Mesothelioma

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Mesothelioma

What is it?

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of cells lining the body’s internal organs, known as the mesothelium. There are three recognized types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the disease, accounting for roughly 70% of cases, and occurs in the lining of the lung known as the pleura. Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the abdominal cavity, known as the peritoneum and pericardial mesothelioma originates in the pericardium, which lines the heart. The only recognized cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, though other factors such as smoking can make the disease more or less likely in some individuals. Industrial laborers were widely subjected to asbestos exposure on the job, as the material was widely used throughout the 20th century. Few of these workers knew they were being exposed to asbestos, however, despite the fact that many manufacturers were aware the material was hazardous. In most cases, mesothelioma symptoms will not appear in an individual exposed to asbestos until many years after the exposure has occurred. Those who believe they may have been exposed to asbestos should fill out our form to receive a free mesothelioma information packet, detailing treatment options, emerging therapies, and jobsite exposure information.

Mesothelioma Treatment

A Patient's Options

Once an individual has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the next step is to discuss mesothelioma treatment options with his/her physician. Recent scientific research has produced significant breakthroughs with regard to treatment protocols for mesothelioma patients and more options are now available for managing the disease and supporting improved quality of life. Newly diagnosed patients always have many questions about the treatment options that would be most effective for them, including questions about new treatment therapies like Alimta and Cisplatin and other chemotherapy drugs. In addition to these newer drugs that are being used to treat asbestos cancer, mesothelioma patients also have a number of "conventional" treatment options to consider, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Clinical trials and experimental treatments are still other options that some mesothelioma patients may be eligible to participate in. Our site features a comprehensive mesothelioma cancer treatment section that includes important information for patients and families. We’ve included resources on top mesothelioma doctors such as Dr. Sugarbaker, as well as a comprehensive list of questions that you may wish to discuss with your personal physician when preparing a treatment plan. We are always providing new and informative resources regarding mesothelioma treatment including: Clinical Trials, conventional treatments, experimental therapies, and more. Check back often for the most recent advances in mesothelioma treatments.

What is a shadow on a chest X-ray?

Due to the differences in their composition (and, therefore, varying degrees of penetration of the X-ray beam), the lungs, heart, aorta, and bones of the chest each can be distinctly visualized on the chest X-ray. The X-ray film records these differences to produce an image of body tissue structures and these are shadows seen on the X-ray. The white shadows on chest X-ray represent more dense or solid tissues, such as bone or heart, and the darker shadows on the chest X-ray represent air filled tissues, such as lungs.

What is a chest X-ray?

A chest X-ray is a radiology test that involves exposing the chest briefly to radiation to produce an image of the chest and the internal organs of the chest. An X-ray film is positioned against the body opposite the camera, which sends out a very small dose of a radiation beam. As the radiation penetrates the body, it is absorbed in varying amounts by different body tissues depending on the tissue's composition of air, water, blood, bone, or muscle. Bones, for example, absorb much of the X-ray radiation while lung tissue (which is filled with mostly air) absorbs very little, allowing most of the X-ray beam to pass through the lung.

Mesothelioma Treatment

A Patient's Options

Veteran Support

Navy veterans who worked in navy shipyards and or served on our nation’s warships and submarine’s from WWII through the Vietnam War were exposed to high concentrations of deadly asbestos. Boiler rooms, engine rooms, sleeping quarters, and other areas of naval vessels were the most common areas where asbestos was present. As a result, Navy veterans are at a greater risk of developing mesothelioma. Veterans who were exposed should fill out the brief form on this page to receive a free mesothelioma and asbestos exposure information kit. Support systems are in place to make sure you receive the assistance you deserve.

Staying Healthy

Many people have found ways to maintain and even to enhance their quality of life when they have malignant mesothelioma. This section discusses some ideas you may find useful. Keep in mind that you should always talk to your doctor or health care professional about the specifics of your situation.

Welcome to Mesothelioma News

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, this web site is for you.

Mesothelioma News is dedicated to bringing you comprehensive information on a full range of topics about mesothelioma, including treatment, support, and legal help.

On Mesothelioma News you’ll find a great deal of information including:

• The types and symptoms of mesothelioma and diagnosis of the disease
• Up-to-date information about treatment options for mesothelioma
• Support groups and resources for patients and their families
• The relationship between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma
• Protecting your legal rights

Mesothelioma News is your site for the up-to-date information you need if you or a loved one has been affected by this disease.

The law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C. has been fighting for the rights of mesothelioma victims for nearly three decades. One of the firm’s founders filed one of the first asbestos lawsuits in the country against asbestos manufacturers. With more than 50 attorneys, over 200 staff, and offices in Texas, California, Louisiana, Ohio, and New York, Baron & Budd is one of America’s largest law firms that fights for the rights of people and families affected by mesothelioma. Our firm has successfully represented asbestos victims from throughout the country. Here are just some examples of compensation we have achieved for our clients:

The cases described here reflect the net amounts of the judgments or settlements our clients received after the deduction of attorneys fees and expenses-in other words, what our clients actually received. The actual settlement or verdict would be higher. These cases were all handled by Baron & Budd attorneys serving as lead counsel.

Specific Results Depend on the Facts of Each Case.

$10,603,661.00 Received by Client after Attorney’s Fees and Expenses for a gentleman who developed malignant mesothelioma as a result of his exposure to joint compound as a construction worker. This case went to trial and resulted in a significant verdict in favor of the gentleman, his wife and children that was listed by a national legal publication as one of the top verdicts in the U.S. that year. The case subsequently settled.

$6,356,942.00 Received by Client after Attorney’s Fees and Expenses, for the widow of a man who died at the age of 50 after developing asbestos-related mesothelioma. He was exposed to asbestos while serving in the Navy aboard nuclear submarines during the 1960s. This case went to trial against the manufacturer of an asbestos-containing pipe covering product. The jury awarded a significant verdict, which was affirmed on appeal.

$4,380,755.00 Received by Client after Attorney’s Fees and Expenses, for an ironworker who worked at a number of industrial sites throughout his career and who was diagnosed with mesothelioma at the age of 79.

More results here

News

April 2, 2009

Ohio wrecking company hit with air pollution fines

Eslich Wrecking Co. of Louisville was fined $16,294 for air quality violations in its East Akron stone-crushing business. The company’s dust control was found inadequate in a 2003 inspection.
The company and its owner already paid nearly $100,000 in 2007 for illegal disposal of asbestos materials and other violations associated with the demolition

March 31, 2009

Wisconsin offering free asbestos removal education on April 7

The Wisconsin Dept of Health Services is offering free educational sessions on safe handling and removal procedures for asbestos and other hazardous materials on April 7th from 1 to 5 pm at Northcentral Technical College. In these sessions, health department officials will share information on the regulations governing asbestos removal.
Asbestos is still

March 30, 2009

No more asbestos inspections in Michigan?

