The man who owns a home on Columbia Street that was referred to as "the cat house" by neighbors has filed a notice of claim for $1 million against the city of Watertown for razing its remains after a fire last year.
A notice of claim is a precursor to filing a lawsuit against a municipality.
Oliver J. Wisner is seeking compensation for the "arbitrary, capricious and malicious charging and billing for outrageous unnecessary work on the cleanup of ashes and debris" the claim states.
The Watertown lawyer owns the property at 1205-07 Columbia St., which burned down Nov. 12, forcing neighbors to evacuate their homes during the early morning hours. The heat from the blaze damaged nearby homes, one of which is still uninhabitable.
The city requested that Mr. Wisner remove the remaining debris from the duplex immediately following the blaze. In late December, the city hired Independent Commercial Contractors Inc., Lorraine, for $28,600 to clean the site and remove asbestos. Mr. Wisner was then billed for the job.
Mr. Wisner bought the home June 21, despite the previous owner not allowing him to completely inspect it beforehand, the notice states.
Once the purchase was complete, Mr. Wisner hired cleaners to clear debris from the home.
"The cleaners discovered more than 10 bodies of long-dead cats in the building," the notice states. "The odor from the house and the Dumpsters brought numerous complaints from neighbors."
In June, the city Code Enforcement Office found that an upstairs bathtub in 1205 Columbia St. was filled with cat feces, and cat skeletons were found throughout the apartment.The property was condemned and the tenant, Michael J. Sias, was removed.
Mr. Sias, 58, now of 536 Emerson St., Apt. 103, is facing an animal-cruelty charge on allegations that between June 25 and July 3 he deprived seven cats of necessary sustenance in his former home, "permitting unjustifiable physical pain, suffering and death," according to a city police document. He was charged Tuesday and faces prosecution in City Court.
Some live cats were taken from the home by the SPCA, others were euthanized and six frozen bodies that were found in an operating freezer were sent to Cornell University, Ithaca, for a forensics examination.
Mr. Wisner claims that "it was a matter of public knowledge that persons in the city of Watertown, New York, had called for the burning of the duplex." Throughout the notice, he maintains that an arsonist started the fire and that police did not properly follow leads.
The cause of the fire was never determined and police never made an arrest.
"My position is that there was no emergency and the demolition charges were unlawful and unreasonable and should be reviewed by a court and disallowed as an unlawful taking of private property," the notice states.
Mr. Wisner is asking for $100,000 for the loss of the house and $900,000 for "harassment causing great mental stress and depression." He plans to retain an attorney, the notice states.
City Attorney Robert J. Slye said he did not want to comment about the notice when contacted Friday afternoon.
"We'll certainly wait to see what Mr. Wisner has to say and if he files a suit," he said.
Times staff writer David C. Shampine contributed to this report.
The Mesothelioma Lawyer expresses his concern over the student’s health risks as asbestos that was used in these old school buildings as the primary insulation and fireproofing construction material is now projecting from the school building sites due to poor maintenance. It is contaminating the schools environment posing students, teachers and the staff to mesothelioma cancer and asbestos related respiratory diseases.
The school going students and the staff working in these schools are exposed to the risk of asbestos related respirator diseases thus laying the foundation for mesothelioma. This fact is also reviled by the Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Centers report. The school buildings in New York have now grown old and need maintenance. Due to lack of maintenance in the old building the asbestos which had been used in construction is now exposed. It is polluting the environment endangering the lives of students, teachers and staff exposing them to the risk of contracting asbestos related respiratory diseases and mesothelioma cancer.
During an emergency inspection in NY schools which was carried as a NY City School was blamed for an incident of asbestos exposure. It was reveled during the inspection that 80% of the building built prior to 1980 used asbestos as insulation and fire proof material during the construction phase. Now due to the poor maintenance the risk of exposure of asbestos has increased manifolds posing risk of health to all the occupants of the school buildings. The report by the Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Centers Report also state that in 2004 one Brooklyn School was forced to open late as they had to ensure the safety of the school building, staff and the students.
Even a small amount of asbestos exposure contaminates the environment, increases the possibility of inhalation of asbestos particles thus marking a start of respiratory disorders leading to mesothelioma cancer.
Mesothelioma lawyer Shepard studies all such cases, takes the path of law to bring relief to the injured who had not known about the risks of being exposed to asbestos. At present Shepard Law Firm is assisting Mesothelioma victims in:
- Boston
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Rhode Island
To learn more about Mesothelioma / Asbestos Risks visit Mesothelioma Cancer Resource
for free informaation
Source
SUFFERERS of the asbestos-linked disease mesothelioma will have access to cheap treatment from today, after a long campaign to secure federal government subsidy paid off.
The government says the chemotherapy agent Alimta - the only treatment available specifically for the killer cancer of the lung or stomach lining - will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from today.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the listing of Alimta was an important announcement that followed the "tireless campaigning" of Bernie Banton, who died, aged 61, in November from the disease.
"Bernie was a great Australian hero and it is due to his efforts that many people will understand the significance of this decision," she said.
About 600 Australians are diagnosed annually with mesothelioma, but the long lag time between exposure to asbestos and the onset of symptoms means its prevalence is tipped to rise in the future.
Medical studies have estimated 18,000 people will have become victims of the disease by 2020.
Alimta, which can increase survival time and improve a sufferer's quality of life, has been out of reach for many patients at $20,000 or more for six treatments.
