Blog
- Several causes for malignant mesothelioma
Jul 21, 2020
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer affecting millions of Americans. While some people are affected by this disease because of their age and family history, others develop it because of variable risk factors. It might surprise Pennsylvania residents that some malignant mesothelioma patients have little to no known risk factors. Here are some of the risk factors that could lead to mesothelioma. Risk factors that lead to peritoneal and plural mesothelioma Exposure to...Read More - Innovative mesothelioma treatment offers new hope
Jul 15, 2020
Mesothelioma is a cancerous disease that affects the thin membranes surrounding organs inside the human body. It is a rare cancer that often affects the heart or lungs when it does manifest itself. A new study shows hope for reducing the size of mesothelioma tumors by using the drug LMB-100 in combination with immunotherapy. This could help patients in Pennsylvania who have advanced cases and face less than ideal outcomes for mesothelioma treatment. A study...Read More - Five signs that one has an asbestos-related condition
Jul 10, 2020
Pennsylvania residents should be aware that asbestos is a mineral once widely used in building materials and still used in automotive equipment like brakes and clutches. While the U.K. banned asbestos outright in 1999, the U.S. has no ban in place, though it is no longer mined. Workers, especially shipyard workers, construction workers and auto mechanics, should know what the signs of asbestos poisoning are. The first symptom will be shortness of breath because, when...Read More - New treatment shows promise for advanced mesothelioma
Jul 10, 2020
Pennsylvanians who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and their loved ones might be interested in learning about a promising new treatment for patients with advanced stages of the disease. The treatment is for people with malignant pleural mesothelioma, and it causes minimal side effects. Research about the novel treatment was presented during a virtual session of the 2020 scientific meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology on June 14. The treatment involves arterial chemoperfusion of...Read More - Mesothelioma difficult to detect early
Jun 23, 2020
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer for which there are no screening tests recommended for people who are not at an increased level of risk. For people in Pennsylvania who have had exposure to asbestos, it is common for doctors to suggest undergoing imaging tests regularly. These may include computed tomography scans and chest x-rays. Such screenings examine the lungs for changes that may indicate the presence of lung cancer or mesothelioma in the...Read More - Miners file asbestos suit against workers’ comp insurer
Jun 11, 2020
Pennsylvania residents may have heard that the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine in the town of Libby, Montana, closed in the 1990s but not before hundreds of workers contracted asbestos-related diseases. The affected workers filed a lawsuit against Maryland Casualty Company, the company that provided Grace with workers’ compensation insurance from 1963 to 1973. Plaintiffs alleged that Maryland Casualty knew about the danger of asbestos exposure when mining vermiculite, a mineral that naturally occurs in asbestos-laden...Read More - Risks of developing mesothelioma
Jun 5, 2020
Mesothelioma diagnoses have been increasing in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the rest of the U.S. The aggressiveness of this disease makes many people wonder if they or their family members are at risk for developing it. Understanding the risk factors for mesothelioma and what to do if people are diagnosed with the condition are important. What is mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos used to be widely...Read More - Understanding pericardial mesothelioma
Jun 5, 2020
People in Pennsylvania and West Virginia who have been exposed to asbestos might develop mesothelioma years after they were exposed. Mesothelioma is a type of terminal, aggressive cancer that is caused by asbestos fibers that people inhale. While most people are likely aware of the type of mesothelioma that affects the lungs, they might not know that mesothelioma can also affect the pericardium, which is the lining that surrounds the heart. What is pericardial mesothelioma?...Read More - Asbestos exposure continues to be a problem
Jun 5, 2020
Millions of people were exposed to asbestos from the 1940s to the 1970s. While the use of asbestos has greatly decreased in Pennsylvania, some people continue to be exposed to it at work. Asbestos exposure can cause people to develop mesothelioma, which is a type of terminal cancer that can appear years after the exposure occurred. While asbestos isn’t as widely used as it once was, around 3,000 people are diagnosed with asbestos-related mesothelioma in...Read More - Mesothelioma: the cause and its diagnosis
May 28, 2020
Workers across Pennsylvania may be exposed to asbestos without knowing it. Exposure to this mineral is linked with a cancer called mesothelioma, which usually affects the pleura, or lining, of the lungs. It may appear as a tumor on the lungs, stomach or chest. Certain workers are more likely to be around asbestos than others: construction workers and operators heavy machinery, for instance, or anyone who works in old buildings where asbestos-containing materials are still...Read More