Asbestos Products

Asbestos Products

aprons
air cell pipecovering
ASB weatherproof jacket
AC&S asbestos products
acoustical panels
acoustical plaster
acoustical tile
Acoustone ceiling tiles
adhesive
Aeroflex
Aerogun insulating mix
AFJ board
Aircell
Aircell asbestos board
Aircell block
Aircell board
Aircell paper
Aircell pipecovering
Aircell sheets
Aircell zebra pipecover
Allbestos
Alumi-Shield pipecover
Amblerex #2 cement
Amblerex finishing cement
Antisweat covering
Antisweat pipecovering
apron
Armabestos
Armabestos block
Armabestos pipecovering
Armafil
Armaflex
Armaflex finish
Armaflex pipecovering
Armaflex sheets
Armaflex tape
Armaglas
Armaglas Flex
Armaglas fire resistant
Armalite
Armalok
Armaspray
Armatemp #10 cement
Armatemp 85% magnesia
Armatemp block
Armatemp cement
Armatemp pipecovering
Armstrong 1/8" vinal ASBE
Armstrong block
Armstrong cal sil
Armstrong fire resistant
Armstrong lagging adhesive
Armstrong pipecovering
Armstrong products
Armstrong woolfelt
Arrestone asbestos pads
asbestos boiler wall coat
asbestos corrugated sheets
asbestos finish cement
asbestos insulating blanket
Asbestocel
Asbestocel corrugated paper
Asbeston
Asbeston cloth
Asbestone panels
asbestos
asbestos blankets
asbestos block
asbestos board
asbestos canvas
asbestos cement
asbestos cement pipe
asbestos cellular pipecover
asbestos cloth
asbestos cord
asbestos curtains
asbestos felt
asbestos fiber
asbestos finishing cement
asbestos flatboard
asbestos forms
asbestos furnace tape
asbestos gaskets
asbestos gloves
asbestos heat bags
asbestos insulating cement
asbestos insulation
asbestos lap
asbestos micarda
asbestos millboard
asbestos mineral wool
asbestos mittens
asbestos packing
asbestos panels
asbestos paper
asbestos paper pipecovering
asbestos pipecovering
asbestos products/care
asbestos rollboard
asbestos rope
asbestos seals
asbestos sheets
asbestos sponge block
asbestos sponge cover
asbestos spray
asbestos tape
asbestos textile
asbestos tiles
asbestos weatherproof
asbestos wick
asbestos yarn
asbestospray
asbestos-faced mineral wool
asphalt
Atlasite block
Atlasite pipecovering
automobile hood liners
B&W boiler
Baldwin-Hill cement
Baldwin-Hill products
bead board
BEH block
BEH cement
BEH pipecovering
BEH products

Bestfelt
Bestfelt block
Bestfelt pipecovering
B-H expansion joint
black asbestos
blanket
block
block adhesive
block stick
Blue Mud cement
board
boiler
boiler coating
boiler insulation
brake linings
Buck Stay cement
BW firebrick
cables
Cafco adhesive
Cafco blaze shield
Cafco emulsion adhesive
Cafco heat shield
Cafco patching fiber
Cafco powershield
Cafco sealer
Cafco shield-coat
Cafco sound shield
Cafco spray
calcium silicate
calcium silicate block
calcium silicate canvas
calcium silicate cement
calcium silicate cover
calcium silicate hangers
calcium silicate pipecovering
Calcrete30
Calsil block
Calsilite
Calsilite block
Calsilite canvas
Calsilite insulating cement
Calsilite pipecovering
Caltemp cement
canvas
carded asbestos cloth
Caretemp block
Carey 7M cement
Carey asbestos cement
Carey all-temp
Carey asbestos insulating ducts
Carey asbestos cloth
Carey asbestos felts
Carey asbestos tank jacket
Carey block
Carey BTU cement
Carey calcium silicate block
Carey calcium silicate pipecovering
Carey Candad asbestos
Carey cement
Carey corrugated asbestos paper
Carey duct adhesive
Carey fibrous adhesive
Carey fireclad asbestos paper
Carey firefoil board
Carey firefoil panel
Carey fireguard asbestos paper
Carey flex board
Carey insulation duct
Carey insulation seal
Carey marine panel
Carey insulating cement
Carey panel board
Carey pipecovering
Carey products
Carey stone sheathing
Carey super-lite pipecovering
Carey thermalite
Carey woolfelt
Carey york products
Carey york clock
Carey york pipecovering
Careycell block
Careycell pipecovering
Carey thermaboard
Careytemp
Careytemp block
Careytemp pipecovering
Careytemp adhesive
Careytemp block
Careytemp cement
Careytemp pipecovering
Careytemp pre-molded insulation
Castable
Castablock
CC navy sealer
CE cement
ceiling tiles
Cellotone
