Mesothelioma trends in Great Brittan

This image shows the growth of mesothelioma related deaths in Great Brittan from 1981 to 2007. The sharp increase was supposedly due to new methods in data collection. According to the HSE, the majority of these individuals had been exposed to asbestos on the job. Growth is much higher in older folks and declining for younger generations which is consistent with what is happening in the US.

Technorati Profile

WA researchers close to cancer breakthrough for mesothelioma also know as asbestos cancer

A DRUG used to treat skin cancer is providing new hope for patients suffering from the deadly asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma, WA researchers say.Scientists at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital have discovered that Imiquimod, a cream usually applied to treat skin cancer, kills advanced mesothelioma tumours in mice. The cream, when combined with another drug called antiCD40, triggered an immune response in mice that attacked the cancer. Half of the treated animals were cured even when the tumours were quite advanced, researchers say. Supervisor of the research, immunologist Dr Andrew Currie said the discovery was a major breakthrough in the treatment of one of the most deadly forms of cancer. “This combination is so attractive because one of these drugs is already commercially available and the other is being tested in clinical trials,” Dr Currie said. “That means the time-frame for undertaking our own clinical trial is minimised because the safety of the drugs has already been investigated .'' Each year more than 700 Australian’s die from mesothelioma , which is incurable. National Centre for Asbestos Related Disease (NCARD) researchers hope their breakthrough will revolutionise mesothelioma treatment in Australia within five years. Mesothelioma is almost always caused by inhaling thin fibres of asbestos – once used in houses as a fire retardant and in construction materials – which get lodged in the protective mesothelium sac covering the lung. Invading fibres spark abnormal cell growth in human lungs, sometimes up to 20 years after exposure. The new treatment causes a rampage by dormant killer lymphocytes which attack cancer and at least double survival times, University of WA researcher, Professor Steve Broomfield said.

Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center: W.R. Grace Has Reached A Settlement Deal

Grace spokespeople say deal could be worth at least $60 million

On November 25th, the now-bankrupt W.R. Grace & Co. stated that it has reached a deal worth $60 million, which will settle property damage claims filed by home and business owners who were exposed to asbestos after using W.R. Grace-manufactured attic insulation.
The home and business owners who filed suit insulated their property with Zonolite, a type of insulation that contained vermiculite asbestos. Exposure to asbestos is the only confirmed caused of mesothelioma, a fatal type of cancer.
The settlement deal would reportedly pay each home and business owner 55% of the damages they requested in their initial lawsuit. The Securities and Exchange Commission stated that no one seeking damages will receive more than $4, 125 in compensation.
W.R. Grace is required to deposit $30 million into a twenty-year trust fund in the first year, adding $30 million in the third year. Following the fifth year, Grace will deposit $8 million each year if the funds fall below $10 million. The trust will be used to pay damages to those who have filed lawsuits against the now-defunct corporation.
Lawsuits can be filed until the funds in the trust run out, according to officials.
Countless individuals have developed asbestos-related illnesses after exposure to Zonolite insulation, and many have died as a result of mesothelioma, also known as asbestos cancer.
The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center is the web’s foremost resource for information about asbestos exposure, mesothelioma cancer, mesothelioma treatment methods, and more. The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center is accredited by the Health On The Net Foundation as a credible source of medical information on the Internet. Please visit www.maacenter.org for further information.

Information on Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos-Related Illnesses

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is known for its durability and fire-resistant properties. The substance has been used in a wide variety of building materials, including insulation products, siding, cements, flooring, and roofing, to name a few.
When asbestos-containing materials become damaged or disturbed, toxic asbestos fibers can be released into the air. If these microscopic fibers are inhaled or ingested, there are several different kinds of diseases that can develop. These diseases include lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma, which all have a latency period ranging from 10 to 50 years.
This latency period can have a significant impact on patients diagnosed with asbestos cancer. For example, when mesothelioma symptoms and other signs of disease take several decades to appear, the disease is usually already in its latest stages of development. As a result, many patients only have the option of palliative mesothelioma treatment options rather than curative.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. The disease occurs when the fibers of asbestos become lodged in the mesothelial lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), heart (pericardial mesothelioma), or abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma).
In most instances, this disease takes anywhere between 20 and 50 years to develop. In addition to having difficulty with breathing and swallowing, extreme weight loss is also a side effect of malignant mesothelioma cancer.
Another form of asbestos cancer is asbestosis, which also causes intense scarring of the lungs. This disease typically develops after someone has experienced prolonged exposure to asbestos. The latency period with this disease is usually 10 to 30 years, and symptoms include breathing difficulties and a decrease in the elasticity of the lungs.
Besides mesothelioma and asbestosis, lung cancer is another disease that can develop from exposure to asbestos. However, this disease can also be enhanced by cigarette smoking and other agents. Pleural plaques are indicators or asbestos exposure as well, but these are not fatal. Instead, they are usually taken as early signs of development for other diseases.
Prognosis for these illnesses is commonly poor because patients do not have the availability of curable treatment options. For mesothelioma, the average prognosis for a patient is six months to two years. For asbestosis or lung cancer, the prognosis is usually longer, but the symptoms are much more painful. Hence the reason why more research is needed for finding a cure for these diseases.