From today, sufferers will pay a maximum of $31.30 for each prescription. Eligible concession-patients will pay $5 for each prescription.
The subsidy will cost the government about $26 million annually and is expected to benefit about 300 people a year.
The listing of the drug became an election issue after Mr Banton criticised then health minister Tony Abbott for failing to personally receive a 17,000-signature petition brought to his Sydney electoral office in October.
Mr Abbott was forced into an embarrassing apology after questioning whether the dying campaigner's motives for speaking out were "pure of heart".
A week later, a government-appointed board recommended the drug be added to the PBS after three times rejecting its listing since 2004.
Mr Abbott bypassed the normal process of cabinet approval by immediately announcing the drug's listing.
Until now, only about half of Australians suffering mesothelioma were getting easy access to the palliative care drug through state government subsidy and workplace compensation schemes.
Mesothelioma still needs more attention, research funding
Mesothelioma, caused by asbestos exposure, is almost always fatal. The life expectancy is 12.3 months with treatment and 9.2 months without. In fact, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, Pennsylvania ranks third in the nation in the mortality rate for mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma's latency is as long as 50 years, so millions of Americans who were exposed in the past five decades are at risk. And, given the current levels of asbestos exposure, it is inevitable that Americans will continue to be diagnosed for decades. The only hope is research to develop effective treatment.
Much has been accomplished with limited, private funding. It is time for the federal government to help find a cure. With facts like these, it is extremely distressing to know that less than 3 percent of cancer research dollars go to mesothelioma research. Wake up, Lehigh Valley; not all cancers or cancer death rates are on the decline.
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Asbestos Exposure: How Risky Is It?
The hazard, exposure, and risks associated with asbestos fibers have been explored and debated for many years. Human evidence suggests an association between exposure to asbestos and asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, although the lack of consistent information on fiber type, size, and exposure concentrations and duration limit our ability to establish causal relationships between exposure and disease in some cases. While uncertainties remain in our ability to consistently and accurately quantify asbestos risk to humans, progress has been made in characterizing those key factors, namely hazard and exposure, that are critical to an assessment of health risk.
Because asbestos is a natural material, there will always be some background or ambient exposure to humans. Although mining and commercial applications have diminished in some parts of the world, asbestos continues to have commercial applications, and hence, there remains exposure potential from these sources. Chrysotile and amphibole asbestos are the types most commonly used and hence studied experimentally, and it has become increasingly clear that they differ with respect to toxicity and disease potential. This has been demonstrated in animal models, which appear to be reflective of the human situation as well.
Progress on a number of fronts has led to general scientific consensus on the following: (1) amphibole fibers (which tend to be relatively long and thin) are a more potent risk factor for the development of mesothelioma and, to a lesser degree, lung cancer than are chrysotile fibers (which tend to be relatively short and wide); (2) longer, thin fibers are more pathogenic and there appear to be fiber size thresholds below which asbestos fibers do not pose any threat; and (3) those animal studies in which high exposure concentrations resulted in lung overloading are not considered relevant to humans.
Analysis of the epidemiological literature supports some common patterns including:
(1) for occupational and industrial exposures, the weight of evidence does not consistently support causal relationships between asbestos exposure and onset of pulmonary disease, some studies showing associative relationships but others showing no relationship between exposure and disease onset; and (2) chrysotile alone, uncontaminated by other fiber types, particularly amphiboles, does not appear to be a risk factor for mesothelioma, as once thought.
Advances in risk assessment methodology and analytical techniques, together with reevaluation of historical data, reveal that the current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approach for risk assessment of asbestosis is not in step with current scientific consensus, particularly for chrysotile fibers. In recent years, new knowledge about how asbestos risk can be more accurately and quantitatively determined has been generated. There is thus a scientific basis for adoption of these methods by regulatory agencies, including the EPA. While occupational exposures to asbestos remain and should be vigilantly monitored, there appears to be no compelling scientific evidence that ambient exposure to chrysotile asbestos poses a significant health risk.
The smell of burning leaves, an apple pie baking in the oven, or a wood fire in a neighbor's fireplace often evoke memories of special people and experiences from past autumns. While we may be mindful of inhaling deeply to enjoy these scents, we seldom give thought to what happens to the air we breathe in.
The lungs are complex organs, considered far more complicated than the heart. They not only take the oxygen from the air and send it into the bloodstream for delivery throughout the body, but the lungs filter out substances like dust, pollen, viruses, and bacteria from the air we breathe. They are also responsible for eliminating waste from the bloodstream. It is clear lung health is important, and October has been designated Healthy Lung Month in recognition of this fact.
If all types of lung disease are combined, it is the 3rd highest cause of death in the United States. Over 35 million Americans live with an ongoing lung disease like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lung disease is the cause of 1 in 7 deaths annually in this country.
Unfortunately, it can be easy to overlook early signs of lung disease. At first, many people simply realize they do not have much energy. But as the lung condition worsens, other symptoms become more apparent. Trouble breathing, shortness of breath, reduced ability to exercise, feeling like you are not getting enough air, a chronic cough, coughing up blood or mucus, or pain when inhaling and exhaling, are among the signs of lung disease.
Common lung conditions include:
* Asthma, which affects 20 million Americans. It causes inflammation and swelling of the airways in the lungs. The narrow airways limits the flow of air in and out of the lungs, causing wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, and difficulty breathing.
* COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis. Both conditions cause inflammation of the bronchial tubes that carry air to the lungs. This leads to thickening and scarring of the lining of the bronchial tubes and the production of excess mucus, making breathing difficult. COPD is the 4th leading cause of death in the United States.
* Lung cancer, now the leading cause of cancer deaths in American women, is characterized by the abnormal, uncontrolled growth of malignant lung cells.
These cells invade and destroy normal cells in nearby tissues and can spread to other parts of the body.
Fortunately, the risk of developing lung disease can be reduced. First, if you are a smoker, quit. Whether a smoker or a non-smoker, everyone should try to avoid second-hand smoke.
Second, eating a healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, lowers the risk of cancer. Drinking plenty of water helps to replace moisture lost when we exhale, keeping the lung tissue moist and healthy.
Exercise is also important for healthy lungs, stimulating the blood flow required for the lungs to function optimally.
Lung health also benefits from getting vaccinated against the flu every year. Influenza (and pneumonia, often a complication of the flu), damages lung tissue and leads to a number of adverse health effects.
In addition to the above, avoiding environmental hazards such as asbestos and radon is also important in protecting lung health. Protective clothing and a face mask are required for anyone working in a job that entails exposure to asbestos. Radon in the home can be measured with a test kit to determine if remediation is advised.
The Central Connecticut Health District, serving the towns of Berlin, Newington, Rocky Hill, and Wethersfield, sponsors a number of flu shot clinics where pneumonia shots are also available. The Health District also sells low-cost radon test kits. For further information about flu clinics, radon kits, and other public health concerns, contact the Health District at 860-721-2822 (www.ccthd.org). Specific information about lung health and lung disease is available through the American Lung Association at 1-800-548-8252 (www.lungusa.org) and the National Women's Health Information Center at 1-800-994-9662 or 1-888-220-5446 for the hearing impaired (www.4women.gov).
SOURCE
Mesothelioma sufferer pioneers new hope
Leigh Carlisle, a 27-year-old cancer sufferer who is pioneering new treatment for a deadly asbestos-related form of the illness, mesothelioma, is beginning to beat the disease.
Leigh, who is believed to be the country’s youngest sufferer, has been taking part in clinical trials at Manchester’s Christie Hospital.
Leigh may have contracted the disease after she took a short-cut through a Failsworth factory yard, where asbestos was cut, when she was a schoolgirl.
She may also have breathed in the fibres from clothes of a relative who worked there.
Leigh was diagnosed with the condition, which affects her abdomen, in 2006.
Her treatment includes a drug which knocks out a tumour’s resistance so chemotherapy has a better chance of working.
To Leigh’s delight, doctors told her last week that her lungs and stomach are clear of cancer cells, her lymph nodes have returned to near-normal and the tumours in her abdomen have broken down significantly.
Leigh said: "I was overjoyed at being told there had finally been a breakthrough with my clinical trial for Mesothelioma. I have been scared and often faced doubted that treatment wouldn't prove effective, but my consultant and nursing team at 'The Christie' always provided optimism and great support. I know I have some way to go, but the news on my progress is fantastic and I'm looking forward to getting my energy back during my break from treatment now!"
Leigh's solicitor, Geraldine Coombs, said to Rochdale Online: "I am really pleased for Leigh that she has had such good news about her cancer treatment. The results of the trial sound very exciting. Mesothelioma does not usually respond well to treatment and the trial may give hope to others suffering with mesothelioma. 2,000 people every year in this country are diagnosed with mesothelioma.
"Leigh has been through a very hard time with this illness. Despite that she has been working hard to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos and raising money for cancer charities which is a great credit to her and does not surprise me having got to know Leigh.
"Asbestos is not a problem that is ‘in the past.’ People are still coming into contact with asbestos today around the world. The campaign in Rochdale to push for the risks of environmental contamination by asbestos is very important."
Save Spodden Valley spokesman Jason Addy commented: "I met Leigh earlier this year. She is an incredible person with a positive outlook on life. To contract this illness at such a young age is a particularly cruel blow. I am sure many will join in our prayers and best wishes for her health.
"It is a stark reminder of how low levels of exposure to asbestos fibre may be so dangerous. That is why it is important that safe, open and accountable decisions are made about the former TBA site.
"Mesothelioma takes decades after exposure to asbestos before its symptoms are presented.
"The late Abdul Chowdry, T&N's former Health & Safety manager, suggested on Radio 4 that disturbing soil on the TBA site could 'unearth a monster'. That certainly was an emotive choice of language from the then serving UK Health and Safety Commissioner.
"As the Independent Atkins Report has acknowledged, there is huge potential for gross contamination of the site.
"We all owe a debt to future generations of Rochdalians to ensure that the Spodden Valley becomes a safe amenity for all.
"When you see Leigh and read about what she has faced this year, it really does bring it home to everyone in Rochdale how important it is to get things right in Spodden Valley."
NEW YORK (Associated Press) - The Justice Department plans to seek a wider investigation into the billing practices of L. Tersigni Consulting PC, a firm that advised asbestos-injury claimants in several big bankruptcy cases.
The U.S. Trustee's Office, an arm of the department, has already asked the courts overseeing the Chapter 11 cases of Congoleum Corp., Federal-Mogul Global Inc., W.R. Grace & Co. and G-I Holdings Inc. to appoint examiners to investigate allegations that the consulting firm overbilled its clients in those proceedings.
