Causes of Mesothelioma
By Tim Nally
Mesothelioma is a cancer that results from a genetic mutation within the cells of the body. The mutation causes healthy cells to change into malignant cells (cells that grow uncontrollably). These out-of-control cells multiply rapidly, forming tumors that interfere with the body's functions; the tumors in turn spread more malignant cells through the entire body. In time, mesothelioma causes death. Mesothelioma is a cancer that results from a genetic mutation within the cells of the body. The mutation causes healthy cells to change into malignant cells (cells that grow uncontrollably).
These out-of-control cells multiply rapidly, forming tumors that interfere with the body's functions; the tumors in turn spread more malignant cells through the entire body. In time, mesothelioma causes death.
Mesothelioma appears in a variety of forms, and no universal cause of mesothelioma has been discovered. Researchers have discovered that health, lifestyle, and the environment play a significant role in the development of disease; however, the primary cause of mesothelioma in most people is exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral known for its durability, ease of extraction and processing, and its high resistance to heat, flame, and electric currents. It comes in many forms, including woven material, and is found in many products - especially in the manufacturing, resource extraction and processing, and home construction industries.
The toxic effects of asbestos have long been known, and most industrialized countries have placed limits on its use. Prior to the enactment of these limits, however, many people were exposed to occupational asbestos, despite the knowledge by manufacturers and employers of its dangerous nature.
If you are suffering from mesothelioma as a result of negligence on the part of these manufacturers or employers, consider retaining the services of one of our mesothelioma attorneys. They can help you get the compensation and care that are appropriate in your particular case.
Johnson Law Group
Mesothelioma Lawyers
440 Louisiana, Suite 1700
Houston, TX 77002
Toll Free: 1 (888) 311-5522
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Nally
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Asbestos Safety in the Prevention of Mesothelioma
By J. H. Henry
WHAT IS MESOTHELIOMA?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer of the lungs which may be caused by exposure to asbestos. The major risk factor for mesothelioma is working with asbestos. About 70 percent to 80 percent of all mesothelioma cases report a history of asbestos exposure at work. Some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. There is a great number of workers who have been exposed to asbestos, have contracted mesothelioma, and have sued their employers. Currently lawyers advertising mesothelioma litigation are all over the place. Asbestos use has been outlawed in many countries, and strict safety precautions are enacted to prevent exposure to asbestos and the resulting mesothelioma. In other parts of the world asbestos safety is much less regulated. I remember being in Taiwan about ten years ago and asbestos roofing was commonplace. Mesothelioma is the one cancer that can be directly associated with asbestos.
As bad as asbestos has been made out to be it is a valuable mineral with a rich history. In manufacturing, the use of asbestos was originally believed to be a miracle mineral it is cheap to produce, has a high resistance to heat, chemical and electrical damage, and tensile strength. Over time it became obvious that workers in asbestos factories and mines who inhale asbestos fibers regularly, over a long period of time are at high risk for contracting the disease.
Asbestos is in great demand in many countries as a cheap, easy to use and durable construction material, and there is therefore a wide market for it. Many people are still unaware of the health risk involved with asbestos and do not know what mesothelioma is. As older buildings are demolished, the remaining asbestos is snatched up and sold.
MESOTHELIOMA SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, chest wall pain, and weight loss, and diagnosis can be checked using a CT scan or chest X-ray, and can be confirmed with a biopsy. Asbestosis is another disease caused by exposure to asbestos. While not cancerous, it is caused by scarring of the lung tissue which causes the lungs to lose their ability to transfer oxygen to the blood. Asbestosis is difficult to diagnose unless x-rays are taken periodically and compared to detect changes is the condition of the lungs. Mesothelioma is often difficult to pinpoint the cause or origin of the disease because it has a latency period of about 40 years.
SAFETY
Lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers have been appearing since 1929. Since then, the liability from such court cases has reached billions of dollars for not meeting the general duty clause even after the links between prolonged asbestos exposure and Mesothelioma have been confirmed. Certain industries have higher incidence rates of asbestosis and mesothelioma. Among the highest is the shipbuilding industry. Workers would often spend over 8 hours a day in an enclosed ship inhaling asbestos fibers without any respiratory protection. Because of the lawsuits and the general recognition that asbestos has inherent dangers, the US EPA has rigorous policies regarding all aspects of asbestos safety. The evidence is that when handled safely, the use of it can be properly managed. It is often more safe to leave asbestos in place but to ensure that people are notified of its presence and safely work with it.
SYNERGISM AND SMOKING CIGARETTES
There is a synergistic effect between smoking cigarettes and exposure to asbestos. This means that someone who smokes and has been exposed to asbestos is at a greater risk of developing lung cancer than the risks of someone who only smokes or the risks of someone who is only exposed to asbestos combined.
