Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog

April 25, 2014

Japanese Study Finds Chemo Still Best Treatment for Mesothelioma

Worldwide, medical researchers and scientists continue to pour over records and data to develop new approaches for treating the deadly cancer mesothelioma. According to a new study published by a team of Japanese researchers, chemotherapy combined with cisplatin and pemetrexed continue to be the most effective treatment for mesothelioma patients. Despite efforts to develop new and more effective drug combinations, results indicated that chemo proved to be more effective than other forms of treatment.

One of the reasons researchers are desperate to find other forms of treatment is because the prognosis for mesothelioma patients is so grave. Most patients who are diagnosed with the deadly cancer are only given months to live. New drugs and treatments are a desperate attempt to challenge the bleak cancer prognosis and to give victims and their loved ones hope. Our Boston mesothelioma attorneys are dedicated to helping victims maximize compensation after asbestos exposure. We understand the difficult and complex nature of these cases and are committed to reducing the number of asbestos-related cancer cases in Massachusetts and nationwide.
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April 20, 2014

Mother Survives Mesothelioma for 8 Years After 15-Month Prognosis

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest forms of cancer and the majority of patients are given a bleak diagnosis. While most patients will seek some kind of treatment, others will be given a very short time to live and focus on pain relief and comfort. One mesothelioma patient is bringing hope to others nationwide, as she has survived 8 years beyond her 15-month prognosis. This case is garnering national attention, as the patient wants others to focus on hope and recovery as well.

While litigation cannot give you your life back or take away a cancer diagnosis, it can help you regain financial stability and seek justice against negligent entities that are responsible your condition. Our Boston mesothelioma attorneys have extensive experience representing individuals who suffer from asbestos-related cancer, including mesothelioma. We understand that these cases are complicated and that most families do not want to spend their days in litigation; however, our priority is helping victims recover necessary compensation and preventing future cases of exposure.
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April 15, 2014

Prevalence of Asbestos Means Decades of Litigation

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Asbestos has a very long history of use, with new research indicating that it dates back to at least the late 1100s. Unfortunately, asbestos has been proven to significantly increase the risk of serious medical problems including lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestos.

Those who are exposed to asbestos in old buildings or in other old materials using asbestos could become very sick. Breathing in asbestos particles can result in scar tissue forming on the lungs that, over a period of decades, will develop into the life-threatening lung conditions that have been linked to the asbestos silicate fibers. Those who are exposed to asbestos may be able to take legal action with the help of a Boston mesothelioma lawyer to recover compensation from the manufacturer or others responsible for the exposure.
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April 12, 2014

More Companies Asking for Information about Asbestos Cases

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Asbestos litigation has been ongoing for years and has become contentious as more and more people fall ill because of exposure to asbestos and as more companies are driven into insolvency when they are unable to pay victims’ claims. Because of the ongoing legal controversies, some companies have taken a more aggressive approach to protecting their balance sheets and fighting asbestos plaintiffs seeking monetary damages.

As the Democrat & Chronicle Reports, one particular company is fighting to obtain information about asbestos plaintiffs to determine the extent of the company’s actual responsibility for damages. The fight spearheaded by this company is becoming more heated and others are joining in. The controversy underscores the importance of hiring an experienced Boston mesothelioma lawyer to ensure that you take the right legal steps to make a legitimate case so you right to damages does not come under attack.
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April 7, 2014

Asbestos Awareness Week Focuses on Asbestos Impact

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Asbestos Awareness Week takes place each year at the beginning of April. In 2014, the 10th Annual Asbestos Awareness Week ran from April 1- April 7. Asbestos Awareness Week is presented by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) and it involves a multi-pronged campaign designed to both raise awareness of asbestos-related medical problems and to prevent further exposure in the future that could have deadly effects.