According to Alex Sagady, an environmental consultant, the 2009-2010 budget proposed by Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm does not provide for state asbestos inspections that would normally enforce clean air standards during asbestos-related renovations, demolition and waste disposal.
Although the federal regulations themselves would remain in effect, without inspections to ensure compliance, they cannot be as

March 26, 2009

Mass. company fined for asbestos violations

Environmental Source Corp. of Lawrence, Massachusetts has been fined $18,137 by the Mass. Dep’t of Environmental Protection for asbestos violations during the company’s removal of asbestos siding from a home. When the Mass. DEP responded to a complaint, officials found broken asbestos materials lying on the ground.
When asbestos products are broken or

March 25, 2009

Montana cement plant finds asbestos in quarry, work suspended

At Ash Grove Cement Co. near Helena, Montana, workers are being paid not to work while the presence of asbestos in the quarry and the plant itself is being investigated. Tremolite asbestos, like that found in the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine outside Libby, Montana, was found in the quarry last month. The effects

March 24, 2009

High mesothelioma rate in Grace’s 1976 hamster study, says company chemist

A former W.R. Grace chemist told jurors at the Grace criminal trial that company executives ordered an animal study of the effects of its asbestos-contaminated vermiculite in 1976. Hamsters were injected with the vermiculite, and many of them developed asbestos-related mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Within a year of injection, 10 of the

By Jobsites

Shipyards
Medical studies show that 80% of people working in the shipbuilding industry for greater than twenty years have a significant risk of developing mesothelioma. Many shipyard employees worked around asbestos insulation in steam pipes, incinerators, and boilers without knowledge of the importance of wearing proper protective equipment in enclosed and poorly ventilated areas.

Metal Works
Metal works employees are at a particularly high risk of developing mesothelioma, especially if they worked around certain materials commonly found in such job sites. It is now known that thermal insulation, hot water pipes, steam pipes, brakes, clutches, and gaskets may have been contaminated with asbestos. Because of its fire-resistance properties, asbestos was a popular material in the metal works industry.

Power Plants
The risk of mesothelioma for those who worked in power plants has become an increasing worry. Many power plant operators worked directly with boilers, generators, and turbines that were contaminated with asbestos. Even employees who had casual exposure over many years of work are now at risk for developing mesothelioma.

Aluminum and Metal Plants
Much of the equipment in aluminum and other metal plants have been found to have been contaminated with asbestos. The equipment in question includes furnaces, pourers, insulation in pipes, and even in the clothing fibers made for the plant workers to wear. Exposures to asbestos, especially in poorly ventilated work areas, pose the greatest risk to this group of workers. Much of the time, protection equipment to guard against airborne asbestos particles was used improperly or not at all.

Paper and Pulp Mills
Various pipes and boilers used in paper and pulp mills are thought to have been contaminated with asbestos prior to the knowledge that exposure to the mineral caused mesothelioma. Due to its fire-resistant properties, asbestos was used in pulp and paper mills to guard against fire. Former workers of these kinds of industrial sites now find their risk of developing mesothelioma is high.

Lumber, Particleboard, Plywood, and Veneer
Plants and mills used in the manufacturing of lumber, particleboard, plywood, and veneer products were often constructed using asbestos materials. Due to the fire-resistant nature of the material, it seemed like the proper choice for an industry making flammable goods. It is now known that many workers in this area of manufacturing were exposed to asbestos and run the risk of developing mesothelioma illness.

Refineries and Chemical Plants
Insulation, pipes, and packing are among the common materials found in refineries and metal plants that were contaminated with asbestos. For workers that may have been exposed to asbestos in the refinery and chemical industry, the threat of mesothelioma remains very real. Industry workers who were stationed in areas with little ventilation are among those at greatest risk, as inhalation of asbestos remains the primary cause of mesothelioma cancers.

Commercial Industry
Commercial industries used asbestos-laden products for many years in many different applications. From roofers to brewery workers, airplane manufacturers to gypsum millers, there are many different industrial disciplines that used asbestos in their product manufacturing. A short list of various industries that may have been affected appears below.

Rubber plants
Tire plants
Roofing and siding plants
Food processing plants
Sugar refineries
Breweries
Greenhouses
Sand and gravel plants
Gypsum mines
Airplane production companies

If you or someone you know worked in any of these industries prior to the knowledge that asbestos was the primary cause of mesothelioma, please consult a physician if you develop mesothelioma-related symptoms.

Hospitals, Prisons, and Schools
Asbestos building materials were used in structures that housed communal living, wellness, and education for years, primarily because such places posed a large risk of fire-related deaths. In an attempt to safeguard the ill, the incarcerated, and children from the threat of fire, the building industry inadvertently exposed many people to airborne asbestos particles. If you worked in a hospital, prison or school, were incarcerated or were educated prior to the 1970s, your risk for mesothelioma-related illness could be higher than you might assume.

Mesothelioma Stages

There are 4 stages of mesothelioma development. Stage 1 is the least severe of the 4. Stage 4 is the most severe and generally the hardest to treat.

Stage I: Respectable mesothelioma and no lymph node involvement
At this stage, mesothelioma has been diagnosed and found within a body cavity. However, there are no signs of the disease in the lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are a system of the body some cancers use to move and infect other areas of the body outside where the cancer was first found.

Stage II: Respectable mesothelioma, but with lymph node involvement
In this stage, mesothelioma has been detected in the lymph nodes, but not outside the area it was first diagnosed. Sometimes infected lymph nodes can be removed, lessening the chance of the disease infecting other parts of the body.

Stage III: Unrespectable mesothelioma extending into chest wall, heart, or through the diaphragm or peritoneum with or without extrathoracic lymph node involvement
This is the stage in which mesothelioma is first found outside the area in which the infection began. Mesothelioma tumors begin to appear in the wall of the chest, the area of the heart, and in the abdominal cavity. Lymph nodes within the chest are infected and other lymph nodes of the body could be infected as well.

Stage IV: Distant metastatic disease
In this final stage of mesothelioma infection, tumors can be found anywhere in the body.

Additional Treatments

Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a treatment for mesothelioma cancer that has mixed-results. The procedure entails using certain vaccines to help boost the body’s natural immune system. Some patients experience severe side effects from immunotherapy, such as fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, and muscle wasting. However, the use of a drug called Interferon Alpha has shown promise in immunotherapy, with patients experiencing a lesser amount of side effects and a greater overall decrease in mesothelioma tumor size.

Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy
Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemothrapy (HIIC) is a treatment for mesothelioma cancer in which a surgeon removes all or part of a mesothelioma tumor and then directly administers a chemotherapy medication into the abdomen. The chemotherapy is left in place for upwards of two hours and then drained from the abdominal cavity. HIIC has a three-fold approach. First, higher doses of chemotherapy can be used in this way. Second, heating the chemotherapy agent aids in destroying cancer cells. And finally, the heated medication allows for better penetration of cancerous tumors.

