New Jersey appellate court upholds award of $30.3 to the Estate of Mark Buttitta a 50-year old advertising executive who died from mesothelioma caused by indirect secondhand exposure and direct exposure to asbestos dust
Lung cancer is the result of malignant cells forming in the tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining the air passages. The cells in our bodies are constantly dividing and reproducing. Usually, there’s an orderly pattern to this reproduction as cells develop and specialize to meet particular needs. Occasionally, however, a cell becomes damaged. There’s a mutation in its DNA, and rather than maturing and dying as is normal, it continues to reproduce unchecked. In essence, this is cancer – uncontrolled reproduction and growth of abnormal cells in the body.
Most lung cancers are believed to start in the epithelial lining of the lungs – the linings of the large and small airways that perform the task of extracting oxygen from the air. Because of this, lung cancer is sometimes called bronchogenic carcinoma – cancer arising from the bronchia. A smaller percentage of lung cancers begin in the pleura – the thin tissue sac that surrounds the lungs. These cancers are called mesothelioma. The most common form of mesothelioma is linked to asbestos exposure.
Cancer of the lungs is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. While it may take a period of years to develop, the cancer often goes undetected until late in the process. In addition, it tends to metastasize (migrate to other parts of the body) early, which leaves fewer opportunities to fight the mutated cells with surgery or radiation. Once the lung cancer does metastasize, it quickly spreads to the most vulnerable and important organs of the body, particularly the adrenal glands, the liver, the brain and the bones.
There are two primary forms of lung cancer – Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Small Cell Lung Cancer is less common, though far more deadly. It’s directly linked to cigarette smoking – less than 1% of SCLC is diagnosed in non-smokers. It’s also extremely aggressive and fast-moving, metastasizing rapidly to other organs, and often undiscovered until it’s already widespread.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, on the other hand, is far more common, accounting for nearly 80% of all diagnosed lung cancers. There are three main types of non-small cell lung cancer, generally characterized by the size, shape, and chemical composition of the cells that form the cancer:
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (also referred to as Epidermoid Carcinoma): accounts for around 25% – 30% of all lung cancers, and is associated with a history of smoking. This cancer is nearly always found in the central chest area, near the bronchus.
Adenocarcinoma (also referred to as Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma): accounts for around 40% of all lung cancers, and is found in the external region of the lung. Treatment for this form of lung cancer often leads to a more successful outcome than that of other lung cancers.
Large-Cell Undifferentiated Carcinoma: accounting for only 10% – 15% of lung cancers, this form may show up in any area of the lung. It tends to spread quickly, and often results in a poor prognosis.
It’s also possible for lung cancer to be a combination of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer types.
There are other, less common types of lung cancer. For instance, bronchial carcinoids are small tumors often found in people under 40 years of age. They tend to grow slowly, and be amenable to treatment. Carcinoid tumors account for approximately 5% of lung tumors. Some are non-cancerous. The others are generally slow-growing and can be successfully treated with surgery.
Finally, some cancers discovered in the lungs aren’t lung cancers at all. Since the lungs are prone to metastatic cancers from other sites, it’s not uncommon for tumors from other primary cancers to find their way to the lungs. When this occurs, the tumors are often discovered in the peripheral tissues of the lungs rather than in the central tissues.
Please note that the information provided in this article is for information purposes only. It should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of lung cancer. Such situations should always involve the expertise of a physician or health care provider.
Here is the short version in unsophisticated and unscientific terms: pleural thickening is the result of pleural plaques.
It strongly depends on the level of asbestos exposure what kind of lung disease a person may develop. Frequent and intense contact, stretched over a long period of time usually results in asbestosis, a non cancerous form of an asbestos induced disease.
But if a person’s exposure is rather intermittent and less intense, he is more likely to develop mesothelioma, lung cancer or pleural plaques.