Celotex products
cement
Cement insulation
Cementboards
Cerafelt
ceramic tile
Chrysotile
CI mastic
clapboards
clay
Cleangard
cloth
clutches
CMT-Eagle 20
coat
coat cement
Cominco insulation cement
cord
cork board
cork covering
cork-filled mastic
cork mastic
corrugated asbestos sheets
Covergard
Crocidolite
Cummings insulation

Deltamaid hitemp master
Deltamaid one-shot cement
Detrick bonding cement
dry mix joint compound
Duplex block
Duplex pipecovering
Duriseal
Eagle insulating cement
Eagle pitcher products
Ehret 85% magnesia block
Ehret 85% magnesia pipecover
Ehret asbestos fiber felt
Ehret block
Ehret pipecovering
Ehret products
EM cell block
EM cell board
EM cell pipecovering
EM felt covering
Empire ace products
Empire aircell block
emulsions
Endless plastic ring style
Enduro block
Enduro pipecovering
Erco products
Erhet 85% magnesia block
Excel block
Excel board
Excel pipecovering
Excelon tile
expansion join
fake snow
featherweight block
featherweight pipecover
fiber cement
fibreboard products
Fibrekote
fibrex cement
fibrous adhesive
finishing cement
fire brick
fire resistant insulation shield
fireproofing cement
flameguard
Flames Safe pipecovering
Flapseal adhesive
Flash Tite cement
Flexfast adhesive
Flexfelt
Flexible corner bead
flexible duct connectors
Flintkote floor tiles
floor tiles
Flurobestos
Franco-therm cement
frost proof
furnace cement
Fyrbestos sheets
G. Bond wood fiber paster
GAF asbestos felt
GAF products
Garlock gasketing
Garlock products
gasket material
gaskets
Gator tape
Generator
GE products
glassbestos
glassblower mitts
Glosscell block
Glosscell covering
gloves
Gold Bond adhesive
Gold Bond asbestos paper
Gold Bond asbestos sheets
Gold Bond cement
Gold Bond perfo-lyte
Gold Bond Plaster
Gold Bond products
Gold Bond spackle paster
Gold bond tar paper
goldbestos
Griptex mineral wool block
Guardian heatguard
gunning mix
H.K. Porter canvas
H.K. Porter products
H/2 insulation block
hairfelt
Heatguard
Heat-seal
helmet
HI mastic
HI stick cement
HI temp cement
high pressure packing
High Temp insulating cement
Hilite insulating cement
Hitemp block
Hitemp board
Hitemp pipecovering
Hou Daille 10 11
Hou Daille 1871H
Hou Daille 65
Hylo block
Hylo cement
Hylo pipecovering
Hy-temp block
Hy-temp cement
Hy-temp pipecovering
industrial A-C board
Insubestos felt strips
Insubestos felt type A
Insubestos felt type B
insulating block
insulating cement
insulating contractor
insulating felt
insulation
insulation blanket
insulation board
insulation coating
insulation jacket FAB
Insulbestos felt
Insulkote SG
Insulkote-coating
Insulmastic
Insulseal
Insulstick
Insultape insulation
J-M asbestos cloth
J Spray
Jcafco products
joint compounds
JM 301 cement
J-M asbestos canvas
J-M asbestos gasketing
J-M block
J-M cement
J-M finishing cement
J-M pipecovering
J-M products
J-M transite pipecover
J-M products distributed by CE
joint compounds
JPS asbestos cloth
K & M block
K & M finishing cement
K & M pipecovering
K & M Kaytherm 1700
Kaiser mineral wool block
Kalite
Karnak mastic
Kaylo block
Kaylo block insulation
Kaylo canvas
Kaylo pipe insulation
Kaylo pipecovering
Kaytherm block
Kaytherm block insulation
Kaytherm cement
Kaytherm pipe insulation
Kaytherm pipecovering
Keasby cement
Keasby products
Keene asbestos products
Keene block
Keene pipecovering
Keene woodfelt
Krack-pruf insulation
lagging adhesive
lagging cloth
lagging tape
lagtone
lap seal
leggings
limpet spray
limpet spray asbestos
Litecase 30 S
LK block
LK pipecovering
LK12 calcium silicate
LK-12 calciom silicate
LT block
LT pipecovering
LT sealer
Magnesia block
Magnesia cement
Magnesia covering
Magnesia insulating cement
Marinite insulating panel
Magnesia pipecovering
masonry fill
mastic
mastic adhesives
metal mesh blanket
Micabestos
Micarda plate and tube
millboard
Mills boiler
mineral wool insulating cement
mineral wool
mineral wool blankets
mineral wool blocks
mittens
mitts
molded cork pipecovering
Monoblock
Monofoam
Monokote
Monoplast
Mono-ply insulating cement
Monospray
mortat mix
Multiply block
