Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog

January 11, 2014

Mesothelioma Treatment Watch: Does Radiotherapy Provide Pain Relief?

Mesothelioma patients can suffer from severe pain, especially as they near the end of life. Doctors and medical researchers are often exploring new methods of treatment to ease the pain for victims. One of the standard pain relievers for mesothelioma patients has been radiotherapy. According to new reports, evidence suggest that radiotherapy is ineffective in treating pain. Though it has been used for decades to treat mesothelioma patients, Scottish scientists are countering that belief with findings that the science in favor of radiotherapy is weak.

According to researchers, there is no quality evidence to support radiotherapy in treating mesothelioma pain. This could be a significant setback to medical practitioners as well as patients and their loved ones who have been relying on radiotherapy treatment. Our mesothelioma attorneys in Boston are dedicated to helping victims recover compensation after asbestos exposure. In addition to helping victims and their families, we are also abreast of trends in mesothelioma medical research and treatment.
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January 7, 2014

U.S. Congresswoman’s Asbestos Claim Brings Legal Issues to Light

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Many people each year file lawsuits in the United States because they develop cancer as a result of exposure to asbestos. The thousands of lawsuits largely go unnoticed amidst the other legal news, especially as asbestos litigation has been going on for a long time and there is no question that asbestos is the cause of mesothelioma as well as the cause of many cases of lung cancer.

One recent case, however, is bringing issues of asbestos exposure back to the headlines because the plaintiff is a politician. According to The Hill, the lawsuit was brought by a 69-year-old U.S. Congresswoman named Carolyn McCarthy. The congresswoman announced back in June that she had been treated for lung cancer and she has now filed a lawsuit against multiple manufacturers of asbestos because she alleges that exposure to toxic asbestos fibers when she was younger was a significant contributing factor to the development of her lung cancer.
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January 2, 2014

Low Levels of Asbestos Exposure Can Cause Mesothelioma

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The link between exposure to asbestos and the development of cancer has been long-established and it is clear that when asbestos fibers are breathed, they can cause mesothelioma. Unfortunately, new research shows that even very low levels of exposure to asbestos can trigger the damage to the lining of the lungs that causes mesothelioma.

The study was published in the Journal of Occupation and Environmental Medicine and it involved reviewing data from more than 60,000 men that was collected as part of the Netherlands Cohort Study. The men whose data was reviewed were Norwegian men between the ages of 55 and 69. The researchers took a careful look at the job history of each of the 58,279 men who were involved in the study and compared the work background of the men to the different occupations where workers were routinely exposed to asbestos. The researchers also compared the levels of asbestos exposure among the men surveyed to the rate at which the men developed mesothelioma and other cancers such as lung cancer.
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December 31, 2013

Could A New Test Detect Mesothelioma Sooner?

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Mesothelioma is a serious and often deadly cancer that is generally caused by exposure to asbestos. Part of what makes mesothelioma such a dangerous cancer is that the condition is not normally diagnosed until the cancer is quite advanced. Early diagnosis is essential to improving cancer survival rates because the sooner the cancer is caught, the smaller it is and the easier it is to eradicate through chemotherapy, radiation, surgery or other treatment methods. Unfortunately, mesothelioma does not usually show symptoms until the cancer has progressed, and easy screening is not currently possible for mesothelioma as it is for other common cancers such as breast cancer and cervical cancer.

A new study, however, may provide hope for advancing the treatment of mesothelioma and improving survival outcomes. The new study may make it possible to diagnose mesothelioma in much earlier stages, which could allow for treatments that are more likely to cure patients with this aggressive cancer or which could make the cancer more treatable. Our Boston mesothelioma lawyers know that a screening test would be invaluable, especially to those who may have worked in professions where they were exposed to asbestos and who thus know that they have a high risk of developing cancer from breathing in asbestos fibers.
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December 27, 2013

Mesothelioma a Risk for New England School Teachers

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Mesothelioma is a worldwide problem as asbestos was widely used in building material both in the United States and throughout Europe for decades until the risks associated with exposure became known. Recently, the death of a school teacher in the United Kingdom brought the issue of asbestos-exposure in schools back into the headlines. The teacher, a 63-year-old from South Hampton, was believed to be the first case of mesothelioma in the local area. However, there is concern that many schools both in the UK and in the United States are older buildings were children, teachers and administrators could all be exposed to asbestos fibers.

