Mesothelioma and Today's Youth

Due to the average age of a mesothelioma victim, which is mid 60’s or older, it is feared that individuals who actually have mesothelioma are not being properly diagnosed because of their young age. On Friday, June 3rd, 2011 a Pasadena High School student lost his battle with the rare cancer mesothelioma. This is an unusual case because typically this dreaded disease only occurs in individuals that were exposed to asbestos 30 to 50 years earlier.

Austin Lacy battled the wrong disease for a year before he was correctly diagnosed with mesothelioma. This delay in a proper diagnosis is too common in these situations because mesothelioma symptoms are also very similar to other disease symptoms.

Nearly three months later on August 20th, 2011 another young athlete also lost his battle with mesothelioma; 21 year old Kevin Morrison from Norwood, Massachusetts. While Austin Lacy had pleural mesothelioma which occurs around the lungs and chest, Kevin Morrison has peritoneal mesothelioma which is the rarest form. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of the abdomen and is so rare that it is only diagnosed in 100 to 500 patients each year in the US. What is even rarer is the fact that Kevin is so young. Kevin succumb to this disease only six months after he was diagnosed.

A study done by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization showed that the average age of people diagnosed with mesothelioma is steadily dropping as a record number of teens and young adults are being diagnosed. One way that the young people of America are contracting this disease is by being exposed to asbestos at dangerous levels that threaten their lives. Secondary exposure can also occur when one breathes in asbestos from a loved one’s clothing. As soon as asbestos particles are inhaled, they can start to infect the cells and turn into cancer.

Since typically it takes decades before mesothelioma is diagnosed, many youths may not realize that they are actually suffering from this horrendous preventable disease.

Preventing Mesothelioma

The only way to prevent Mesothelioma is to stop all forms of asbestos exposure. Ideally, asbestos use would be banned everywhere, asbestos mining would cease, all asbestos would be removed from buildings and it would be properly cleaned up. Unfortunately, that is not the reality.

55 countries around the world have banned asbestos, and the United States is not one of those countries. Currently, asbestos is still mined and exported from Russia, Brazil, China and even Canada, even though Canada has banned it’s use. The Canadian government is actually in the process of an asbestos abatement project in their capital buildings. Adversely, they are also in the process of attempting to reopen asbestos mines in Quebec.

The main reason this deadly substance continues to be dispersed throughout the world is because of corporate greed. There are many other materials that can be substituted in place of asbestos that don’t cause cancer, however this lethal product continues to be used.

There is absolutely no safe level of exposure to asbestos, there isn’t a responsible way to use asbestos and there are no safe types of asbestos. Despite what the industry says, “Blue” and “White” asbestos kills.

The sole way to protect future generations from asbestos related diseases is to ban it’s use globally.

The First Week Of April Kicks Off National Asbestos Awareness Week

Asbestos happens to be an extremely lethal substance that shows little signs of its potential danger for long periods of time. Most Mesothelioma victims do not see any symptoms for 25-50 years after the initial exposure and because of its long latency period, detecting the early warning signs of asbestos exposure can be quite difficult.

While there are some signs of asbestos exposure, they are often misunderstood as other health problems therefore, the signs are easily ignored. Symptoms of asbestos exposure includes: shortness of breath, crackling sounds while breathing, chronic cough, chest pain, weight loss, swelling in the face or neck, anemia, sudden onset of fever and night sweats. Because of the lack of early symptoms, if someone has an inclination they were exposed to asbestos they should inform their doctor as soon as possible to begin early monitoring for adverse effects.

Asbestos exposure is not limited to causing only Mesothelioma cancer. Asbestos also causes lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural plagues, cancer of the throat, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Mesothelioma cancer is invariably fatal.

Mesothelioma is a type of fatal cancer that occurs in the lining of the organs called the Mesothelium. Unfortunately the outcome for mesothelioma patients is grave. This may be attributed to the fact that it takes quite a while for any symptoms to present themselves and for the cancer to be diagnosed, because of this, no one has successfully recovered from this disease.

If you or a loved one has experienced any of the symptoms above, or suspect that you have been exposed to asbestos, do not wait to contact your physician. If you have already been diagnosed, contact the Law Firm of Mazur & Kittel to begin exploring your options for compensation from asbestos-related diseases.

Mesothelioma: Preventable Enemy

Every year, approximately 2500 Americans are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers. All too often, family members have lost loved ones to this horrific form of cancer, and were unaware that measures to receive substantial compensation were already in place.

While asbestos has been eliminated from the manufacturing of many products, it is still being used in the United States today in construction and transportation products. This reaffirms the reason why it is so important to document the occupational history in future cases. Retrieving this information for mesothelioma cases is important because it makes us more aware of what industries and professions are placing workers at risk for this lethal disease. 

There are many forms of cancer that can derive from genes, diet, smoking, etc. But when cancer is a result of poor building maintenance at an office, or an apartment or through negligence, this is where it would behoove anyone to seek legal representation. It is of paramount importance that employers, landlords, and others maintain a safe working and living environment.

If you or anyone you know has been stricken by this horrific disease, it is imperative that you seek counsel immediately. Mesothelioma is a very serious disease that is brought on by preventable negligence. Contact the law offices of Mazur & Kittel at www.MazurKittel-Mesothelioma.com for more information.