Common Treatments

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a treatment approach that uses chemicals, in medicine form, to treat the growth of cancer tumors. Cancer is caused when the production of healthy cells goes into overdrive. The body reacts by attacking the overproduced cells, but it cannot distinguish healthy cells from cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs work by attempting to slow or stop the rate of cell production in cancerous tumors and, as a result, slowing or stopping the growth of the cancerous tumors.

Radiation
Radiation is a treatment approach that is generally used on patients who have already undergone surgery to remove mesothelioma tumors. Radiation destroys cancer cells by exposing them to a radioactive source that is focused onto the area (abdomen, lungs) that contains the cancerous tumor. Although radiation alone is not a form of therapy that has been shown to treat mesothelioma tumors, when used in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy, some patients with have been known to extend their lifespan by as many as 5 years.

Surgery
Surgery is a treatment approach that attempts to remove mesothelioma tumors or adjacent body structures (lung tissues, abdominal lining, etc.) that are infected with mesothelioma cells. A surgical procedure known as a pleurectomy/decortication is the most common surgery. This is a procedure surgeons remove the lining of the lungs that is infected with cancerous tumors or cells. Another surgical intervention known as an extrapleural pneumonectomy is sometimes performed, removing part of the diaphragm or the sac lining the heart, though this is a less common approach. Overall, surgery has not proven to be a very effective means of mesothelioma treatment.

Mesothelioma Lawsuit

General Procedure

The lawsuit is the means provided by our legal system for a person who believes that he or she has been injured by the misconduct of another person (or corporation) can seek compensation for those injuries from the person or corporation that committed the misconduct. The person seeking compensation is called the plaintiff — the person or company that compensation is being sought from is called the defendant. If the plaintiff has been wronged by the misconduct of more than one person or company, then the plaintiff must sue more than one defendant. Asbestos cases will sometimes have as many as forty or more defendants, because the plaintiff may have been exposed, over the course of his or her career, to asbestos from products made by many different manufacturers. The lawsuit begins when the plaintiff files a document called a complaint in court. The complaint will identify all the defendants and contain statements (called “allegations,” because they have not yet been proven to be true in a court of law) of what the defendants did wrong, and how that wrongful conduct has harmed the plaintiff. Copies of the complaint are served, or delivered, to each defendant, to put them on notice that they are being sued. Each defendant then has a certain amount of time (usually thirty days) to file a document known as an answer. The answer will contain statements that either admit or deny (the important allegations are always denied) the allegations contained in the complaint. The answer will also contain any affirmative defenses that the defendant wishes to assert, and these will be in the form of allegations. For example, the defendants in an asbestos case may allege (make an allegation) that the plaintiff did not file his or her lawsuit before the deadline (called the statute of limitations) established by law. The plaintiff then files another document called a reply. The reply will admit or deny allegations contained in the defendant’s affirmative defenses. The complaint, answer and reply are called pleadings.

The burden of proof in a civil lawsuit is a “fair preponderance of the evidence,” which essentially means that the party (the plaintiff and defendants are called “parties”) with the burden of proving the truth of an allegation must prove it more likely than not that the facts contained in the allegation are true. Each party has the burden of proof on its own allegations. So the plaintiff has the burden of proving the facts alleged in the complaint and denied in the answer, and the defendant has the burden of proving the facts alleged in the affirmative defenses and denied in the reply.

Once the lawsuit is begun, by filing the complaint, the plaintiff and defendant can engage in discovery, where each side learns facts available to the other side. Because much (but not all) of the discovery against the asbestos companies was done years ago in other cases, the discovery process generally involves the plaintiff and the plaintiff’s lawyer providing information to the defendants. This information is provided in three forms. First, the plaintiff must answer a standardized set of written questions (called interrogatories) that must be answered in writing, under oath, with the assistance of the plaintiff’s attorney. Second, the plaintiff must sign written authorization for the defendant to obtain the plaintiff’s medical records directly from the hospitals or doctors that have given the plaintiff medical treatment. Often, there are also authorizations to obtain Social Security records of where the plaintiff has worked, and the plaintiff’s military records, if any. The third, and often most critical item of discovery is called the deposition. In his home or in a lawyer’s office, the attorneys for the asbestos companies are permitted to directly ask the plaintiff questions. The plaintiff, who will always have his or her lawyer present, must answer the questions (unless they are improper, in which case the plaintiff lawyer will object and instruct the plaintiff not to answer) under oath. There will be a stenographer present, who will make a typewritten transcript of all the questions, answers, objections and so forth. Sometimes, the plaintiff’s own attorney will be asking the questions, in order to preserve the plaintiff’s testimony. Often, these types of depositions are recorded on videotape, to be played at trial.

Once the discovery process and pleading process are completed, the case is ready for trial, and a trial will be scheduled by the court. Generally cases are tried in the order that they are filed, but many court systems have an expedited trial calendar for living persons with malignancies. The scheduling of a trial will depend on the backlog of other cases. In some jurisdictions, trials of living malignancy cases are scheduled within months of the complaint being filed. In other kinds of cases, or in other jurisdictions, it can take years.

Two Types of Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Mesothelioma lawsuits are divided into two categories — one, where the person suffering from mesothelioma is living and is bringing the lawsuit as a plaintiff in his or her own individual capacity; the second, where the person with mesothelioma has died, and the plaintiff is a spouse, relative and/or representative of the deceased person’s estate. The former is called a personal injury lawsuit (a “living case”), the latter is called wrongful death lawsuit (or “death case”), and the laws and procedures that apply to them can be quite different, depending on what jurisdiction the case is filed in.

In the case of the living plaintiff, the most important factor is time. The attorney will come to the plaintiff’s home and gather the information necessary to file the lawsuit and answer the interrogatories. This will probably take several sessions. Then, in most cases, there will be one or two depositions of the plaintiff, depending on what the local procedures are. Once the deposition(s) are done, the plaintiff’s attorney does the rest, until it is time to go to trial.

In the case where the person who would normally be the plaintiff is deceased, a court-appointed individual (usually the spouse or a close relative) stands in as the plaintiff, and the injuries claimed include the loss of life itself. The most important part of a death case is finding persons who remember working with the plaintiff, to provide the work history and product exposure testimony that the deceased individual (called the “decedent”) would have provided were he or she still living. The interrogatory answers are done and signed by the actual plaintiff, and that person may or may not have to give a deposition. Sometimes the co-workers must give depositions as well. As in the living case, at that point the lawyer takes over and prepares the case for trial.

Trial/Settlement

This is the end stage. Most cases settle before there is any actual trial testimony in court, but often a jury has to be picked and be ready to hear the case before there is a settlement (the composition of the jury can effect the settlement value of the case). Generally, where there are multiple defendants, different defendants will settle at different stages, and some will hold out to the end. Often, where there is trial, it will only be against one or two defendants.