J.H. Henry has had over 20 years in the safety industry specializing in radiation, chemical and biological safety and compliance. He is active in civic organizations and involved in promoting safety and compliance in various environments including the world wide web.
Assurance Compliance-Beyond Safety and Environmental Compliance for Less
http://www.assurancecompliance.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._H._Henry
WHAT IS MESOTHELIOMA?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer of the lungs which may be caused by exposure to asbestos. The major risk factor for mesothelioma is working with asbestos. About 70 percent to 80 percent of all mesothelioma cases report a history of asbestos exposure at work. Some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. There is a great number of workers who have been exposed to asbestos, have contracted mesothelioma, and have sued their employers. Currently lawyers advertising mesothelioma litigation are all over the place. Asbestos use has been outlawed in many countries, and strict safety precautions are enacted to prevent exposure to asbestos and the resulting mesothelioma. In other parts of the world asbestos safety is much less regulated. I remember being in Taiwan about ten years ago and asbestos roofing was commonplace. Mesothelioma is the one cancer that can be directly associated with asbestos.
As bad as asbestos has been made out to be it is a valuable mineral with a rich history. In manufacturing, the use of asbestos was originally believed to be a miracle mineral it is cheap to produce, has a high resistance to heat, chemical and electrical damage, and tensile strength. Over time it became obvious that workers in asbestos factories and mines who inhale asbestos fibers regularly, over a long period of time are at high risk for contracting the disease.
Asbestos is in great demand in many countries as a cheap, easy to use and durable construction material, and there is therefore a wide market for it. Many people are still unaware of the health risk involved with asbestos and do not know what mesothelioma is. As older buildings are demolished, the remaining asbestos is snatched up and sold.
MESOTHELIOMA SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, chest wall pain, and weight loss, and diagnosis can be checked using a CT scan or chest X-ray, and can be confirmed with a biopsy. Asbestosis is another disease caused by exposure to asbestos. While not cancerous, it is caused by scarring of the lung tissue which causes the lungs to lose their ability to transfer oxygen to the blood. Asbestosis is difficult to diagnose unless x-rays are taken periodically and compared to detect changes is the condition of the lungs. Mesothelioma is often difficult to pinpoint the cause or origin of the disease because it has a latency period of about 40 years.
SAFETY
Lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers have been appearing since 1929. Since then, the liability from such court cases has reached billions of dollars for not meeting the general duty clause even after the links between prolonged asbestos exposure and Mesothelioma have been confirmed. Certain industries have higher incidence rates of asbestosis and mesothelioma. Among the highest is the shipbuilding industry. Workers would often spend over 8 hours a day in an enclosed ship inhaling asbestos fibers without any respiratory protection. Because of the lawsuits and the general recognition that asbestos has inherent dangers, the US EPA has rigorous policies regarding all aspects of asbestos safety. The evidence is that when handled safely, the use of it can be properly managed. It is often more safe to leave asbestos in place but to ensure that people are notified of its presence and safely work with it.
SYNERGISM AND SMOKING CIGARETTES
There is a synergistic effect between smoking cigarettes and exposure to asbestos. This means that someone who smokes and has been exposed to asbestos is at a greater risk of developing lung cancer than the risks of someone who only smokes or the risks of someone who is only exposed to asbestos combined.
J.H. Henry has had over 20 years in the safety industry specializing in radiation, chemical and biological safety and compliance. He is active in civic organizations and involved in promoting safety and compliance in various environments including the world wide web.
Assurance Compliance-Beyond Safety and Environmental Compliance for Less
http://www.assurancecompliance.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._H._Henry
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Lung Cancer Conundrum
By Tim Giardina
Yul Brynner born on July 11th 1920 in Vladivostok, Russia, remains one of the most unique, somewhat mysterious but highly recognizable and beloved stars of his time. Actor, Director, Narrator, star of stage and screen. He is best known to me as an actor. He was the King in "The King and I" and won an Oscar for that role. " The Ten Commandments," "The Magnificent Seven" "Solomon and Sheba". Just to name a few. Who could forget the unrelenting robot/gunslinger in "Westworld" that chased me through my mid-seventies nightmares. So many movies, television and stage appearances that to list them all would be to write a separate column. His face, voice and that unmistakable bald head, part of the very mystic which made him so memorable.
For so many of us, the legacy of Yul Brynner is wrapped up in the memory of the anti-smoking commercial that aired after his death from lung cancer in 1985. I just saw it for the first time in years on my computer and it put a lump in my throat. That image of the man who had lost his struggle but found a way to fight on. I respect that and respect him for it.
In 2007, I was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and faced with the facts that the odds were not good. I have survived for two years and now run a non profit organization for funding lung cancer research and offering support to patients and families.
The "Yul Brynner effect" as I now call it is still as effective today as it was 20 years ago and that might not necessarily be a good thing anymore.
Tell anyone you meet that you have lung cancer and the first question back to you is "did you or do you smoke?"
