the point of furthering his health concerns. These conditions added to both her and her husbands stress during their last times together.

Chief executive of Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust, Sir Jonathan Michael, wrote in a letter to Karen Witney: “We regret that we did not provide Mr. Witney with a high standard of care during the final days of his life and for the distress and suffering this caused you both.”

Richard Money-Kyrle of Darbys Solicitors LLP, negligence attorneys, responded to this incident with much seriousness. He said, “Medical negligence can come in many forms – not just botched surgery or misdiagnosis of a serious illness or injury. In this case, it was substandard care for someone suffering terribly with the effects of these drugs. There is no cure for mesothelioma. Surgery and drugs can extend life expectancy and quality of life however the individual must never be forgotten in the quest for new and better treatment.”

Seven candidates were chosen by a peer review managed by Meso Foundation’s Science Advisory Board and led by the board’s then Chair, Dr. Raffit Hassan. Hassan is the current Senior Investigator at National Cancer Institute. He said of the selection process, “The Foundation has selected proposals that will lead to new treatment options for patients with mesothelioma. Clearly, the Meso Foundation Grants Program continues to have a significant impact on mesothelioma research conducted world-wide.”

With an estimated ninety-thousand people suffering from mesothelioma around the world annually, new treatment and cure research is always welcome. Meso Foundation’s mission is to end suffering caused by mesothelioma through development of new treatments and a cure.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer causes almost solely be asbestos fibers. It is characterized by a long latency period and a short patient life expectancy following diagnosis. These factors make mesothelioma difficult to diagnose and to treat. Mesothelioma treatments available include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but there is no known cure.

Dr. Lee Krug, new Chair of Meso Foundation’s Science Advisory Board, and Director of Mesothelioma Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, said, “We selected seven exceptional grants for funding, but certainly wish we could have funded more.”

The seven project funded by Meso Foundation are:

• Dr. Chuong Hoang, Stanford University: Mesothelioma Biomarker Development Drive by microRNA-mRNA Regulatory Module Network Analysis
• Dr. Fengzhi Li, Roswell Park Cancer Institute: Validation of a novel antiapoptotic protein inhibitor for mesothelioma treatment
• Dr. Bin Liu – Lance S. Ruble & Ferraro Law Firm Grant, University of California at San Francisco: Internalizing scFv-targeted intracellular delivery of small RNA therapeutics to all subtypes of mesothelioma
• Dr. Jill Ohar – Franz Losch Memorial Grant, Wake Forest University School of Medicine: Consortium for the sharing of germ line DNA and tissue from subjects with mesothelioma
• Dr. Manish R. Patel, University of Minnesota: Evaluation of predictive biomarkers and the host immune response to intrapleural administration of oncolytic Measles virus in a phase I clinical trial specifically for patients with mesothelioma
• Dr. Morgan Schulz, Brigham and Women’s Hospital: Tumor-Localizing Polymeric Nanoparticle Drug Delivery for the Treatment of Malignant Mesothelioma
• Dr. Sheelu Varghese, University of Maryland School of Medicine: Pre-Clinical Development of a Novel Therapy for Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Thirty-six physicians and public health experts representing twenty-one countries have written a letter to Canada’s Premier Jean Charest condemning the mine and asking the loan to be denied. Philip Landrigan, dean of Global Health at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, said in the letter, “Chrysotile asbestos causes serious harm to health…there is no safe exposure level. It goes on killing for generations.” Charest, however, continues to publicly support the “safe use of asbestos.”

Asbestos fibers are known to cause several respiratory conditions including rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is responsible for an estimated ninety thousand deaths worldwide each year and the World Health Organization considers its cause, asbestos, a Type 1 carcinogen.

Mesothelioma takes decades to develop and is characterized by a short life expectancy following diagnosis. There are mesothelioma treatments available, but no known cures.

President of Jeffrey Mine, G. Bernard Coloumbe, acknowledges, “the mineral’s dangers and the harm it has done,” but is focused on the economic growth the mine would add to the community.