Pleural plaques, though, is not an illness but it is definitely indicative of exposure to asbestos. As a matter of fact, more often than not, it is the only indication of asbestos exposure. It is important to understand the connection between pleural plaques and asbestosis or mesothelioma; if pleural plaques are found in a patient, it does not necessarily mean that he has either one of the aforementioned health conditions. But the opposite constellation is not true. In almost all of the cases, a newly diagnosed asbestosis or mesothelioma patient will have developed pleural plaques.
Pleural plaques consist of a white, fibrous and flexible substance and occur in the form of little nodules. They typically develop in the pleura, also called the outer lining, which is a thin layer surrounding the lungs and other organs in the abdomen. That causes the pleura to expand and this occurrence is called pleural thickening. The nodules have the tendency to calcify which increases their visibility on x-rays of the chest. They can vary in size and shape. Pleural plaques are benign and do not directly cause any symptoms in a patient, other than a slightly impaired lung function.
Typically, the only treatment is to monitor a patient’s situation very closely to see if the pleural plaques develop any further. In very few cases it might be a considerable option to perform a surgery with the goal to remove as much of the fibrotic tissue as possible. However, more recent studies suggest that this form of pleural plaques treatment does not improve the overall situation and is therefore not worth taking the risk that is associated with this rather invasive approach.
I can’t emphasize enough the importance of consulting your doctor and having regular check ups scheduled. If you are concerned that you might have been exposed to asbestos or if you encounter any unusual symptoms, do not waste any time but go and see a health care professional. And I am not just saying that causally, as a matter of fact I like to wrap up this article by demonstrating you the necessity of reacting immediately in such a situation.
A few months back ago, I pass blood in my urine, but didn’t experience any kind of pain at all. I went to see an Urologist right away. Long story short: I was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma, the cancer of the kidney. My left kidney was removed via a laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and fortunately, the cancer was entirely confined to the organ and had not yet spread any further. However, the results could have been vastly different if I had waited any longer.
An animation of asbestos entering the human lung. Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, and 3DS Max 9 software was used in creating the animation. The audio is a clip from “Mirrorball” by Elbow.
Prolonged exposure to asbestos can give rise to lung cancer. Asbestos cancer attorneys are lawyers who represent victims who have contracted this dreadful disease through prolonged contact with asbestos. Their aim is to obtain compensation for their clients from those responsible for causing the damage.
The asbestos cancer lawyers have forcefully and fruitfully fought for asbestos workers and their families. There are a large number of cancer attorney firms in the US, with a sizeable number of asbestos claimants, and they have won substantial compensation for their affected clients. Asbestos cancer attorneys usually employ top medical professionals and scientists to assist them in developing a case.
These attorneys are devoted to making sure that each of their clients obtains the consideration his or her case is worthy of. If one is suffering from cancer due to extensive exposure to asbestos, the straightforward reality is that the more clients the attorneys stand for, the better the chance of negotiating with the companies that caused the dreaded disease.
According to the National Cancer Institute, around 3,000 cases of malignant cancer from asbestos exposure are being reported in the United States each year, and the occurrence seems to be rising. The syndrome is three times more widespread in men than in women. In men, the incidence of asbestos related cancer is ten times higher in men between the ages of 60 and 70 than in men between the ages of 30 and 40. Work-related exposure to asbestos over the past fifty years in the United States is estimated to have happened to roughly eight million people, and up to 300,000 new cases are anticipated to take place by the year 2030.
An exceptional characteristic of asbestos-connected cancer is the long latency phase between exposure to asbestos and the beginning of the disease.
When a group of cells mutates uncontrollably and starts invading and killing healthy cells, this is called cancer. In certain areas of the body where cells reproduce rapidly there tends to be a greater chance of risk because one cancer cell can multiply exponentially in a very quick period of time. Most cancers are caused by external stimuli and mesothelioma is no different. Mesothelioma cancer is caused by exposure to carcinogens such as asbestos.