In new court papers, the trustee's office said L. Tersigni Consulting could also have overbilled clients in other cases. The office said it would seek similar investigations "in all asbestos cases in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, in which LTC was employed as a financial adviser."
Representatives of L. Tersigni Consulting couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
The consulting firm's clients were the official committees representing asbestos claimants in major bankruptcy cases.
Since April 2006, the U.S. Trustee's Office and federal prosecutors have looked into allegations that the firm's sole owner and principal, Loreto Tersigni, submitted bills for services that weren't performed. Tersigni died in May.
"The appointment of an independent fiduciary to investigate these serious allegations of fraud and dishonesty related to the affairs of the debtors is both warranted and necessary," the trustee's office said in court papers. An examiner, it added, could help companies that paid the bills discover whether they have "causes of action" against L. Tersigni Consulting.
The trustee's office is still waiting to hear whether the courts overseeing the bankruptcy cases of Congoleum, Federal-Mogul, W.R. Grace and G-I Holdings will appoint examiners.
However, the judge overseeing W.R. Grace's bankruptcy case has questioned whether she should appoint an examiner.
At a hearing in late September, Judge Judith K. Fitzgerald of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del., pointed out that the federal government had been conducting a probe into L. Tersigni Consulting's billing practices for more than a year. "I don't know why the estates have to be charged with additional money to do an investigation that may already be complete," Fitzgerald said. "There are creditors in these cases who deserve at some point in time to get whatever little money they're going to get out of these cases and to the extent that this work has already been done, they shouldn't be charged with duplicating that work."
The judge also said money could be saved by appointing one examiner to look at the books and records for all of the bankruptcy cases in which the firm is suspected of overbilling.
At the hearing, Fitzgerald also criticized the trustee's office for requesting an examiner only in recent months when it knew for more than a year that there could have been a billing problem involving L. Tersigni Consulting.
The family of an Eastbourne man who died of cancer caused by asbestos exposure have raised more than £1,300 in his memory.
His daughter Christine Dennis said, "We raised £1,373 for Mesothelioma Research after organising a charity event in aid of it on behalf of The British Lung Foundation, The Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund and The June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund."
The family held a charity auction, raffle and disco at Eastbourne United Football Club on September 29.
Mrs Dennis said, "My brothers and some of my dad's friends also played a charity golf match earlier in the day at Horam Park Golf Club on the same day.
"We had support from local businesses and retailers who kindly donated prizes for the auction and money donations for the research funds.
"The event was in memory of my dad Bob Tolley who sadly passed away last year from this terrible disease.
"We as a family wanted to do something to raise funds and awareness for the treatment and research into this disease caused by asbestos.
"We are still searching for witnesses who worked with my dad on a firm called Humphreys & Glasgow Ltd.
"We have the help of a solicitor from Manchester who specialises is asbestos cases.
"But at the end of the day it is not about the money, it is about making someone take responsibility for what happened to my dad, who was only just 67 when he died and still actively working for Hotchkiss Ltd, a local firm.
"There are more and more cases of mesothelioma in Eastbourne so it is not confined to large industrial towns, and because of the latency period of the disease, between five to 60 years, it is very hard to find information about companies sufferers previously worked for."
Asbestos was used in thousands of products and buildings all over the world.
But from the 1980s it was realised that the material had a damaging effect on health.
It was not until the mid 1980s that blue and brown asbestos were banned in the UK, and not until November 1999 that white asbestos was finally banned from use.
SOURCE
If you've been exposed to asbestos and suspect that you may have asbestosis or mesothelioma, it's very important that you see a doctor who has experience dealing with asbestos related diseases as soon as possible. The doctor will determine a mesothelioma diagnosis by taking a full medical history and performing a series of diagnostic tests.
One of the reasons that mesothelioma is so deadly is that it is often not diagnosed until it has reached late stage malignancy. New tests and more sensitive instruments have made it possible to get a mesothelioma diagnosis earlier in the progress of the disease. As with most types of cancer, the earlier that it's caught, the more treatment options you'll have. The sooner you have a mesothelioma diagnosis, the sooner treatment can begin. Here's what you can expect if you see a doctor to pursue a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Medical History
The doctor or a nurse will take a complete medical history to determine the symptoms you're experiencing and discover any risk factors. The history will include questions about when and where you might have been exposed to asbestos in the past. Among the symptoms the doctor will be looking for are frequent, painful cough, difficulty breathing and a history of lung function problems like pneumonia, emphysema and bronchitis.
Physical Examination
The doctor will also do a physical examination to discover any symptoms of mesothelioma. The examination will include listening to your breathing and heartbeat, as well as feeling (palpating) your abdomen. Patients with mesothelioma often have fluid buildups, known as effusions, in the tissues and cavities around the heart, lungs or in the abdomen.
X-rays and Imaging Tests
The next step in making a mesothelioma diagnosis is usually a series of chest X-rays. The X-rays may show any thickening of the lung tissues, irregularities in and around the lungs and mineral deposits or calcifications on the lung or pleural tissues. X-rays will also show any fluid buildup around or in the lungs. Any of these can suggest a mesothelioma diagnosis.
The doctor may then order other imaging tests, specifically CT scans and MRI scans. Together, the CT and MRI can help doctors to locate any lesions or tumors, and determine the extent and stage of the cancer. The imaging tests will tell the doctors what they need to know to suggest a course of treatment or further diagnostic testing.