The Canadian Cancer Society has openly condemned the mine as well, spurring Asbestos locals to cancel participation in yearly fundraiser Relay for Life, and remove three hundred fifty registrants from the event.

Barry Robson, president of Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia is greatly concerned for the health and safety of the well-meaning Queensland locals. He said, “It strikes terror into my heart, it really does. People are trying to do the right thing, that’s the problem.”

Robson knows the dangers of asbestos materials in the building components of the wreckage. Although non-threatening when contained, exposed asbestos can cause severe respiratory diseases. If fibers of toxic asbestos are inhaled cancerous growths can begin in the lining of the lungs and other abdominal cavities. This growth is known as rare cancer mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma takes twenty to fifty years to demonstrate symptoms. It is difficult to diagnose, outwardly mimicking pneumonia and bronchitis. Following diagnosis, mesothelioma patients average an eighteen-month life expectancy. There are mesothelioma treatments available, but no cure. It is estimated that close to ninety thousand people die of mesothelioma around the world every year.

“It’s just a natural reaction — everyone wants to get in and clean up,” Robson said, “but they just forget about the dangers. Then 20 to 30 years from now we might have people coming down with deadly diseases.”

Asbestos use has been highly regulated in countries such as Australia, the UK and US; however, these regulations have only been in place for the past few decades. Countless homes and buildings still contain asbestos materials, and with circumstances like natural disasters, exposure is unavoidable.

“You can just about say any house built before 1984 has it,” said Robson of the asbestos presence in Queensland.

Operation Yasi Assist, commanded by Brigadier Stuart Smith, has moved one thousand troops into the area to aid in rebuilding. Contractors and volunteers have also flocked to help. Volunteers are going from house to house, covering roofs, clearing trees, and helping any way they can.

Philip Bird of Tasmanian State Emergency Services (SES) is also wary of the potential dangers. His crew is trained to recognize asbestos materials. “If it’s broken or smashed and dry, we leave it alone, we don’t have the equipment to deal with it,” Bird said. “If it’s wet, we can work in the vicinity.”

Everyone working in the area has been advised to avoid using power tools or pressures hoses, which would spread asbestos fibers through the air, to soak the debris and wear protective gear. Contractors have been brought it to handle and remove the larger pieces of wreckage.

Mrs. Wickings said the dusty archives at the Croydon location and the exposed pipes of the boiler room in Epsom were the sources of asbestos fibers that led to her case of mesothelioma. Her jobs required her to spend time in both places, filing in the archives of Croydon and reading meters in the Epsom boiler room.

Mrs. Wickings’s case had been postponed while her solicitors gathered additional evidence. It was Mrs. Wickings’s hope that compensation won in the case would provide for her disabled husband, Ernie, after she was gone.

Asbestos is thought to be the sole cause of rare cancer mesothelioma. Although safe if contained, airborne asbestos fibers pose a health threat if inhaled. Mesothelioma development can begin in the lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities if asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs. This development takes twenty to fifty years to demonstrate symptoms often going unnoticed until then. When symptoms do begin they mimic those of bronchitis and pneumonia making diagnosis difficult.

Following diagnosis of mesothelioma, patient life expectancy is short, averaging eighteen months. Mesothelioma treatments are available and include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or palliative care. There is no known cure for mesothelioma.

Mrs. Wickings said of her condition, “I thought it might be bronchitis or pneumonia at first, it just started as a bad cough.” She became aware of the need for heightened asbestos and mesothelioma awareness. “This needs publicity, because other people need to realise they might have been in danger,” she said.

Mrs. Wickings’s health deteriorated quickly in her last few months. Once active and exercising regularly, she began to struggle with walking.

Her sister, Janet Martin said, “It was not until after Christmas that she began to go downhill very rapidly. She was struggling at Christmas but got through it and was able to spend it with her family.” She continued, “She was a wonderful woman, she was always taking the initiative. She was very active and loved growing vegetables in her allotment.”

An estimated fifteen to twenty thousand people die of mesothelioma annually around the world. The World Health Organization expects that number to quickly increase to ninety thousand if asbestos use is not drastically minimized.