The willingness of someone to donate to a cause is subject to several factors. First being their financial ability to give, second is the ability to connect to the cause. We have been pounding it into peoples' heads for years that lung cancer is a smokers' issue, therefore if I don't smoke, lung cancer is not my issue. It's that "you did it to yourself," disconnect coupled with the extremely high mortality rate that keeps lung cancer in the closet even though lung cancer will kill more people this year then breast, colon and prostate cancer combined.
Somehow we have to move beyond that powerful Yul Brynner image and replace it with a new face and a voice, one that says, " How and why it happened to you is not as important as what we need to do to cure you and keep future generations safe from cancer's leading killer." One that will assist research facilities all over the country in educating and employing the next generation of scientists and researchers by generating the funds needed.
Maybe the new face of Lung cancer is in your mirror and the voice is the one in your head telling you to do something now before it is a necessity for a loved one.
Ultimately Yul's message was a simple, powerful message from a man who like many of us realized too late how precious life is and that it must be defended at all costs. A warning to do the things necessary today to help prolong your tomorrows. 24 years later still powerful, still meaningful but somehow lost in the chaos of the day.
Tim Giardina is the co-founder and President of the GFLCCO as well as a current small cell lung cancer survivor. The GFLCCO is developing a World Wide network of supporters with facts and information regarding lung cancer, lung cancer treatment, proper diets and exercise and alternative medicines and treatments as well as valuable links to a deep pool of resourses for patients and their families. The primary function of the GFLCCO is to support Scientists by funding research for a cure. If you would like to learn more about the GFLCCO, need information or support or would be interested in reading more of Tim's work, please visit us at http://www.gflcco.com We are a non profit organization that also relies on the support of others to carry on with our work, if you find our site useful, your support would be greatly appreciated.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Giardina
Yul Brynner born on July 11th 1920 in Vladivostok, Russia, remains one of the most unique, somewhat mysterious but highly recognizable and beloved stars of his time. Actor, Director, Narrator, star of stage and screen. He is best known to me as an actor. He was the King in "The King and I" and won an Oscar for that role. " The Ten Commandments," "The Magnificent Seven" "Solomon and Sheba". Just to name a few. Who could forget the unrelenting robot/gunslinger in "Westworld" that chased me through my mid-seventies nightmares. So many movies, television and stage appearances that to list them all would be to write a separate column. His face, voice and that unmistakable bald head, part of the very mystic which made him so memorable.
For so many of us, the legacy of Yul Brynner is wrapped up in the memory of the anti-smoking commercial that aired after his death from lung cancer in 1985. I just saw it for the first time in years on my computer and it put a lump in my throat. That image of the man who had lost his struggle but found a way to fight on. I respect that and respect him for it.
In 2007, I was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and faced with the facts that the odds were not good. I have survived for two years and now run a non profit organization for funding lung cancer research and offering support to patients and families.
The "Yul Brynner effect" as I now call it is still as effective today as it was 20 years ago and that might not necessarily be a good thing anymore.
Tell anyone you meet that you have lung cancer and the first question back to you is "did you or do you smoke?"
The willingness of someone to donate to a cause is subject to several factors. First being their financial ability to give, second is the ability to connect to the cause. We have been pounding it into peoples' heads for years that lung cancer is a smokers' issue, therefore if I don't smoke, lung cancer is not my issue. It's that "you did it to yourself," disconnect coupled with the extremely high mortality rate that keeps lung cancer in the closet even though lung cancer will kill more people this year then breast, colon and prostate cancer combined.
Somehow we have to move beyond that powerful Yul Brynner image and replace it with a new face and a voice, one that says, " How and why it happened to you is not as important as what we need to do to cure you and keep future generations safe from cancer's leading killer." One that will assist research facilities all over the country in educating and employing the next generation of scientists and researchers by generating the funds needed.
Maybe the new face of Lung cancer is in your mirror and the voice is the one in your head telling you to do something now before it is a necessity for a loved one.
Ultimately Yul's message was a simple, powerful message from a man who like many of us realized too late how precious life is and that it must be defended at all costs. A warning to do the things necessary today to help prolong your tomorrows. 24 years later still powerful, still meaningful but somehow lost in the chaos of the day.
Tim Giardina is the co-founder and President of the GFLCCO as well as a current small cell lung cancer survivor. The GFLCCO is developing a World Wide network of supporters with facts and information regarding lung cancer, lung cancer treatment, proper diets and exercise and alternative medicines and treatments as well as valuable links to a deep pool of resourses for patients and their families. The primary function of the GFLCCO is to support Scientists by funding research for a cure. If you would like to learn more about the GFLCCO, need information or support or would be interested in reading more of Tim's work, please visit us at http://www.gflcco.com We are a non profit organization that also relies on the support of others to carry on with our work, if you find our site useful, your support would be greatly appreciated.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Giardina
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