Tissue and Fluid Samples
Your doctor may also want to take samples of fluid from around your lungs, heart or abdomen to determine if there are cancerous cells in it. This is usually done by inserting a needle into your chest cavity and withdrawing a small amount of the fluid for testing. The doctor may also recommend doing this to relieve uncomfortable pressure on the lungs and make breathing easier.
If the X-rays or other images show abnormal areas, your doctor may also want to take a tissue sample to examine for cancerous cells. Getting a sample for biopsy used to invariably involve surgery, but newer methods and equipment make it possible to obtain tissue samples without actually opening your chest. Only your doctor can determine if these methods will be appropriate in your case.
A thoracoscopy is performed with the help of an instrument called a thoracoscope - a telescope like instrument connected to a video camera. The doctor will make a small incision in your chest and insert the thorascoscope through it into your chest cavity. The video camera will allow the doctor to view and examine the tumor without opening your entire chest. He or she can then use a small, specially designed forceps to collect tissue from the tumor for testing. Doctors may also use the occasion of a thoracoscopy to remove fluid surrounding the lungs or pericardium.
Two other methods use similar instruments to obtain tissue samples and view close-ups of tumors and tissue. In a bronchoscopy, the doctor will insert a flexible, lighted tube through your mouth and thread it down through your trachea into the bronchia to find any masses or growths that may indicate pleural mesothelioma. Mediastinoscopy uses a lighted tube that is inserted beneath the sternum and into the chest cavity to view the lymph nodes in that area and examine them for growths abnormal appearance. In both of those procedures, doctors can remove tissue samples for testing.
Surgery is the most invasive method used in determining a mesothelioma diagnosis, but is sometimes the only way to remove a larger sample of the tumor. In some cases, if the cancer is still localized enough, the doctors may remove the entire tumor.
EXPOSURE to asbestos while training as an electrician could have caused the death years later of an East Bergholt man.
Michael Trinder, 61, of Hadleigh Road, East Bergholt, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in February 2006 and died on June 26 this year at the St Elizabeth's Hospice, Ipswich.
During an inquest held yesterday at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court, coroner Dr Peter Dean read from statements from his family which said he had trained as an electrician during his youth.
Since then he had studied at Loughborough University and the University of Essex, before working as an acoustic consultant to the air conditioning industry.
Following his death, the cause was given as mesothelioma, which can be caused by asbestos exposure, by consultant respiratory physician Nicholas Innes.
Dr Dean said: “While he was ill Mr Trinder said the only exposure to asbestos he could recall was when changing soffit boards.
“However he could not rule out that he may have encountered it during his earlier training as an electrician, although he had no recollection of contact.
“We are left with the question of whether this was industrial exposure or domestic exposure, or one of the very small percentage of cases where there was no exposure at all.”
Dr Dean recorded an open verdict and extended his sympathy to the family who were present at the inquest on Tuesday .
SOURCE.
Meso is a Rare Form of Cancer Caused by Asbestos Exposure. While It's Survival Rate is Dismal, More People Should Become Aware of This Form of Cancer.
September 26th is National Meso (mesothelioma) Awareness Day. Begun by the Meso Foundation, this day is dedicated to raise awareness of the problems, symptoms, and need for research into mesothelioma, one of the lesser-known forms of cancer.
In simplest terms, the tissues that line our lungs, heart, stomach and other organs are called "mesothelium." When these cells develop cancer, it's called mesothelioma, or meso for short. Meso is very painful because as the cancer cells grow, they crush the lungs. A person with mensothelioma may eventually be suffocated so that breathing is painful, or the heart or other organs can be crushed as the cancer grows. Most people who are diagnosed with meso die within 4 to 14 months.
Meso is caused by asbestos exposure. It can take years (30, 40, or even 50 years) to develop. According to the Meso Foundation, the U.S. EPA identified asbestos as," one of the most hazardous substances to which humans are exposed in both occupational and non-occupational settings."
The Navy, shipyard workers, household products, and many appliances, residential and commercial construction have all used asbestos. It's still around and in many schools, homes, and businesses. Even small exposure to asbestos particles can cause meso. Although the air was declared "safe" after 9/11, rescue workers and first-responders may have been exposed to high amounts of particulates in the air, including asbestos. Some people estimate that at least 400 tons of asbestos was released into the air in
The EPA estimates that over 20 million American workers have been exposed to asbestos particles. Every year approximately 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma. While it's still a rare form of cancer, it is expected to affect more people since it takes so long to develop and so many, many people have been exposed to asbestos in recent years.
According to the Meso Foundation, treatments for mesothelioma were largely ignored. While asbestos was known to be a carcinogenic, businesses were allowed to continue using it. Developing treatments for meso were ignored, perhaps because of potential legal minefields.
With a myriad of reasons behind it, the bottom line is that funding for research into treating meso has lagged far behind that of other forms of cancer. The Meso Foundation hopes to change this by drawing awareness to this rare, but painful, form of cancer. Todays treatment consistes of chemotherapy and radiation.
There is a growing need to understand more about meso. It can be difficult to diagnose and is regularly missed. Once a meso diagnosis is finally made, survival rates are bleak.
Actor Steve McQueen died of meso only 11 months after his diagnosis in 1980. In 2003, singer-songwriter Warren Zevon was also diagnosed with meso. He died one year after being diagnosed with it. The treatment of meso has not changed much since 1980.