Brereton’s home was broken into. Ceilings and walls had been beaten and torn apart with hammers and boots. Several boot prints were found on the premises. The police were called in to investigate.

Such press caught the attention of Workplace Heath and Safety (WHS) inspectors. Possible asbestos exposure had become a concern. WHO inspectors took six samples from Brereton’s home for testing. Results were positive—asbestos fibers were present in the home. Not only would the vandal’s damage have to be repaired, but asbestos abatement specialists would need to do the work.

Ms. Brereton said, “Everything is on hold for us at the moment. These vermin who broke into my house and smashed the walls – this is all because of them.” Her move home is postponed while additional insurance details are worked out and the asbestos threats can be cleared.

Asbestos fibers can cause severe respiratory conditions including the rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is begun by a mutation in the lung lining cells started by asbestos fibers that have been inhaled. This mutation grows into an irregularly patterned system of malignant tumors.

Mesothelioma typically takes decades to develop after initial asbestos exposure. Patients who have no idea they were exposed to asbestos may never know to be checked for mesothelioma. Diagnosis can be difficult even when symptoms do occur as the coughing and wheezing associated with mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as bronchitis or pneumonia.

Australia as well as the UK and US have growing asbestos awareness campaigns and initiatives as decades of past asbestos use now peaks in mesothelioma cases. Fifteen to twenty thousand mesothelioma cases are estimated annually worldwide. The World Health Organization expects that number to quickly reach ninety thousand if asbestos use patterns are not drastically minimized.

Ms. Brereton is anxious to get her family back home. She said “Our insurer told us they are about four weeks behind, but seeing as though we have an urgent health issue at the house now, that they might try to get to us a bit sooner.” She continued, “In the end it will be okay I suppose – as long as the insurance comes through.”

The family was distraught. One firefighter said of the helmet, “It’s everything to us, it’s a symbol of what we are. A piece of it is missing from Mike now.” In an attempt to aid the grieving family, local authorities offered a $1000 reward for anyone who could return the helmet.

Mesothelioma is a common threat to firefighters. A rare cancer, mesothelioma is caused by asbestos fibers that have become airborne and inhaled. In the fire and collapse of a burning building, asbestos containing materials that may have been safe are torn apart, releasing the toxic chemical. Even with protective gear on, firefighters are at risk from the dust and ash that continues long after the fire has been put out.

Once inhaled, asbestos fibers can start a mutation process in the lining of abdominal cavities, most often the lungs. This process develops into irregular patterned tumors, which take decades to demonstrate mesothelioma symptoms. Many mesothelioma patients have no idea they are ill until twenty to fifty year after their asbestos exposure when they begin to show signs of the cancer. Symptoms include coughing and wheezing, which are often mistaken for pneumonia.

There are mesothelioma treatments available, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. There is, however, no known cure. Following diagnosis, mesothelioma patient life expectancy ranges from six months to two years. Palliative care is being chosen by more and more patients—a treatment regime focusing on pain management and quality of life.

Days after it had disappeared, Urban’s helmet was left in a backpack outside the Middleboro, Massachusetts Fire Department in the middle of the night. No one requested the advertised reward. The helmet was returned to Urban’s family.

Asbestos is classified as a Type 1 carcinogen. It causes several fatal respiratory conditions including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestos use has become highly regulated in many developed countries, as the safety and health hazards have become known. However, in developing nations, such as India, asbestos continues to be used regularly and without proper protective measures.

The US covers asbestos use in the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency’s code of conduct regarding the quality and maintenance of American air. Currently, asbestos lawsuits are piling up in America, the UK and Australia as individuals and companies violate public health regulations. However, throughout the world thousands are working with and around asbestos without the benefit of such regulations or even the safety education to take personal precautions.