Trial preparation is the most intense pressure cooker that a litigation attorney can be involved in, other than perhaps the trial itself. Often, the plaintiff, shunted off to a hotel room or waiting room at the courthouse, can feel lost or ignored. This is unfortunate but inevitable. The hours leading up to trial are when the case is most likely to settle, so the attorneys are simultaneously negotiating and preparing to go to war, which can result in some stress.

If the case goes to trial and the jury renders a verdict, that is not the end of the line. Either side can file an appeal, claiming that the jury found against them because of a mistake made by the judge at the trial. Cases often settle while they are on appeal as well.

Payment of Compensation

In asbestos litigation, settlement payments often take place months after the settlement is agreed to. This is because the defendants or insurance companies that are writing the checks are also writing checks on thousands or tens of thousands of other cases. Also, settlements may need to be approved by underwriters at places like Lloyd’s of London, where much of the world’s commercial reinsurance is written (for more on this, see Asbestos Litigation History). Some payments come in several months after the settlement is reached, some payments will be more than a year later. Unfortunately, because of defendants filing for bankruptcy, some won’t come in at all (at least until a bankruptcy trust starts paying out, which is sometimes years later). Some settlements can be in more than one payment.

Out of the gross amount of each settlement, the plaintiff’s attorneys will deduct the attorneys’ fee, which is usually between thirty-three and forty per cent of the total. Out-of-pocket lawsuit expenses will also be deducted at this time. The remainder, sometimes described as the amount to which the plaintiff is entitled, goes to the plaintiff. Because the asbestos bankruptcies are so backlogged (especially with all the new ones, which have not even had claim procedures set up yet), the case will generally remain open for a number of years after the settlement of the case that was pending in court.

Amounts of settlements vary widely, not only from case to case but from region to region and state to state. Even different counties within the same state can have substantial differences in settlement values.

What Is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a malignancy of either the pleura (the membrane that separates the rib cage from the outer surface of the lungs) or the peritoneum (the membrane that surrounds the abdominal cavity). Mesothelioma’s principal cause is exposure to asbestos.

The vast majority of mesotheliomas diagnosed in the United States are caused by asbestos exposure. Besides the severity of the disease, however, there is another significant difference between mesothelioma and the other asbestos-related diseases that have, historically, been the basis of most of the asbestos personal injury litigation in this country, namely asbestosis, pleural scarring and lung cancer. That difference can be called, for lack of better terminology, the exposure threshold. The other diseases, whose victims have generally made up the bulk of asbestos lawsuit plaintiffs, generally do not occur in the absence of relatively high “occupational” doses of exposure.

In other words, those are diseases that occur in people who were employed in shipbuilding, construction trades, or workers in factories that made asbestos-containing products. While these workers also contract mesothelioma at a rate many times that of general population, mesothelioma asbestos cancer is unique among asbestos-related diseases in that it can be caused by extremely low doses of exposure. It is, therefore, occurring at an increasing rate among people whose only exposure to asbestos was light or intermittent — the person may not be aware they were ever exposed.

The “next wave” of mesothelioma victims are people whose only exposure to asbestos may have been to work in or live in a building that had previously installed asbestos fireproofing or insulation present. These cases can be difficult to prosecute against the asbestos industry, because it is much tougher to establish the identity of the asbestos product to which the person was exposed. It can, however, be done in many cases if the proper effort is put into the investigation.

Let Us Help You!

Mesothelioma.net provides comprehensive resources and helps you manage a Mesothelioma diagnosis for yourself or a loved one.

Contact us at 1-888-325-4073 and speak with one of our Mesthelioma Family Advocates today. Just a 10 minute call will empower you with confidence and guidance on next steps.

We guide you and your loved one through the maze of confusion and help reduce the sense of feeling overwhelmed.

Rely on our expertise and long history of helping families of Mesothelioma victims. Call and learn more about our free services. We are glad to help.

Mesothelioma Family Advocates: Expert Advice
Patient & Caregiver Guide: Steps You Should Take
Medical Treatment: Options to Consider

Let Us Help You! We look forward to your call.

Mesothelioma Causes & Steps After a Diagnosis

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that develops in the mesothelial cells that lines many organs and body cavities. The mesothelium (composed of mesothelial cells) is the membrane that lines three of the body's cavities, and depending on what cavity it lines it is given a specific name: the thoracic cavity (pleura), abdominal cavity (peritoneum), and the heart sac (pericardium).

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that can develop in the mesothelium of the thoracic cavity in the lungs.

The mesothelium that covers the internal organs is called the visceral mesothelium, while the layer that covers the body wall is called parietal mesothelium.

Mesothelium tissue also surrounds the male internal reproductive organs and covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of the mesothelium, in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide uncontrollably and without order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the thoracic cavity (pleura) or the abdominal cavity (peritoneum).

Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States, comprising around 3 percent of all cancer diagnoses. This cancer occurs about four times more frequently in men than in women. All forms of mesothelioma, except for benign mesothelioma, are invariably fatal. The prognosis for mesothelioma is almost always poor and most studies report a median survival of less than one year, but the prognosis really depends on how early the cancer is diagnosed and how aggressively it is treated.

After a mesothelioma patient learns of their diagnosis, the next step is often exploring applicable treatment options to create the best treatment plan possible. Treatment options range from surgery to chemotherapy and we offer information about the various types of treatment available to patients. To help you learn more about these options, we provide an informational packet to interested patients and their loved ones at the top, right of this page.

Veteran Assistance for Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos-Related Disease

Each state has a network of Veteran Service Officers dedicated to assisting veterans and/or their dependents with filing claims relating to a diagnosis of mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses. These officers are often located in the county in which the veteran resides, and are responsible for walking them through the process necessary to file for service-related disabilities. Up to 90% of the claims received by the Veterans Administration each year are submitted through a County Veteran Service Office.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer related to asbestos exposure, asbestosis or pleural disease, a Veteran Service Officer may be able to assist you.

Following are listings of Veteran Service Offices/Officers by state, where this information is available. While accuracy has been insured to the best of our ability, the names of responsible parties, contact numbers or days or times of operation may change. In many offices, there may also be a number of Assistant Veteran Service Officers to assist you.

Quotes from Those Whose Lives Have Been Affected by Asbestos Disease

"In May, 1956, I went to boot camp in Maryland, and shortly afterward, boarded the aircraft carrier, USS Intrepid. I was immediately sent down to the boiler room as a fireman apprentice. Every day I worked with asbestos. Little did I know that one day, just by doing my duty, I would come down with this dreadful disease."

— Navy Fireman, mesothelioma.