Sources:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html
http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/myPRNJ.jsp?profileid=1151896&resourceid=3564922
The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) has issued the second edition of clinical practice guidelines on lung cancer diagnosis and management, which are published in the September supplement issue of Chest.
"Other than skin cancer, lung cancer is now the most common cancer and is the most frequent cause of death from cancer in both men and women," write ACCP chair W. Michael Alberts, MD, FCCP, and colleagues. "In recognition of the importance of lung cancer in the population and with the rise of evidence-based medicine as a basis for diagnosing the disease and managing those afflicted, in the year 2000 the ACCP, through its Health and Science Policy Committee, commissioned the development of evidence-based guidelines on the diagnosis and management of lung cancer.... Fortunately, the pace of discovery in the diagnosis and management of lung cancer has quickened."
The new guidelines, which update and expand those first published in January 2003, were developed by nearly 100 voluntary faculty and ACCP staff, using rigorous adherence to formal guideline methodology, attention to process detail, and the newly developed ACCP grading system. The updated recommendations incorporate findings published in the literature since 2002.
New chapters added to the second edition guidelines deal with diagnostic surgical pathology in lung cancer, bronchioloalveolar lung cancer, and complementary therapies and integrative oncology in lung cancer. Topics that have been extensively revised to reflect recent advances include screening for lung cancer, criteria for determining when a pulmonary nodule is lung cancer, management of bronchial intraepithelial neoplasia/early central airways lung cancer, palliative care consultation, quality-of-life measurement, and bereavement for end-of-life care in patients with lung cancer.
Some of the recommendations include:
- The use of β-carotene supplementation is not recommended for chemoprevention of lung cancer in individuals with a greater than 20–pack-year history of smoking or with a history of lung cancer (grade of recommendation, 1A).
- The guidelines recommend against the use of serial chest radiographs or the use of single or serial sputum cytologic evaluation to screen for the presence of lung cancer (1A).
- Reporting histologic type, tumor size and location, tumor grade (if appropriate), lymphovascular invasion, involvement of pleura, surgical margins, and status and location of lymph nodes by station is recommended for pathological diagnosis of lung cancer (1B).
- Small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and non–small-cell carcinoma parenchymal-based tumors should be differentiated, using a diagnostic panel of immunohistochemical assays if needed (1B).
- In every patient with a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) visible on chest radiography, previous chest radiographs and other relevant imaging tests should be reviewed (1C), and computed tomography (CT) of the chest should be performed, preferably with thin sections through the nodule (1C).
- Tissue diagnosis is recommended, unless specifically contraindicated, for an SPN that shows clear evidence of growth on imaging tests (1C).
- An SPN that is stable on imaging tests for at least 2 years does not require additional diagnostic evaluation, except that patients with pure ground-glass opacities on CT should have a longer duration of annual follow-up (2C).
- An SPN that is calcified in a clearly benign pattern does not require additional diagnostic evaluation (1C).
- When SCLC is suspected from radiographic and clinical findings, the diagnosis should be confirmed by the easiest method (sputum cytology, thoracentesis, fine-needle aspirate, bronchoscopy including transbronchial needle aspiration and endobronchial ultrasound-needle aspiration, endoscopic ultrasound-needle aspiration), based on the patient's presentation (1C). When there is an accessible pleural effusion, thoracentesis is recommended (1C). If pleural fluid cytology findings are negative after at least 2 thoracenteses, thoracoscopy should be performed if establishing the cause of the pleural effusion is thought to be clinically important (1C).
- A multidisciplinary team including a thoracic surgeon specializing in lung cancer, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and pulmonologist should evaluate patients with lung cancer for curative surgical resection (1C). Lung resection surgery should not be denied based on age alone (1B). Patients with major factors for increased perioperative cardiovascular risk should undergo a preoperative cardiologic evaluation (1C). Spirometry is recommended for patients being considered for lung cancer resection (1C).
- Patients with known or suspected non-SCLC (NSCLC) who are eligible for treatment should have a CT scan of the chest with contrast including the upper abdomen, liver, and adrenal glands (1B). Those with enlarged discrete mediastinal lymph nodes on CT (> 1 cm in short axis) and no evidence of metastatic disease should have further evaluation of the mediastinum before definitive treatment of the primary tumor (1B).
- Surgical resection is recommended for patients with clinical stage I and II NSCLC and no medical contraindication (1A). Even if these patients are being considered for nonsurgical therapies, such as percutaneous ablation or stereotactic body radiation therapy, they should be evaluated by a thoracic surgical oncologist with extensive experience in lung cancer (1B). Lobectomy or greater resection is preferred to sublobar resection (wedge or segmentectomy) if patients are medically fit (1A).
- In patients with stage IA NSCLC, adjuvant chemotherapy is not routinely recommended outside the setting of a clinical trial (1A). Patients with completely resected stage IB NSCLC should not routinely receive adjuvant chemotherapy (1B). Platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for patients with completely resected stage II NSCLC and good performance status (1A).
- Curative intent fractionated radiotherapy is recommended for patients with stage I or II NSCLC who are not candidates for surgery or who refuse surgery (1B).
To differentiate pleural adenocarcinoma from pleural-based malignant mesothelioma, a structured approach using a limited panel of histochemical and immunohistochemicalassays is recommended to increase the diagnostic accuracy; ultrastructural analysis and other studies may be needed in more challenging cases (1B).
Chest. 2007;132:1S-19S.