Asbestos is considered to be the exclusive cause of rare cancer mesothelioma, a cancer affecting abdominal cavity lining, most commonly of the lungs. Airborne asbestos fibers can begin a mutative process if inhaled. Mesothelioma takes decades to develop—typically between twenty and fifty years to show symptoms. Diagnosis is difficult as most mesothelioma patients have no idea they were exposed to asbestos, and therefore do not know what to look for. Coughing and wheezing are normal symptoms of mesothelioma, but often misdiagnosed as pneumonia or other respiratory infections.

In India and the developing world, testing and treatment centers for such a specialized disease are hard to find. Mesothelioma patients in India are hard-pressed from their beginning of unprotected asbestos exposure, through the end with limited adequate testing and mesothelioma treatment facilities.

Rana Sengupta, managing trustee of Mines Labour Protection Campaign (MLPC), reported that of the one hundred sixty four workers in the study, nineteen have already died. Results from the study would greatly help mining and union authorities to implement proper protective measures and to begin treatment for the miners already affected.

An NIOH scientist stated that of those tested 93 workers already showed signs of asbestos related illness. That’s about 65% of the workers still alive who were part of the study. The report however, has still not been released. Many believe there is more to this situation, as members of the NIOH who conducted the testing have suddenly resigned.

Protesters continue to make their demands and are threatening a hunger strike.

Lee was diagnosed with the rare cancer mesothelioma in 2007. His doctors said he would live for six months. With news that alters everything routine, Lee continued his five-mile runs, but with a new focus. With the help and support of his running group, Reading Roadrunners of England, Lee has used his unchanging routine to help thousands of others facing the same grim news. The Reading Roadrunners of England has raised sixty-two thousand dollars for mesothelioma research. The funds have been given to Queen Mary, University of London, and have been matched by the university.

Donations made through Lee’s running group will aid in a project to synthetically produce and test a naturally occurring compound which has shown to kill mesothelioma cells. Following a recent visit to Queen Mary lab, Lee said, “It’s great to be able to meet those involved and ask them things about the research.”

Dr Adrian Dobbs, an organic chemist supervising the mesothelioma research project said, “…if their data are correct then [the research] could certainly have a very powerful effect on giving longevity and a massively improved quality of life” to mesothelioma patients. This is great news as mesothelioma cases are on the rise worldwide.

Mesothelioma is most commonly associated with toxic chemical asbestos, which is believed to be the cancer’s almost exclusive cause. Once airborne, asbestos fibers can be inhaled and pose a threat to lung and lung lining tissues. A mutation in otherwise healthy cells can start from the toxic fibers, which grows into a system of irregularly patterned malignant tumors.

Detection of mesothelioma is difficult as the cancer goes through a latency period often between twenty and fifty years long. Once symptoms do demonstrate, patients who do not know they have ever been exposed to mesothelioma may not consider it a possibility. Mesothelioma is commonly misdiagnosed as pneumonia or other treatable respiratory conditions.

There are many mesothelioma treatments available, but no known cure. Standard procedures include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Palliative care has become a growing choice for patients who want to focus on quality of life without using cancer-direct treatments.

Mesothelioma is caused by toxic chemical asbestos, which continues to be used around the world in building and construction.  Many countries, including the US have all but discontinued asbestos use and enforce strict regulations pertaining to its use and removal.

With a typical latency period ranging from twenty to fifty years, mesothelioma cases will continue to rise until asbestos use has been totally discontinued for decades. The World Health Organization estimates an approaching ninety-thousand mesothelioma cases annually if asbestos use patterns are not drastically changed.  With no known mesothelioma cure, new treatments are welcomed by mesothelioma victims and their families.

S-1 is an anti-tumor drug used on gastric cancer in Japan, Korea, China and other Asian countries. Although is it currently not available for use in the US, S-1 has been recommended for approval to treat gastric cancer in Europe. Developed by Taiho Pharmaceutical Company, S-1 is known by its brand name Teysuno.

Current mesothelioma treatments consist of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and palliative treatments for patients choosing to focus on quality of life rather than cancer-direct treatments. Mesothelioma is often diagnosed quite late in its development; life expectancy following diagnosis is short, ranging from six months to five years.  Mesothelioma is characterized by irregularly patterned tumors throughout the lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. Pleural mesothelioma is specifically the cancer in lung lining, while peritoneal mesothelioma refers to the same cancer affecting linings of other abdominal cavities. Although both are rare cancers, pleural mesothelioma is the more common of the two.