Content provided by Asbestos.com

How is asbestos used?

How is asbestos used?

Asbestos was mined and used commercially in North America beginning in the late 1800s. Its use increased greatly during World War II. Since then, it has been used in many industries. For example, the building and construction industry has used it for strengthening cement and plastics as well as for insulation, fireproofing, and sound absorption. The shipbuilding industry has used asbestos to insulate boilers, steampipes, and hot water pipes. The automotive industry uses asbestos in vehicle brakeshoes and clutch pads. More than 5,000 products contain or have contained asbestos. Some of them are listed below:

* Asbestos cement sheet and pipe products used for water supply and sewage piping, roofing and siding, casings for electrical wires, fire protection material, electrical switchboards and components, and residential and industrial building materials;

* Friction products, such as clutch facings, brake linings for automobiles, gaskets, and industrial friction materials;

* Products containing asbestos paper, such as table pads and heat-protective mats, heat and electrical wire insulation, industrial filters for beverages, and underlying material for sheet flooring;

* Asbestos textile products, such as packing components, roofing materials, and heat- and fire-resistant fabrics (including blankets and curtains); and

* Other products, including ceiling and floor tile; gaskets and packings; paints, coatings, and adhesives; caulking and patching tape; artificial ashes and embers for use in gas-fired fireplaces; plastics; vermiculite-containing consumer garden products; and some talc-containing crayons.

In the late 1970s, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned the use of asbestos in wallboard patching compounds and gas fireplaces because the asbestos fibers in these products could be released into the environment during use. Additionally, asbestos was voluntarily withdrawn by manufacturers of electric hair dryers. In 1989, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned all new uses of asbestos; uses established prior to 1989 are still allowed. The EPA has established regulations that require school systems to inspect for damaged asbestos and to eliminate or reduce the exposure to occupants by removing the asbestos or encasing it. In June 2000, the CPSC concluded that the risk of children’s exposure to asbestos fibers in crayons was extremely low. However, the U.S. manufacturers of these crayons agreed to reformulate their products within a year. In August 2000, the EPA recommended that consumers reduce possible asbestos exposure from vermiculite-containing garden products by limiting the amount of dust produced during use. The EPA suggested that consumers use vermiculite outdoors or in a well-ventilated area; keep vermiculite damp while using it; avoid bringing dust from vermiculite use into the home on clothing; and use premixed potting soil, which is less likely to generate dust.

The regulations described above and other actions, coupled with widespread public concern about the hazards of asbestos, have resulted in a significant annual decline in U.S. use of asbestos: Domestic consumption of asbestos amounted to about 719,000 metric tons in 1973, but it had dropped to about 9,000 metric tons by 2002. Asbestos is currently used most frequently in gaskets and in roofing and friction products.

What is asbestos?

What is asbestos?

“Asbestos” is the name given to a group of minerals that occur naturally as bundles of fibers which can be separated into thin threads. These fibers are not affected by heat or chemicals and do not conduct electricity. For these reasons, asbestos has been widely used in many industries. Four types of asbestos have been used commercially:

* Chrysotile, or white asbestos;
* Crocidolite, or blue asbestos;
* Amosite, which usually has brown fibers; and
* Anthophyllite, which usually has gray fibers.

Chrysotile asbestos, with its curly fibers, is in the serpentine family of minerals. The other types of asbestos, which all have rod-like fibers, are known as amphiboles.

Asbestos fiber masses tend to break easily into a dust composed of tiny particles that can float in the air and stick to clothes. The fibers may be easily inhaled or swallowed and can cause serious health problems.