"I remember we would make our own "lagging" by dumping loose asbestos in a bucket and pouring water into it. We'd mix it up with our bare hands — no gloves or anything — till it made kind of a mud, then we'd slap it on the joints. During all this, the air would be full of dust... the asbestos was just like flour."

— Navy Boilerman, mesothelioma.

"(He ) served in the Seabees and he always loved it; it was a part of the Navy he always looked up to. After the Navy (he) worked for the post office for thirty-three years. We were just about to retire and have some fun when the doctors found out (he) had mesothelioma. We had so much planned. (He) had always wanted to take me out west."

— Wife of Navy Seabee, mesothelioma.

"I was born in 1937. My father was a plasterer and painter. During slow periods in the painting business, he would work as a longshoreman in the shipyards where asbestos was used. Back then, no one knew about the dangers of asbestos. Every day he would come home from work with asbestos dust on his overalls and I would give him a big hug."

— Daughter secondarily exposed through her father's work in the shipyards, mesothelioma.

"At dry dock, they'd gut all the asbestos insulation in the fire room, then throw it into the bilges at the bottom of the ship. My job was to crawl on my belly in the ship's forward fire room bilges and sweep up the asbestos dust and debris. It was hot and poorly ventilated, so breathing the asbestos dust was just part of the job."

— Navy Boiler Tender, mesothelioma.

"During wartime, I manned a 14-inch gun and worked in the powder room. I remember my sleeping quarters ran directly under some insulated piping. Every night before I crawled into my bunk, I had to wipe the asbestos dust from my bunk that had vibrated off the insulated piping when the ship's guns were fired."

—Navy Gunner, mesothelioma.

"I was a welder and pipe fitter in the Navy, working around asbestos pipe lagging. We would make asbestos mud from loose asbestos that went around the pipes, then we would wrap the pipes with asbestos cloth. When we were welding, we would also put asbestos blankets around ourselves to protect against the heat and sparks. Sometimes we would cool down the pipes by putting them into barrels full of asbestos."

— Navy Shipfitter, lung cancer.

"I was an aircraft mechanic while serving my country at Travis Air Force Base in California during the fifties where I put asbestos gaskets into aircraft engines. Later, as a civilian, I continued as an aerospace mechanic at Edwards Air Force Base testing rocket engines. Because of the heat generated by the engines, we would protect the engine and the test stand with asbestos blankets."

— Air Force Engine Mechanic, asbestosis.

Asbestos on Navy Ships

From the 1930s through the 1970s, U.S. Navy ships, as well as ships of the Maritime Administration, were constructed using a wide variety of asbestos-containing products. Used primarily for insulation and fireproofing, these ships contained literally tons of asbestos in more than 300 products authorized by the Navy. Everyone who worked in the shipyards or aboard the ships was exposed to the potentially deadly effects of these products, and now, years later, are being diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses.

Nearly 30% of all cases of mesothelioma diagnosed each year involve Navy veterans who were exposed in the course of their military service. Many of these servicemen worked below deck in the boiler rooms, engine rooms and fire rooms of the ships where insulation was heavily used in boilers, turbines, pumps, valves and other equipment, however, no place aboard ship was considered safe. Even those who stood an occasional 'fire watch' or swept dust that had filtered down from an overhead pipe covering off their bunk were exposed.

During dry dock periods for repairs and overhauls, workers in all labor trades inhaled the asbestos fiber used by insulators, carpenters, machinists, painters and joiners. Some of the products used contained as much as 70% asbestos, and the use of raw asbestos fiber as a reinforcing agent was common. Crews living or working aboard ships during these periods were significantly exposed when products were removed and/or replaced. Large amounts of both crocidolite and chrysotile asbestos were used by the shipyards, but one of the most widespread uses of asbestos in navy ships was in amosite-based pipe insulation. Today, we know that amosite (brown asbestos) is one of the more dangerous forms of asbestos.

Following are lists of Navy ships that were commissioned during the time period when asbestos products were most heavily used. Although asbestos use has declined, and while many of these ships have been decommissioned or scrapped, there are still ships on active duty where asbestos is still present.

List of ships known to have contained asbestos

Battleships

Cruisers

World War II Era Destroyers - Due to the number of ships we have sorted them by name and era
Destroyers A-D | Destroyers E-I | Destroyers J-P | Destroyers Q-Z

Destroyer Escorts - Due to the number of ships we have sorted them by name
Destroyer Escorts A-D | Destroyer Escorts E-J | Destroyer Escorts K-R | Destroyer Escorts S-Y

Destroyer Escorts commissioned after WWII - List

Escort Carriers

Submarines
Submarines Post WWII

We will be adding additional lists for other classes of Navy ships. Please check back or contact us for more information.

Navy Jobs and Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung or the lining of the abdominal cavity, poses a real and ongoing threat to veterans of military service, particularly those who served in the Navy aboard our nation's warships. Although not all asbestos diseases are as devastating or as rare as mesothelioma, thousands of veterans are now dealing with health problems relating to exposure that occurred decades ago.

Asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) were prevalent aboard Navy ships of the World War II, Korean War and Viet Nam era, and most Navy veterans experienced varying degrees of exposure to these products in the course of carrying out their jobs.

The following table lists various Navy job classifications and the probability of exposure to asbestos for each. Not everyone exposed to asbestos will develop an asbestos-related disease, but knowledge of potential exposure as well as periodic testing for exposed individuals is important.

Note: Some Job Code designations may have changed and others have been added over time. This list is not all-inclusive.