Our mesothelioma plaintiff lawyers know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has passed strict requirements to prevent exposure to asbestos among school children. Schools are required to comply with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and all public and private schools, including charters and religious schools, have to inspect their schools regularly for materials with asbestos and take action to reduce asbestos hazards. Unfortunately, the average age of schools in the U.S. is around 42 years old and about half of all schools in the country were built between 1950 and 1969, which were peak years for the use of asbestos. Even with federal regulations, schools may still have unresolved asbestos issues and kids, teachers and administrators could be in danger of exposure.
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December 23, 2013

Wine Compound May Enhance Chemo Effect for Mesothelioma Patients

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

There are always new health studies revealing what is good or bad for our bodies. Recent reports on alcohol show that drinking wine can have positive health effects. According to new evidence, a compound found in red wine may be even more beneficial to patients being treated for mesothelioma with chemotherapy. For patients of mesothelioma, any improvement in treatment can be a sign of hope when facing the fatal disease.

Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest cancers and is most often associated with asbestos exposure. Individuals who have worked with household chemicals, industrial materials, or who have been exposed to asbestos in their home, residence or workplace are susceptible to mesothelioma. The cancer may be dormant for years and victims can be diagnosed months, years, or decades after exposure. Our Boston mesothelioma attorneys are dedicated to protecting victims’ rights and in staying abreast of all developments in the treatment of mesothelioma.
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December 20, 2013

Australian Genetic Treatment Raises Hope for Mesothelioma Patients

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The prognosis for mesothelioma sufferers is grave. Most sufferers do not have a very long life expectancy. While experimental treatments always raise hope for patients and their loved ones, it is difficult to know when these scientific breakthroughs can deliver practical and positive results for patients. Another new treatment is offering hope to the victims of the deadly cancer and has been making headlines worldwide.

Asbestos-related cancer, also known as mesothelioma, is problematic in industrialized nations throughout the world. Scientific communities throughout the U.K., Europe, Australia, Asia, and the United States have been working for a treatment and cure of the fatal cancer. According to the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute in Sydney, new research results could signal a breakthrough genetic treatment. Our mesothelioma attorneys in New England are abreast of all medical and legal issues related to mesothelioma. We are dedicated to providing legal support to clients and staying abreast of developments in the medical community.
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December 16, 2013

Boston Mesothelioma Litigation and the Every Exposure Theory

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Recently, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy filed an asbestos exposure lawsuit, alleging that her lung cancer directly resulted from the time she spent as a youth washing the asbestos-covered clothing of her father and brothers.

Her claim has been met with broad cynicism because of the fact that she recently quit her pack-a-day cigarette habit.

Although our Boston mesothelioma attorneys have written before on the issue of asbestos litigation brought by smokers and former smokers (the cases are possible to win and a person’s choice to smoke doesn’t negate a manufacturer’s duty to warn), one of the more prominent issues we see here is that of the every exposure theory.
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December 14, 2013

Kiser v. A.W. Chesterton Co., et al. – Mesothelioma Case Damages Begin at Time of Exposure

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In most types of injury litigation, the question of when the damages begin accruing is quite simple: At the time of the injury.

So if you’re involved in a car accident, you would be entitled to compensation for losses that began at the time the crash occurred.

mesothelioma lawsuits in Massachusetts are a bit more complicated, and the reason has to do with the nature of the disease and how it is contracted. The case of Kiser v. A.W. Chesterton Co., et al., reviewed recently by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, offers up a good illustration of the issues at hand.
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December 10, 2013

Sequester Hits Mesothelioma Research

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Mesothelioma is a deadly type of cancer and there are limited treatment options available to victims who suffer from this serious medical condition caused by asbestos exposure. With thousands dying from mesothelioma each year, and the high rate of deaths likely to continue as people who were exposed to asbestos at work decades ago continue to get sick, research into treatments for this aggressive cancer are very important.

Unfortunately, our Boston mesothelioma lawyers know that the Sequester is endangering an important program that is designed to facilitate mesothelioma research. The Sequester refers to an arbitrary cut of the government’s budget that went into effect when Democrats and Republicans were unable to come to a budget agreement that would cut the deficit. When the Sequester was originally proposed by President Obama, both Democrats and Republicans expected that the threat of the Sequester cuts would force some type of agreement to be reached. Unfortunately, instead, these across-the-board cuts that no one wants have now taken effect and are endangering research that could help improve quality-of-life and outcomes for asbestos victims.
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