S-1 was developed to prevent cancer tumor growth as well as to support another anti-cancer medication, 5-FU. In the study of S-1, lab mice received mesothelioma cells in their chest cavities, which were allowed to develop for quite some time before test treatments. This wait was to simulate the typical late stage at which human mesothelioma patients began treatments. It was reported that the mice responded well to S-1, which reduced their cancer growth and prolonged their survival times.

Researchers of the study concluded that S-1 is promising as a possible good drug to use against pleural mesothelioma.

The World Health Organization classifies asbestos as a Type 1 carcinogen. Causing severe respiratory conditions including lung cancer, asbestosis and rare cancer mesothelioma, asbestos is a serious public health hazard. Used for decades in industries throughout America, and across the world, asbestos is present in countless building and structural materials.

Considered non-threatening when contained in other materials, asbestos fibers become a risk when airborne. In residential construction asbestos is commonly associated with floor and ceiling tiles. If intact, risks of asbestos exposure from such items are low. However, after much wear and tear, or in the event of demolition, asbestos fibers can become exposed, airborne and dangerous.

If inhaled asbestos fibers can begin a mutation in lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. This mutation grows into mesothelioma, a fatal cancer. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period, between twenty and fifty years. Without knowledge of asbestos exposure, patients have no idea they could be developing mesothelioma. Following diagnosis patents average an eighteen-month life expectancy. There are mesothelioma treatments available, but no cure. Treatments include palliative care, which focuses on pain management and enhancing quality of life, as well as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

City of Toledo authorities found over 100 cubic feet of asbestos material dumped at two locations. A total of sixty bags were found in an alley on St. Lois Street in East Toledo and in an empty house in North Toledo. Just in the last two weeks another 29 bags were found on Champlain Street.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) takes asbestos exposure seriously as a health risk. In its Clean Air Act, the EPA describes guidelines for maintaining and promoting air quality, which includes proper use and removal of asbestos. In accordance with these regulations, Ohio contractors are required to have certifications and special licensure to remove asbestos. An Ohio EPA air pollution control permit is also required for proper disposal of asbestos materials in approved landfills. High costs can be associated with such work; cut corners and fraudulent reporting have become a more regular occurrence nationwide.

Although American mesothelioma case numbers may be on a slow rise, they are no match for the mesothelioma toll in Japan. It is thought that 100,000 Japanese will die from mesothelioma by 2040. This has much to do with the nation’s heavy use of asbestos following WWII and in decades since. In 1974 alone 350,000 metric tons of asbestos was imported by Japan for use in industry and building projects. Asbestos is said to be the foundation on which Japan rebuilt its nation following the war. Slow implementation of national asbestos health regulations has added to Japanese mesothelioma case numbers.

Hidenari Hane is one man who knows what this can mean. Recently diagnosed with mesothelioma, Hane was exposed to asbestos during his employment at a Honda facility. A former mechanic at Honda, Hane was regularly exposed to asbestos from April 1968 to December 1969, which is believed to be the cause of his mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is characterized by irregularly patterned tumors on the lung lining and lining of the abdominal cavities. It can be difficult to diagnose, often being mistaken for pneumonia. Many patients do not know to look for mesothelioma because they have no idea they were ever exposed to asbestos and have no cause for concern. Following diagnosis, life expectancy ranges from six months to several years.

A Tokyo court ruled in favor of Hane in a suit against Honda, awarding him 54 million yen. Ruling Judge Koichiro Matsumoto is holding Honda accountable for not having safety precautions implemented during the 1960’s. He said, “The risks of being exposed to asbestos had been known by the time the pneumoconiosis law was enacted in 1960 at the latest, and a major company like Honda should have been fully aware of the risks and the damages at the factory were foreseeable.” He said Honda should have had respiratory protection provided for employees working with asbestos while eliminating all unnecessary asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer with no known cure. Aggressive mesothelioma treatments include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and rehabilitative therapies. A combination of treatments is typical for mesothelioma cases. However, many mesothelioma patients choose palliative treatments rather than fighting the cancer directly. Palliative care focuses on pain management and quality of life.