Job Code	Job Classification	Probability of Asbestos Exposure
AA	Airman Apprentice	Minimal
AB	Aviation Boatswain's Mate	Probable
ABE	Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Launch & Recovery)	Probable
ABH	Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Aircraft Handler)	Probable
AC	Air Controlman	Minimal
ADJ	Aviation Machinist's Mate (Jet Engine Mechanic)	Probable
ADR	Aviation Machinist's Mate (Reciprocating Engine Mechanic)	Probable
AE (After 1948)	Aviation Electrician's Mate	Probable
AFCM	Aircraft Maintenanceman (Master Chief)	Minimal
AG	Aerographer's Mate	Minimal
AK	Aviation Storekeeper	Minimal
AM (Before 1948)	Aviation Metalsmith	Probable
AM (After 1948)	Aviation Structural Mechanic	Probable
AME	Aviation Structural Mechanic (Safety Equipment)	Probable
AMH	Aviation Structural Mechanic (Hydraulics)	Probable
AMS	Aviation Structural Mechanic (Structures)	Probable
AN	Airman	Minimal
AO (After 1948)	Aviation Ordnanceman	Minimal
AQ	Aviation Fire Control Technician	Highly Probable
AR (After 1948)	Airman Recruit	Minimal
ARM	Aviation Radioman	Probable
AS (After 1965)	Aviation Support Equipment Technician	Probable
AT	Aviation Electronics Technician	Probable
AW	Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Operator	Probable
AZ	Aviation Maintenance Administrationman	Minimal
BM	Boatswain's Mate	Minimal
BR	Boilermaker	Highly Probable
BT	Boilerman	Highly Probable
BU	Builder	Probable
CD	Construction Driver	Probable
CE	Construction Electrician's Mate	Probable
CM	Construction Mechanic	Minimal
CN	Constructionman	Probable
Cox	Coxswain	Minimal
CS	Commissaryman	Minimal
CT	Communications Technician	Minimal
CTR	Communications Technician (Collections Branch)	Minimal
DC	Damage Controlman	Minimal
DK	Disbursing Clerk	Minimal
DP	Data Processing Technician	Minimal
DS	Data Systems Technician	Minimal
DT	Dental Technician	Minimal
EM	Electrician's Mate	Probable
EN	Engineman	Probable
EO	Equipment Operator	Minimal
ET	Electronics Technician	Probable
F	Fireman	Highly Probable
FC	Fire Controlman	Highly Probable
FP	Pipefitter	Highly Probable
FT	Fire Control Technician	Highly Probable
FTG	Fire Control Technician (Gun Fire Control)	Highly Probable
GM	Gunner's Mate	Minimal
GSM	Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical)	Probable
HM	Hospital Corpsman	Minimal
HN	Hospitalman	Minimal
HT	Hull Maintenance Technician	Highly Probable
IC	Interior Communications Electrician	Probable
IM	Instrumentman	Highly Probable
LI	Lithographer	Minimal
M, ME	Metalsmith	Minimal
ML, MI	Molder	Probable
MM	Machinist's Mate	Probable
MN	Mineman	Minimal
MoMM	Motor Machinist's Mate	Probable
MR	Machinery Repairman	Minimal
MS	Mess Management Specialist	Minimal
MT	Missile Technician	Probable
MU (After 1948)	Musician	Minimal
NC	Navy Counselor	Minimal
OM	Opticalman	Minimal
OS	Operations Specialist	Minimal
PC	Postal Clerk	Minimal
PhoM	Photographer's Mate	Minimal
PhM	Pharmacist	Minimal
PN	Personnelman	Minimal
PrTr	Printer	Minimal
PT	Photographic Intelligenceman	Minimal
Ptr	Painter	Probable
QM	Quartermaster	Minimal
RD	Radarman	Minimal
RM	Radioman	Minimal
S	Seaman	Minimal
SC	Ship's Cook	Minimal
SD	Steward	Minimal
SF	Shipfitter	Minimal
SFP	Shipfitter (Pipefitter)	Minimal
SH	Ship's Serviceman	Minimal
SK	Storekeeper	Minimal
SM	Signalman	Minimal
SO	Sonarman	Highly Probable
SoM	Soundman	Highly Probable
ST (After 1948)	Sonar Technician	Highly Probable
STG	Sonar Technician (Surface)	Highly Probable
STS	Sonar Technician (Submarine)	Highly Probable
StM	Steward's Mate	Minimal
SW	Steelworker	Probable
TA	Steward Apprentice	Minimal
TD	Tradesman	Minimal
TE	Teleman	Minimal
TM	Torpedoman's Mate	Probable
TN	Stewardsman	Minimal
UT	Utilitiesman	Highly Probable
WT	Water Tender	Highly Probable
Y	Yeoman	Minimal

Asbestos Exposure

The government has designated asbestos as a carcinogen, and there is no safe threshold of exposure. The degree of risk is related to the length of exposure and how high the asbestos fiber concentration was in the air when the person was exposed.

Materials Containing Asbestos

Most insulation materials before the mid-1970s contained asbestos. Many other construction materials also contained asbestos. Some of the most common products were:

Insulation on pipes
Boiler insulation
Insulating cements, plasters and joint compounds that came in powder form and created a lot of dust before being completely mixed with water
Fireproofing spray insulation
Firebrick and gunnite used for internal insulation of furnaces, boilers and other vessels
Roof, floor and ceiling tiles
Transite siding
Brakes and clutches

Most Commonly Exposed Personnel

The following Navy personnel could have worked around asbestos:

Boilermen
Enginemen
Firemen
Machinist Mates
Shipfitters
Pipefitters
Electrician's Mates
Seabees (military construction)
Civilian shipyard workers

Shipboard Exposure

Fire and engine rooms aboard ship typically had the highest exposure because of the insulation and refractory products necessary in these high-heat areas, but no area was considered safe. Pipe coverings throughout the ship were covered with asbestos lagging, and literally ran inches over the bunks in the sleeping quarters. In addition, ships crews generally lived and worked aboard ships during routine maintenance operations and sometimes while their ships were overhauled in dry docks over months long periods.

Shipyard Exposure

During World War II, large quantities of asbestos used by shipyards as they built, overhauled and decommissioned warships, exposed thousands of shipyard workers to its insidious effects. Based on statistics, working in an American shipyard during the war years was almost as deadly as fighting in the war itself. The combat death rate was roughly 18 per thousand service members. For every thousand wartime shipyard employees, about 14 died of asbestos-related cancer, and unknown numbers died of asbestosis or related complications. See our section on asbestos exposure and the Seabees.

In 1984, a medical survey of shipyard workers at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, VA, showed that 79 percent of these workers exhibited signs of lung abnormalities consistent with asbestos exposure, while x-rays given to 90 wives of workers revealed 8 to 9 percent showed similar abnormalities.

U. S. Government (Naval) Shipyards where ships were built and/or overhauled include:

Boston Naval Shipyard, Charlestown, MA
Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, SC
Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, CA
Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach, CA
Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA
New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, NY
Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA

Private Sector Shipyards where Navy ships, Liberty ships and Victory ships were also built include:

Alabama Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company, Mobile, AL
American Bridge Company, Pittsburgh, PA
Associated Shipbuilders, Inc., Seattle, WA
Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, ME
Bethlehem Steel Company, Hingham, MA
Bethlehem Steel Company, Quincy, MA
Bethlehem Steel Company, San Francisco, CA
Bethlehem Steel Company, San Pedro, CA
Bethlehem Steel Company, Staten Island, NY
Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards, Inc., Baltimore, MD
Brown Shipbuilding Company, Houston, TX
California Shipbuilding Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, Seneca, IL
Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, TX
Cramp Shipbuilding Company, Philadelphia, PA
Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, MI
Delta Shipbuilding Company, New Orleans, LA
Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
Dravo Corporation, Wilmington, DE
Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT
Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Kearny, NJ
Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Port Newark, NJ
Gulf Shipbuilding Corporation, Chickasaw, AL
J. A. Jones Construction Company, Brunswick, GA
J. A. Jones Construction Company, Panama City, FL
Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company, Jeffersonville, IN
Kaiser Company, Richmond, CA
Kaiser Company, Vancouver, WA
Lake Washington Shipyards, Houghton, WA
Manitowoc Shipbuilding Corporation, Manitowoc, WI
Marinship Corporation, Sausalito, CA
Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Company, Evansville, IN
Moore Dry Dock Company, Oakland, CA
New England Shipbuilding Company, South Portland, ME
New York Shipbuilding Company, Camden, NJ
Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Newport News, VA
North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, Wilmington, NC
Oregon Shipbuilding Company, Portland, OR
Permanente Metals Corporation, #1 Yard, Richmond, CA
Permanente Metals Corporation, #2 Yard, Richmond, CA
Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation, Savannah, GA
St. John's River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, FL
Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Chester, PA
Tampa Shipbuilding Company, Inc., Tampa, FL
Todd Houston Shipbuilding Corporation, Houston, TX
Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Seattle, WA
Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Tacoma, WA
Todd Shipyards, Inc., Los Angeles, CA
Western Pipe & Steel Company of California, San Pedro, CA
Willamette Iron & Steel Corporation, Portland, OR
Walsh-Kaiser

