Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, occurring most often in the thin membrane lining of the lungs, chest, abdomen and heart. Only asbestos exposure can cause mesothelioma.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous element that is highly valued as a durable flame-repellant. Today it can be found in more than 3,000 products—mostly in the construction industry.

Mesothelioma symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pains and coughing. There is no cure, but some mesothelioma treatments can help.

People who have manufactured, installed, or worked with or around asbestos-containing products are at an increased risk of getting mesothelioma. Also at risk are veterans of the U.S. Navy and merchant marines, people who live near asbestos mining areas, asbestos product factories or shipyards where use of asbestos has produced airborne asbestos fibers.

The dangers of asbestos exposure

The dangers of asbestos exposure are now much more widely recognized. Millions of people all over the world (including roughly 8 million in the U.S. alone) have been exposed to asbestos. Once the asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can cause health problems such as mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases, including asbestosis and lung cancer.

Asbestos industry officials in the past made little effort to establish a link. Now, the relationship between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma has been documented.

The length of time an individual survives after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis can oftentimes be measured in months because late detection does not allow for effective treatment.

Workers who were victims of asbestos or their families have filed thousands of mesothelioma lawsuits against the manufacturers of asbestos containing products.

Types of Mesothelioma Cancer

Workers and other individuals who are exposed to asbestos face an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, a deadly cancer that can affect the lungs, heart or abdomen. Mesothelioma cancer is almost always fatal due to its aggressive nature and the fact that it is usually diagnosed late in the progression of the disease.

The most common types of mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma (which affects the lining that surrounds the lungs), peritoneal mesothelioma (occurring in lining of the abdominal organs) and pericardial mesothelioma (affecting the lining around heart). Mesothelioma can also occur in the lining that surrounds the testicles, although testicular mesothelioma is extremely rare.

Due to the long latency period associated with mesothelioma, patients do not begin to show symptoms of the disease until decades after they were exposed to asbestos. The average life expectancy for patients who have received a mesothelioma diagnosis is only about one to two years.

Because of the high mortality rate associated with the disease, current mesothelioma treatment options focus primarily on extending a patient’s life expectancy and improving their quality of life. Researchers are currently working on new forms of treatment that they hope will further increase the life-expectancy of mesothelioma patients and offer the possibility of a cure for the disease.

If you or a loved one were exposed to asbestos and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. For a free legal consultation and to find out if you are eligible to undergo asbestos testing at no out-of-pocket cost, contact the law firm of Hissey Mulderig & Friend by calling toll-free at 1-866-863-3848, or by filling out the free case evaluation form located on this page.