Clinical Context
Lung cancer is the most common cancer and is the most frequent cause of death from cancer in both men and women. In 2003, the ACCP first published guidelines for the diagnosis and management of lung cancer. However, many recent changes have occurred in the diagnosis and management of lung cancer, resulting in a need for updated guidelines to reflect these changes.
The aim of this article is to report on the second edition of ACCP evidence-based, clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of lung cancer.
The Study Highlights section highlights the chapters that have been extensively updated; these include "Screening for Lung Cancer," "Management of Patients with Pulmonary Nodules," "Palliative Care Consultation," "Quality of Life Measurement," and "Bereavement for End-of-Life Care in Patients with Lung Cancer."
Study Highlights
- Low-dose helical CT, serial chest radiographs, and single or serial sputum cytologic evaluation are not recommended to screen for the presence of lung cancer.
- When pathologically diagnosing lung cancer, the reporting of histologic type, tumor size and location, tumor grade (if appropriate), lymphovascular invasion, involvement of pleura, surgical margins, and status and location of lymph nodes by station is recommended.
- Treatment of Patients With Pulmonary Nodules
- In every patient with an SPN, it is recommended that clinicians estimate the pretest probability of malignancy.
- In patients who have an SPN that shows clear evidence of growth on imaging tests, a tissue diagnosis should be obtained unless contraindicated.
- In patients with a low to moderate test probability of malignancy (5% - 60%) and an indeterminate SPN that measures at least 8 to 10 mm in diameter, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography should be performed to characterize the nodule.
- Patients with an indeterminate SPN that measures at least 8 to 10 mm who undergo observation need serial CT scans repeated at least at 3, 4, 12, and 24 months.
- Patients with an indeterminate SPN that measures at least 8 to 10 mm and who are candidates for curative treatments need transthoracic needle biopsy, especially for peripheral nodules, or bronchoscopy in the following circumstances: when the clinical pretest probability and findings on imaging tests are discordant, when a benign diagnosis requiring specific medical treatment is suspected, and when a fully informed patient desires proof of a malignant diagnosis prior to surgery.
- In surgical candidates with an indeterminate SPN that measures at least 8 to 10 mm in diameter, surgical diagnosis is preferred when the clinical probability of malignancy is moderate to high (> 60%), when the nodule is hypermetabolic by fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic imaging, and when the fully informed patient prefers undergoing definitive diagnostic procedure.
- For the patient with malignant SPN who is not a surgical candidate and who prefers treatment, referral for external beam radiation or to a clinical trial of an experimental treatment such as stereotactic radiosurgery or radiofrequency ablation is recommended.
- For surgical candidates with subcentimeter nodules who have no risk factors or have 1 or more risk factors for lung cancer, the frequency and duration of follow-up (preferably with low-dose CT) should depend on the size of the nodule.
- In surgical candidates with a solitary pulmonary metastasis, a pulmonary metastasectomy is recommended if there is no evidence of extrapulmonary malignancy and there is no better available treatment.
- All patients with advanced lung cancer (and their families) should have palliative care integrated into their treatment.
- Clinicians of dying patients with lung cancer should encourage caregivers to maintain a healthy lifestyle during the period of caregiver burden.
- Clinicians of patients dying from lung cancer should honor rituals of death and mourning in a culturally sensitive manner.
Pearls for Practice
- It is not recommended to screen for lung cancer using low-dose helical CT, serial chest radiographs, and/or single or serial sputum cytologic evaluation.
- Important factors regarding the management of pulmonary nodules include the pretest probability of malignancy, evidence of growth of the SPN, the determinate/indeterminate nature of the SPN, and the surgical candidacy of the patient.
Dallas, TX: Although it was once commonly used for insulating buildings and machinery, the use of asbestos has declined sharply over the last several decades as people became more aware of the serious health consequences associated with asbestos exposure.
However, due to the widespread use of asbestos in the 20th century and the length of time it sometimes takes after exposure for a person to develop an asbestos-related disease, many people who were exposed to asbestos decades ago are only beginning to show symptoms of a serious and potentially fatal illness.
One of the most deadly diseases associated with asbestos exposure is mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer which can occur in the lining of the lungs, heart or abdomen. Some of the most common mesothelioma symptoms include severe chest pains, shortness of breath and a persistent cough.
Individuals who have manufactured, installed or worked with products containing asbestos are at a much greater risk of developing mesothelioma symptoms. People who live close to asbestos mining areas, factories that make asbestos products or shipyards where asbestos is used may also be at risk of receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis. In some cases, the relatives of workers who accidentally carried asbestos fibers home with them on their work clothes have also been diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Patients who have suffered asbestos exposure may take up to 50 years before they begin to show the first signs of mesothelioma. But in spite of its long gestation period, there is no known cure for malignant mesothelioma and the disease is almost always fatal.
Most patients who receive a mesothelioma diagnosis survive for an average of one to five years. The prognosis for each patient depends on the tumor's size and stage, the type of cells and whether or not mesothelioma treatments are effective at treating the disease.
The greatest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure are the result of lung cancer. The rate of lung cancer cases in workers who are directly involved in the mining of asbestos, or in the manufacturing or installation of asbestos-containing products, is much higher than for the general population. It is not necessary for a person to have smoked cigarettes in order to develop lung cancer as a result of asbestos exposure.
The most common lung cancer symptoms for people who have been exposed to asbestos include coughing and breathing changes. Other symptoms include persistent chest pains, shortness of breath, hoarseness and anemia.