Early Detection

t is strongly encouraged that anyone who has had past asbestos exposure be checked periodically for asbestos disease. Early detection is vital, since even lung cancers have a higher survival rate if caught early. Non-cancerous disease may be diagnosed through a normal front and side view x-ray (also called a PA and lateral), with the x-ray films read preferably by a radiologist called a Certified B-reader. This should be an adequate diagnostic test to determine if any scarring is present which would be consistent with asbestos exposure. Click here for a current listing of these radiologists. If anything suspicious appears on the x-ray films, the patient would be referred to a specialist for further evaluation. Cancerous disease, although it may be suspected through tests such as an x-ray or CT scan, can only be confirmed through a tissue biopsy. Be sure you understand the significance of your diagnosis.

Non-Cancerous

Pleural disease - often noted as a scarring of the lining of the lung, and sometimes expressed as "pleural thickening", "pleural plaque" or "pleural calcification".
Asbestosis - defined as a scarring of the lower lobes of the lungs bilaterally (on both sides); often referred to as "asbestos in the lung".

If you have been diagnosed with a non-cancerous disease, it is important that your doctor monitor your condition with regular x-rays and/or high resolution CT scans, and pulmonary function tests. It is also important to compare new and old radiographic films and review any other pertinent test results to check for progression of disease.

Note: Although these diseases are non-cancerous at the onset, they can be progressive, eventually leading to a need for inhalers or oxygen. They also constitute a significantly greater risk of future cancer in those who have a prior smoking history, or those who continue to smoke.

Cancerous

Lung cancer - diagnosed as non-small cell (which includes adenocarcinoma, squamous cell or large cell) and small cell (which includes oat cell, lymphocytic, intermediate or combined); lung cancer may be contributed to by asbestos exposure, although it is not normally the sole cause.
Mesothelioma - a rare form of cancer of the lining of the lung (pleural mesothelioma) or the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneal mesothelioma), or in rare cases, the lining of the heart (pericardial mesothelioma); exclusive to asbestos exposure.

If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, it is important to make a treatment decision, and then follow your doctor's recommendations. Additional information on various types of lung cancer may be obtained through the National Cancer Institute at 1-800-4-CANCER.

Asbestos Disease

MESOTHELIOMA

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer almost exclusive to asbestos exposure. This is the most serious of the asbestos-related cancers, and may develop from exposures ranging from heavy, daily exposure to minimal exposure. While the latency period of from 20 to 50 years or more is a medical fact, it is often difficult for victims and their families to imagine that this can occur after so long a period of time.

Mesothelioma originates in the sac lining of the chest (pleura) or the abdomen (peritoneum). In the advanced stages of the disease, it is possible to have both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. Although mesothelioma is not curable, early detection is a factor in having a cho ice in treatment options. Mesothelioma specialists and world-class cancer centers, as well as new surgical approaches, chemotherapy drugs and ongoing clinical research all play an important part in helping extend life expectancy and in increasing quality of life.

Symptoms

The early symptoms of mesothelioma are generally non-specific, and may lead to a delay in diagnosis. Sometimes resembling viral pneumonia, symptoms of pleural mesothelioma may include shortness of breath, chest pain and/or persistent cough. A chest x-ray may show a build-up of fluid called pleural effusion. Less common symptoms are fever, night sweats and weight loss. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include pain or swelling in the abdomen due to a build-up of fluid, nausea, weight loss, bowel obstruction, anemia or swelling of the feet. It is important to keep in mind that these symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other less serious diseases. Only your doctor can make a definitive diagnosis, and while mesothelioma may be suspected by using imaging techniques such as x-rays or CT scans, in most cases it can only be confirmed through a tissue biopsy.

Treatment

Traditional approaches such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation are most commonly used in the treatment of mesothelioma, however, multi-modality treatments which combine all three methods are now widely accepted. Other still experimental approaches include gene therapy, photodynamic therapy and immunotherapy. There are also a number of promising new drugs being evaluated in the clinical trial system.

LUNG CANCER

Asbestos is the most common industrial substance known to cause lung cancer. When asbestos fibers break apart, microscopic particles are released into the air. These fibers are easily inhaled and can lodge in the lungs, damaging cells and increasing the risk of cancer. The risk of asbestos-related lung cancer is substantially higher for those who were, or are now smokers, as opposed to those who have never smoked.

Symptoms

Symptoms of lung cancer include persistent cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, shortness of breath, wheezing, repeated pneumonia or bronchitis, fatigue, loss of appetite or weight loss.

Treatment

Options for the treatment of lung cancer depend on factors such as the size, location and type of the cancer, and the overall health of the patient. As with all cancers, early diagnosis may be the most important element in a successful treatment program.

ASBESTOSIS

Asbestosis is a form of diffuse pulmonary fibrosis caused exclusively by inhaling asbestos fiber. It is a chronic and irreversible lung condition characterized by scarring of the lower lobes of the lungs, leading to a decrease in healthy tissue. As a result, the lungs become stiff and do not allow for normal expansion and contraction.

Symptoms

Symptoms may include shortness of breath, coughing, tightness in the chest, chest pain, a crackling sound in the chest or clubbing of the fingers. Diagnosis of asbestosis is generally made through a chest x-ray, with the films interpreted by a Certified B-reader, or through a high resolution CT scan.

Treatment

Since asbestosis is a progressive disease, monitoring on a regular basis is essential following a diagnosis. If the disease worsens, inhalers or oxygen may be necessary to alleviate discomfort.

COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTERS

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has designated 40 cancer centers throughout the United States as "Comprehensive" centers. These elite centers have been recognized for their focus on scientific excellence and have dedicated themselves to the prevention, treatment and cure of cancer. Following is a list of Cancer Centers by state.

For veterans wishing to be treated at a Veterans Health Administration (VA) cancer care facility, click here for a listing by state.