Mesothelioma cancer is specific to the lining of lungs and other abdominal cavities. Most typically associated with the toxic chemical asbestos, mesothelioma can begin to develop after asbestos fibers are inhaled. These fibers begin a mutation process which results in growth and spread of irregularly patterned tumors.

Development times for mesothelioma are characteristically long. Often patients do not demonstrate signs or symptoms until decades after exposure to asbestos. Many mesothelioma patients have no idea they were exposed to the toxic fibers until they have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, and the symptoms are easily assumed to be that of pneumonia or other treatable respiratory illnesses. These factors make mesothelioma difficult to detect early.

The study by University of Rochester looked at 9,701 mesothelioma cases diagnosed between 1973 and 2006. Results proved survival rates dropped drastically as time extended from original diagnosis. Survival rates were 55% after six months, 33% after one year and 5% after five years.

Factors proving positive in patient survival were varied. Female patients and patients in younger years had longer life expectancies. Tumor grade and histology also played a part in survival rates with lower tumor grade and epithelioid histology (a more common structure of mesothelioma cells) being associated with higher survival rates. Cancer-direct surgery and radiotherapies also proved to have greater impact on patient’s potential for longer life.

The Department of Radiation Oncology at James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at University of Rochester is one of the nation’s leading research institutes in cancer and radiation technology. Their mission “is to cure cancers when possible while always aiming to improve the quality of life of patients, to advance the science of cancer therapy through clinical and basic research, and to train young oncologists to carry these goals forward.”

Administrators in the development project are now considering options for proceeding. Safety for workers and potential residents is a priority. Asbestos dust and fibers cause severe respiratory illnesses including mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer with no known curative treatment.

Budget and government funding plays a big part in the decision as well. David Dawes of Land and Property Service wants to find a solution that will not require relocating the entire project, or the waste, to a new location. He said, “There’s quite good ways of dealing with that without the expense of pulling it all away and burying it in another hole. So we can actually look at different solutions that we can overcome with that and minimise any cost blowouts of the project.”

Project administrators are facing a heavy burden and a delicate decision as work has already started and plans are underway. Chief Minister Jon Stanhope responded to the find. He said, “I would not have agreed to this project, the Cabinet would certainly not have approved the project if it had come to us as say a $37, $38, $40 million job. I can’t walk away from the fact that these sorts of issues shouldn’t happen, they have and I’ll seek to ensure it won’t happen again.”

This particular piece of land does not have a hidden past. It was once used as a sewage plant as well as a waste site. Neil Savery, CEO of ACTPLA (Australian Capital Territory Planning and Land Authority) said, “It’s on the contaminated site register and that’s lead to investigations for the better part of five years. On the contaminated site register it’s essentially identified as a site of interested it doesn’t tell you exactly what’s there.” He continues, “We’ve done over 10 investigations to establish what’s in the ground, how extensive it is. The contractor has gone in and has started excavating, it’s taken a while to get down to the bottom level, and it’s found that asbestos – it’s solid cement sheeting – it is spread over a large geographical area, it’s not deposited in one or two locations.”

The project has been stopped until at least middle of next year.

Asbestos is present in countless building materials worldwide and in the UK, though in the latter concern is specific to materials manufactured and installed before 2000. Floor and ceiling tiles are common residential and commercial building materials containing asbestos. Roofing tiles, plumbing gaskets and insulation are among the many other items containing the toxic chemical.

Asbestos is the cause of many lung and respiratory illness including the rare and fatal cancer mesothelioma. Once asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can begin a mutation process in the cells on lung lining which develops into an irregularly patterned cancer. Mesothelioma takes decades to demonstrate recognizable symptoms and is often misdiagnosed as pneumonia.