Individuals who have worked or lived around asbestos may also develop asbestosis or silicosis. Asbestosis and silicosis are serious respiratory diseases that can be caused by exposure to asbestos or silica. Inhaled asbestos fibers and silica dust aggravate lung tissue, causing scarring which may eventually lead to these diseases.
The most common asbestosis symptoms include shortness of breath and a dry, crackling sound in the lungs when a person inhales. In its most advanced stages, asbestosis may also contribute to cardiac failure.
In some cases, an individual who has developed asbestosis or silicosis may experience no noticeable symptoms. Currently, there are no effective treatments to reverse the scarring in lung tissue caused by inhaling asbestos or silica. These diseases can be extremely disabling or, in the most serious cases, even fatal.
SOURCE:http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/01373/asbestos_diseases.html
An asbestos-related cancer called mesothelioma is a particularly deadly cancer that has little help these days from the global medical community (probably due to not being a highly popular cancer).
That doesn't mean a possible treatment should be put on hold, but that is the way some Northern Ireland cancer sufferers are probably feeling right now. A new mesothlioma drug called Alimta will make it to Northern Ireland sometime in the near future (just no this year), as it'll be the last UK region to receive access to the drug.
What's worrisome is that Ireland has a high rate of incurable lung cancer due to its history as a shipbuilding country where workers were regularly exposed to dangerous airborne particles, with some causing mesothelioma cases.
SOURCE:http://www.topcancernews.com/news/1293/1/Ireland-has-a-high-rate-of-incurable-asbestos-related-lung-cancer
Early Signs of Mesothelioma
The early signs and symptoms of mesothelioma are quite similar to pneumonia. They won’t be very apparent until one gets exposed to asbestos ranging from 20-50 years of vigorous contact with it. The early ciphers of mesothelioma are:
- Chest Pain (Right, Left or even in sides)
- Sudden Loss of Weight
- Nausea
- Pain and Swelling in abdomen
- Difficulty in breathing
- Sudden rise in temperature
- Swelling of face, neck or chest.
- Pain in Chest
- Persistent Cough
Since, this cancer is caused due to the Chest cavity and the abdominal cavity, so the above mentioned symptoms are the most common ones in this disease.
Because the chest cavity and abdominal cavity are the primary sites of origin for this form of cancer, most patients who are later diagnosed with mesothelioma have the following signs and symptoms:
Generally, there are two types of Mesothelioma- Pleural and Peritoneal Mesothelioma.
Pleural (Chest) Mesothelioma: Patients suffering from pleural mesothelioma generally experience breathing problems and/or pain in chest or backs. In this form of mesothelioma, thickening of Lung’s membrane takes place which interrupts in the general expansion and contraction of the lungs. The presence of Pleural effusions (the fluid build ups) makes the breathing difficult for the patients.
Peritoneal (Abdominal) Mesothelioma: Patients suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma generally experience pain in abdomens and/or swelling in face/chest or backs. Similar to Pleural Mesothelioma, thickening of the membrane also takes place here, while the fluid gets accumulated in the abdomen.
Anyone with a history of asbestos exposure is strongly recommended to get qualified medical treatment and check up immediately, if they experience any of the symptoms mentioned above. God Bless.
The main cause that can generally cause Mesothelioma is Asbestosis, which are fibers ranging from 50 microns or more in length and less than 0.5 microns in its width. The inhalation of such fibers generally results in Asbestosis.
The airflow supports its movement which makes its move in a longitudinal direction in the air. The asbestosis can penetrate respiratory walls as well.
Main Sources of Asbestos: The following are the main sources that can cause the asbestosis:
- ·Mining of Asbestos
- Asbestos Milling
- Construction Factory
- Textile Industries
- Fire Proofing Industries
- Paint Industry
- Plastic Industry
- Hardwares for Automobiles Industry (Brakes and Clutch)
Asbestosis is generally not confined to the people working in such industries. Their families are equally prone to this disease as well since they get exposed up to the fibrous dust coming out of the person’s clothing’s working in such factories.
The asbestos related diseases can develop in any general public if they are exposed to fibrous dust or wastes coming across from asbestos plants in the proximity of their residence. Typical residents exposure to such types of fibers is quite low, though and generally don’t relate to any diseases associated with asbestos.
Once the Asbestos fibers get inside their body, they get trapped in the form of brown colored scabbard, having rich density of iron, the asbestos bodies, which are generally found in the tissues of sputum and lungs. Then this leads to the formation of interstitial fibrosis in the lower zone of lungs sourcing to massive demolishing changes in pleurae and lung parenchyma.
Always keep yourself safe by learning how you can evade such diseases cropping up from asbestosis. Keep alert, keep fit and stay healthy. God Bless.
Reason: It is very rare amongst people. Mesothelioma affects the mesothelial cells which are located at the outer layer which protects the major organs of our body like stomach, heart and even lungs.
Symptoms: Researches have concluded that it results when one comes in direct and unprotected contact to asbestos. The symptoms are very strange, which might be an intricate task to diagnose. The latency period of the disease is difficult to find out as well.
How is it caused: The people who have worn-out most of their lives under the regular exposure to asbestos; are the most prone people to this disease. The fibers and the dust coming out from the asbestos cause the mesothelium cell to become malfunctional.
Thus Mesothelioma is a dangerous cancerous disease case due to the malfunctioning of the tissue Mesothelium, which takes care of may important organs of your body.
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