Alabama

UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center
1802 6th Avenue, S.
Birmingham, AL 35294
Request an appointment: (800) UAB-0933 or (205) 975-8222

Arizona

Arizona Cancer Center
1515 N. Campbell Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85724
Request an appointment: (520) 626-2900

California

City of Hope National Medical Center
1500 E. Duarte Road
Duarte, CA 91010
Request an appointment: (866) 434-HOPE (4673)

University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Moores Cancer Center
3855 Health Sciences Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093
Request an appointment: (866) 773-2703 or (858) 822-6200

UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
10833 Le Conte Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Request an appointment: (800) 825-2631

USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
1441 Eastlake Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Request an appointment: (800) USC-CARE

University of California, Irvine (UCI) Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
101 The City Drive, S.
Orange, CA 92868
Request an appointment: (877) UCI-DOCS (824-3627)

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Comprehensive Cancer Center
1600 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
Request an appointment: (888) 689-8273 or (415) 885-7777

Stanford University Comprehensive Cancer Center
875 Blake Wilbur Drive
Stanford, CA 94305
Request an appointment: (650) 498-6000

Colorado

University of Colorado Cancer Center
1665 N. Ursula Street
Aurora, CO 80045
Request an appointment: (800) 473-2288 or (720) 848-0300

Connecticut

Yale Cancer Center
15 York Street
New Haven, CT 06510
Request an appointment: (203) 785-4191

District of Columbia

Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University
3800 Reservoir Road, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Request an appointment: (202) 444-2223

Florida

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
12902 Magnolia Drive
Tampa, FL 33612
Request an appointment: (888) 860-2778 or (813) 979-3980

Illinois

Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
Galter Pavilion
675 N. St. Clair, 21st Floor
Chicago, IL 60611
Request an appointment: (866) LURIE-CC (587-4322)

Iowa

University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
Request an appointment: (319) 356-4200 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (M-F)
(800) 777-8442 or
(319) 384-8442 (After hours)

Maryland

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
401 N. Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21231
Request an appointment: (410) 955-5222

Massachusetts

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
44 Binney Street
Boston, MA 02115
Request an appointment: (877) 332-4294

Michigan

University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
1500 E. Medical Center Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Request an appointment: (800) 865-1125

Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
4100 John R
Detroit, MI 48201
Request an appointment: (800) KARMANOS (527-6266)

Minnesota

University of Minnesota Cancer Center
425 E. River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Request an appointment: (888) CANCER MN (226-2376)
(Toll Free in IA, MN, ND, SD, WI)
(612) 624-2620 (Outside Area)

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
200 First Street, SW
Rochester, MN 55905
Request an appointment: (507) 538-3270

Missouri

Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine
660 S. Euclid Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
Request an appointment: (877) 251-6485 or (314) 747-3046

New Hampshire

Norris Cotton Cancer Center
One Medical Center Drive
Lebanon, NH 03756
Request an appointment: (603) 653-9000

New Jersey

Cancer Hospital of New Jersey at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
195 Little Albany Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08903
Request an appointment: (732) 828-3000

New York

Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Elm and Carlton Streets
Buffalo, NY 14263
Request an appointment: (800) ROSWELL (767-9355)

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue
New York, NY 10021
Request an appointment: (800) 525-2225

Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
161 Fort Washington Avenue
New York, NY 10032
Request an appointment: (877) NYP-WELL (697-9355)

North Carolina

University of North Carolina (UNC) Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
450 West Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
Request an appointment: (866) 828-0270

Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center
2424 Erwin Road
Durham, NC 27705
Request an appointment: (888) ASK-DUKE (275-3853)

Wake Forest University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27157
Request an appointment: (800) 446-2255 or (336) 716-2255

Ohio

Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ireland Cancer Center
11100 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106
Request an appointment: (800) 641-2422

Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital & Richard J. Solove Research Institute
300 W. 10th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210
Request an appointment: (800) 293-5066 or (614) 293-5066

Pennsylvania

Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Request an appointment: (800) 789-PENN (7366)

Fox Chase Cancer Center
333 Cottman Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111
Request an appointment: (215) 728-2570

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
5150 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Request an appointment: (412) 647-2811

Tennessee

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
691 Preston Building
Nashville, TN 37232
Request an appointment: (800) 811-8480

Texas

University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Boulevard
Houston, TX 77030
Request an appointment: (800) 392-1611 or (713) 792-6161

Vermont

Vermont Cancer Center at the University of Vermont
89 Beaumont Avenue
Burlington, VT 05405
Request an appointment: (802) 656-4414

Washington

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
1100 Fairview Avenue, N.
Seattle, WA 98109
Request an appointment: (800) 804-8824 or (206) 288-1024

Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center
600 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53792
Request an appointment: (800) 622-8922

NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE CANCER CENTERS

UC Davis Cancer Center
4501 X Street
Sacramento, CA 95817
Request an appointment: (800) 362-5566 or (916) 734-5900

University of Chicago Hospitals
5841 S. Maryland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637
Request an appointment: (888) UCH-0200

NYU Cancer Institute
550 First Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Request an appointment: (888) 7-NYU-MED (769-8633)

The Cleveland Clinic, Taussig Cancer Center
9500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44195
Request an appointment: (866) 320-4573 or (216) 444-5501

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
National Insitutes of Health
10 Center Dr.
Bethesda, MD 20892
Request an appointment: 301-496-2626

Alabama	Kentucky	North Dakota
Alaska	Louisiana	Ohio
Arkansas	Maine	Oklahoma
Arizona	Maryland	Oregon
California	Massachusetts	Pennsylvania
Colorado	Michigan	Rhode Island
Connecticut	Minnesota	South Carolina
Delaware	Mississippi	South Dakota
Florida	Missouri	Tennessee
Georgia	Montana	Texas
Hawaii	Nebraska	Utah
Idaho	Nevada	Vermont
Illinois	New Hampshire	Virginia
Indiana	New Jersey	Washington
Iowa	New Mexico	West Virginia
Kansas	New York	Wisconsin
	North Carolina	Wyoming

Mesothelioma

MY PIC

Blog Archive

Followers

About Me

VISITOR

PLZ VISIT THIS SITE ONLINE ERNING 500$ PER DAY

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

What is it?

Mesothelioma Treatment

A Patient's Options

A Patient's Options

News

List of ships known to have contained asbestos

Materials Containing Asbestos

Most Commonly Exposed Personnel

Shipboard Exposure

Shipyard Exposure

Non-Cancerous

Cancerous

MESOTHELIOMA

Symptoms

Treatment

LUNG CANCER

Symptoms

Treatment

ASBESTOSIS

Symptoms

Treatment

Alabama

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

District of Columbia

Florida

Illinois

Iowa

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Tennessee

Texas

Vermont

Washington

Wisconsin

NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE CANCER CENTERS

PLZ VISIT THIS SITE ONLINE EARNING 500$ PER DAY