Drawing attention to the problems of asbestos is important because many people are unaware that this deadly substance still exists in common products and may be found in as many as 80 percent of older buildings built before the mid-1970’s. Exposure to asbestos has serious potential consequences and could cause a rare cancer called mesothelioma, as well as lung cancer, asbestosis and other medical conditions. Victims can take action with the help of a Boston mesothelioma lawyer, but hopefully with broader awareness, fewer people will be exposed and get sick.
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April 6, 2014

Workers Should Speak Up When Exposed to Asbestos

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A plumber has filed a lawsuit against a medical center for wrongful termination, claiming he was fired because he reported asbestos to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Employers are generally prohibited by law from firing whistleblowers who report wrongdoing or who alert OSHA to workplace health hazards. As such, if the plumber can prove that he was terminated due to complaining about asbestos on the job, he should be entitled to back pay and compensation.

Workers in the building trades, including plumbers, should be aware of what asbestos fibers look like and should alert their employers immediately if they identify any signs that these fibers are present. Exposure to asbestos fibers can be deadly and there is never an excuse for not taking asbestos complaints seriously. A Boston mesothelioma lawyer can represent individuals exposed to asbestos on the job who became ill and can help victims to ensure that they are not retaliated against for protecting their right to avoid exposure.
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April 3, 2014

Jury Awards $7.2 Million in Asbestos Case

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The estate of a shipfitter who died of mesothelioma at aged 62 recently won a lawsuit against nine asbestos companies. The shipfitter’s wife sued and claimed that her husband’s exposure to asbestos occurred when he worked at the Philadelphia Navel Shipyard between 1965 and 1971. Although he left this career and spent the rest of his life as a nurse anesthetist, he was still diagnosed of mesothelioma in 2010 because of the asbestos he encountered on the job. He died six months after his initial diagnosis.

According to the Legal Intelligencer, the jury hearing the claim found for the estate and awarded damages of $7.2 million against the nine companies whose asbestos products were used by the shipfitter and caused his exposure. The compensation included $3.6 million in Survival Act damages and $3.6 million in wrongful death damages.
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March 26, 2014

A Look at Molecular Mechanisms Driving Mesothelioma

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Geologists are taking the study of asbestos-related mesothelioma in new and different directions by working to understand the connections between living organisms and earth materials. Two doctoral students in The Ohio State University’s lab conducted a study to determine what molecular mechanisms were driving the development of mesothelioma.

According to Live Science, the study focused on the most deadly of the asbestos fibers, crocidolite or blue asbestos. Crocidolite is a long and thin fiber that becomes lodged in the mesothelial cells of the lungs. While some other asbestos fibers such as chrysotile can dissolve and be flushed out, crocidolite does not ever dissolve and remains in the lungs for many years.
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March 21, 2014

Asbestos Industry and the Long History of Misinformation

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The risks of asbestos have been apparent for decades, but there is still misinformation and confusion surrounding the extent of the dangers. A recent article in the New Republic summarized the history of asbestos-related problems and told the story of a town called Asbestos where a mine that once satisfied ¾ of the world’s demand for asbestos closed in the summer of 2012.

The asbestos industry and residents of this town still believe claims that it is possible to use white asbestos without risks to health. However, most experts disagree and the prevalence of mesothelioma and asbestosis cases seem to make it apparent that asbestos should no longer be used in any form because the risks are simply too great.
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March 19, 2014

New Cancer Vaccine May Help Treat Mesothelioma Patients

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Victims of mesothelioma often discover their diagnosis and prognosis when it is too late for treatment. New research may give mesothelioma patients hope, as doctors are pursuing innovative strategies to enhance and induce the immune system, specifically to attack cancer cells. The treatment, known as cancer immunotherapy is a new and cost-effective way to deal with even the most aggressive tumors, including ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.

Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center published a recent report in the Journal of Hematology & Oncology, finding that a protein designed to combine a surface antigen with another protein simulating immune function resulted in prolonged survival in animals. Our Boston mesothelioma attorneys know any advances in the treatment of these aggressive cancers is welcome news.
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