There are no known curative mesothelioma treatments and prognosis is grim. Average life expectancy following diagnosis is eighteen months. Many mesothelioma patients are moving to palliative treatment regimens to manage pain and quality of life.

Health and Safety Executive inspector, Karl Raw, responded to the Aston University investigation. “While the amount of asbestos involved in this incident was small, two people now have to live with the knowledge that they may become ill from lung disease in the future,” he said.

Both Aston University and Access Fire and Security, Ltd. are being held responsible for this incident. Raw said, “Aston University failed to ensure university employees and others working across the site were aware of the presence of asbestos fibres. Surveys on the location and conditions of asbestos and materials containing asbestos had been carried out across the university but there was no procedure for communicating the details to contractors. Access Fire and Security Ltd, a long-term contractor with the university, had never been given any information about asbestos – and had never asked for it. They also failed to assess whether asbestos was present, what type of asbestos was involved and what condition it was in, before undertaking work.”

The case was heard in Birmingham Magistrates’ Court where Aston University and Access Fire and Security Ltd. pled guilty of violating asbestos control regulations.

When drilling began in the ceiling dust and debris fell onto the faces of the workers. After investigation by a Health and Safety Executive, the tiles were qualified as containing asbestos. Asbestos fibers cause severe respiratory conditions including lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma cancer.

Although the survey had been done appropriately prior to start of the job, additional work was added to the order without another survey. Workers thought they were following safe instructions.

One worker, Jonathan Cook, said, “Because the effects of asbestos take a long time to show up, the worry of whether the asbestos has caused lasting damage to my health will stay with me for years to come.

“And it’s not just me – it’s a huge worry for my partner also, as there is a chance that she might have been exposed to fibres that were brought home on my work clothes.”

Health and Safety Executive, Victoria Wise is serious about employer asbestos violations. She said, “Construction and maintenance workers are among those most at risk from asbestos-related diseases due to the nature of their work.

“Asbestos is still widely present in buildings constructed prior to 2000, so workers can often inadvertently disturb materials containing asbestos if the correct survey has not been carried out to check for its presence and appropriate control measures put in place.

“Mitchells & Butlers Retail Ltd knew there was asbestos in the building and should have ensured that all the areas where work was to be done had been checked for asbestos and the necessary precautions taken.

“Everyone who owns or operates commercial premises built prior to 2000 must ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment for asbestos has been carried out prior to any construction work starting.

“In addition construction and maintenance workers should have asbestos awareness training so that they can recognise that some materials may contain asbestos and know what action to take.”

Most asbestos exposure happens in the workplace and is often due to negligence on part of the employer. Although rules and regulations for use and removal of asbestos are in place throughout much of the western world, the latency period of mesothelioma cancer typically ranges between twenty and forty years; standards developed in the last few decades are too late for many victims.

The Minister of Workplace Relations, David O’Byrne, endeavors to raise asbestos and related disease education and awareness while the country waits for the compensation plan to be finalized. Recently heading the Asbestos Awareness Week, O’Byrne said, “We know that we have got an enormous job to do and that’s why we’re consulting with industry and the community on an appropriate compensation fund that will, in the coming months and at some stage in the next year, will be able to provide a fund that will provides justice and compensation for sufferers and also the families of sufferers.”

Residents and employees currently or potentially affected by asbestos were targeted for involvement in Asbestos Awareness Week. One of these participants, Neil Clapham, removes asbestos for a living. Clapham suggests using one of the many available professionals to remove asbestos from the home or workplace. He said, “There are thousands, literally thousands of things that we find in the home that could contain asbestos; planter pots are one of them, floor tiles are lower end of the risk spectrum, vinyl floor coverings are a bad one, they can have 70 to 80 per cent on the backing material.”

The clock is ticking for those waiting on compensation. And for many families, payment will not be available in time to help their passing loved one.

Laurie Appleby is a former employee of Railton Cement who is currently suffering with asbestosis. He understands the pressure related to financial aid in these situations. “The worst part about it,” he said, “is there’s a number of people who have already passed away with little or no compensation.”