Asbestos - Laws and Regulations

EPA/OPPT/Asbestos - Laws and Regulations

Asbestos information - EPA

: "EPA provides various paths for the public to access information about asbestos. On this website, you may access general informationabout asbestos and its health effects. EPA has also developed a list of commonly used Asbestos acronyms. You may also read about what to do if you suspect asbestos in your home or your school (en Espanol - Asbestos en las Escuelas). If you are in the automotive repair industry, you may want to read EPA's questions and answers about asbestos in brakes. "

Mesothelioma Statistics in Great Britain

HSE - STATISTICS: Mesothelioma: "Summary

* The annual number of mesothelioma deaths has increased from 153 in 1968 to 1874 in 2003.
* The latest projections suggest that the annual total number of mesothelioma deaths in Great Britain is estimated to peak at around 1950 to 2450 deaths some time between 2011 to 2015.
* Occupations with the highest risk of mesothelioma for males include: metal plate workers (including shipyard workers), vehicle body builders (including rail vehicles), plumbers and gas fitters, carpenters and electricians.
* The industry groups with the highest incidence rates of Industrial Injuries Scheme (IIS) assessments for mesothelioma in 2002-2004 were the construction industry (including insulation and asbestos removal workers) and the extraction, energy and water supply industry."

Senators should approve asbestos act

"Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor have a good record of tackling the issue of asbestos head-on. Just this past May, our Senators were instrumental in securing federal funds to rid a closed service station at the Camden Port Authority of petroleum and asbestos contaminants.

For health reasons, it's important to remove these harmful materials. If inhaled, asbestos can cause fatal diseases like cancer. Both Senators will have a chance to aid those who have already been exposed to the harmful material this January when the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution (FAIR) Act is brought to the Senate floor for consideration.

Victims of asbestos exposure are currently stuck in a bloated legal mess, unable to receive timely or adequate compensation.

More than 700,000 people have filed suit, overwhelming the courts. And there are many more victims out there who aren't even able to seek legal restitution. For example, veterans exposed to asbestos are prevented by law from suing their former employer, the U.S. government. It's not widely known, but many veterans got sick from breathing in asbestos during their years of service at military facilities like Navy shipyards.

The FAIR Act would establish a trust fund for all asbestos victims who are sick and suffering. It would provide fast co"

Burns criticizes Baucus provision to pay sickened Libby residents - billingsgazette.com

Burns criticizes Baucus provision to pay sickened Libby residents - billingsgazette.com: "Montana Sen. Conrad Burns said Wednesday that he opposes a pending senate bill designed to compensate residents of Libby, Mont., who have been sickened by asbestos.

Burns, a Republican, is opposing a provision authored by the state's other senator, Democrat Max Baucus. The language, which would pay sickened Libby residents up to $1.1 million each for asbestos-related diseases, is included in larger asbestos legislation passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee last year. The Senate is expected to take up the bill in coming weeks.

About 200 deaths and many more cases of asbestos-related disease have been blamed on asbestos contamination associated with Libby's vermiculite mine, which was operated by W.R. Grace & Co. and closed in 1990."

JustMeso.com Offers Information on Mesothelioma Risks

JustMeso.com Offers Information on Mesothelioma Risks: "The deadly disease Mesothelioma, contracted through the exposure to airborne Asbestos fibers, has been noted in recent years for the devastation it brings not only to the victims but also the families and friends surrounding them. Tragically, however, information about the disease is often erroneous or simply lacking. JustMeso.com ( www.JustMeso.com ) is trying to change that, however, by offering comprehensive information about the disease, its causes, and those at risk.

Almost everyone has been exposed to asbestos fibers at some time in his or her life."

Promising research in early detection of mesothelioma

Today - 999 Today : Promising research in early detection of mesothelioma: "New research may result in better diagnosis for patients diagnosed in the early stages of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma, once a rare cancer, has become more prevalent in the past 50 years. The incidence of this aggressive disease, which has no cure, is expected to rise through 2015.

Until recently, mesothelioma was considered universally fatal. Patients treated with the best available therapy have survived 13 to 25 months in some studies, and with only supportive care the median survival is about 9 months.

Studies investigating the diagnosis of mesothelioma have recently reported promising results, which may help reverse this tragic trend.

If caught before spreading beyond the lungs, there is a much greater chance of successfully treating the disease. Once mesothelioma has spread, the disease quickly overcomes its victim. With earlier detection, current treatments would be more effective and life expectancy could rise dramatically.

One of the challenges of treatment for mesothelioma patients is the inability to detect the aggressive cancer in its early stages. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is very challenging to diagnose until the advanced stages. Because the onset of disease is delayed for as much as 30 years beyond exposure, symptoms are vague and the diagnostic tools are not efficient or specific, many cases are not"

Welcome to LifewithMesothelioma.com

LifewithMesothelioma.com is a source for information and articles about mesothelioma and it's treatment. You will also find information about asbestos and information on finding a mesothelioma lawyer or an asbestos attorney.