Mesothelioma is an extremely nasty and permanent cancer that infects the membrane surrounding most internal organs. It is also a very subtle form of cancer providing only a few noticeable symptoms until it becomes extremely advanced. The most common type of mesothelioma is called pleural mesothelioma. It causes shortness of breath and/or chronic coughing that can easily be mixed up with allergies or a common cold. In many cases mesothelioma is discovered by accident when patients are looking into these symptoms. Other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:
Pleural mesothelioma represents 75% of mesothelioma cases – but it is far from the only type of this deadly cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining around the stomach and intestines, and is just as dangerous and deadly. Common symptoms include:
o Weight loss – but waist may increase in size.
o Pain or swelling in the abdomen – fluid retention or tumor growth.
o Bowel obstruction – blockage in the small or large intestine.
o Anemia – a reduction in the number of red blood cells to below normal; this forces the heart and other organs to work harder to get oxygen where it’s needed.
o Fever
Usually, the first test run by a doctor will use a device called a thorascope. The procedure is called thorascopy and is done by creating a small incision in the chest, and taking a sample of lung tissue to see if it’s cancerous or not. This procedure is performed at a hospital using local anesthesia and will cause a small amount of pain. There will also be a check for an excess amount of fluid which may be drained to ease the pressure and reduce pain.
If these tests are inconclusive, there will be more advanced test performed such as a Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) scan to give doctors a 3D X-ray of the tissues. This will allow the doctors to analyze the potentially damaged areas. Another option is an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging scan). An MRI will take cross-section pictures of internal structures to separate healthy tissues from malignant ones. These two scans will allow doctors to be able and see potential dangers long before the patient feels any symptoms.
Williams Kherkher, mesothelioma lawyers, depose witnesses in an asbestos exposure case. To find out more about mesothelioma and asbestos, go to www.mesolawsuit.com or http
kazanvideo.com Asbestos Exposure Asbestosis, Mesothelioma and Asbestos are all directly connected. If you suffer from one of these diseases, you were exposed to the mineral sometime during your life. Kazan Law is the law firm to help you get the compensation you deserve due to your illness caused by Asbestos. Mesothelioma, lung cancer and Asbestosis victims: Call 877.622.5246 today.
Asbestos has been used for thousands of years as a insulator against flame. While lung damage from this material was noted even in Greek and Roman times, it was not until the mid-1950s that doctors formally established the link between asbestos and mesothelioma. Now, most new buildings do not use asbestos. However, natural disasters can cause a release of these dangerous fibers from older buildings.
Asbestos is a silicate mineral that has many appealing properties for the construction industry. Not only does it resist flame, it it also insulates against heat, chemicals, and electricity. Additionally, this material is strong as well as flexible, which means that is easily added to things like concrete. Also, at one point, asbestos could be found in everything from vinyl flooring to ceiling tiles, wall insulation to pipe insulation. This means that older buildings can house large amounts of asbestos.
Thankfully, this mineral is not dangerous until it flakes off into smaller pieces. Once microscopic fibers are released into the air, you can inhale or ingest the fibers, where they can get lodged into your body. Your body is unable to break them down, so it forms lumps or nodules around the fibers. This can turn into cancerous tumors.
When asbestos is present in older buildings, natural disasters can cause the release of microscopic, damaging fibers. As older structures are torn apart by things like fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc., the asbestos insulation in the building can get broken apart as well. Thus, people who help clean up this damage are susceptible to asbestos exposure. Additionally, even nearby communities can have asbestos fibers blown to them in the wind. Sadly, even a one-time exposure to asbestos can result in health problems such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pleural effusions.
If you suffered from asbestos exposure, resulting in health issues like mesothelioma, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your pain and suffering. To learn more, please visit the Mesothelioma Help Center today.
www.kazanvideo.com Seeking compensation for asbestos cancer mesothelioma in Bakersfield? The lawyers at Kazan handle all types of mesothelioma cases, including personal injury cases for victims and wrongful death cases for family members of Asbestos victims. Dont choose just any asbestos lung cancer lawyer in Bakersfield, choose the most experienced with Kazan Law. Call 877.622.5246.
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