Multiply pipecovering
Mundet asbestos cement
Mundet pipecovering
Mundet products
Mundetblock
Mundetcork
N-1200 block
National gypsum sheetrock
National gypsum board
Navy sealer
Navy standard hairfelt
Newtherm pipecovering
NG Asbestos millboard
Nicolet pipecovering
Nicolet/Keasby products
non-sweat pipe insulation
non-sweat pipe covering
Novabestos
Novatex
Nsulkote
nuclear reactor w/comp
OCF asbestos cloth
OCF products
one coat cement
one coat insulating cement
one coat cement
one coat finishing cement
Osnaburg
Owens-Corning 660 cement
Owens-Corning asbestos cement
Pabco
Pabco block
Pabco caltemp pipecover
Pabco F-1 hydraulic cement
Pabco pipecovering
Pabco super caltemp block
packing
packing material
paint
paper
paper tape
patching plaster
Perf-a-tape
Perlite
Perltex spray surface
Perltex super 40
Permaboard
Permiseal
Philip Carey products
pipe insulation
pipecovering
Pitcote
Pittsburgh Corning products
Pittwrat
plaster
plasticork
Plibrico cement
Plicaste cement
Plisulate cement
Polybestos cloth
Pork chop boiler
Porterlag
Portersite
Powerhouse cement
Prasco pipecovering
preformed pipe wrap
pumps
pumps and packing
pumps with packing
putty
Pyrobar blocks
Pyrokure
Pyrokure paper
Pyrokure tape
Pyroscat fireproofing
Pyrospray
Pyrotex
quick-setting joint compound
quick treat compound
quickset cement
R & I block
R & I unsulating cement
Racko asbestos cement
railroad asbestos
railroad electrical arc chutes
range boiler jacket
raw asbestos
raw asbestos fiber
Raybestos amosite blanket
Raymark brake linings
Raymark products
ready mix joint compound
Red Top plaster
Red Top products
refractory cements
regular pipecovering
Rexalt
Rhinoestos cloth
Riley Stoker asbestos products
Rockwool insulation cement
Rockwool asbestos blanket
Rockwool asbestos blanket
Rockwool blanket
Rockwool block
roofing felt
roofing paper
roofing product
rollboard
rope
rope packing
roughing cement
Ruberoid block
Ruberoid calsilite
Ruberoid cement
Ruberoid hi-temp cement
Ruberoid pipecovering
S&K ranger boiler jacket
Safekote cement
Salmo glazed aircell
Seal fast adhesive
sealer
sheet packing
sheet rope
sheetrock
sheets
shingles
silicate calsilite
Silvabestos cloth
sleeves
Smith & Kanzler products
Sniper 3000 cement
spackle
Sparkfast adhesive
Speedlag
Splicegard
sponge felt
spray fireproofing
spun felt
Stalastic
steam generator
Stic-Tite cement
Stic-Tite finishing cement
Stik-Tab cement
stone corrugated sheets
Super "66" insulating cement
Super 48 cement
Super 711
Super D blockinsulate
Super finish stic-tite cement
Super finish cement
Super high temp cement
Super insulation tape
Super light block
Super powerhouse cement
Super stic-tite cement
Super48 insulating cement
Superex block insulation
Superex pipe covering
Super-light cement
Superseal packing
Supertemp blocking
supplied/distributed ASBE
supplied/distributed PRO
supplier
T/NA insulation jacket
tape
tar paper
temp check block
temp check pipecovering
terra lite
Terrybestos
Themobestos metalon P/C
Therm Block
Thermabestos block
Thermabestos cement
Thermaguard
Thermaguard asbestos cloth
Therma-K block
Therma-K pipecovering
Thermalcoat
Thermasil
Thermasil block
Thermasil cement
Thermasil pipecovering
Thermasil-general
Thermo 12
Thermo 12 pipecovering
Thermo pipecovering
Thermobestos
Thermobestos pipecover
Thermoblock
Thermokote
Thermolite
Thermon heat cement
Thermotex B
Thermotex B (paper)
Thermotex B weatherpro
thin set materials
Titegrip cement
Transite board
Transite pipe asbestos
Tri-bestos
Tri-calite block insulation
troweled coating
turbines
turbines with ancill insulation
U.S. gypsum spray
Unarco amocel pipecover
Unarco board
Unarco cloth
Unarco insulating cement
Unarco mineral wool
Unarco products
Unibestos
Unibestos block
Unibestos pipecovering
Unibestos products/distribution
USG aircell pipecover
USG hairfelt pipecover
USG woolfelt pipecover
Util thermal finish cement
valve rings
valve stem packing style
valves
valves and packing
various JM products
V-Dent pipe insulation
Vee block mix (relabel)
Vermont asbestos
Versakote
vinyl gypsum adhesive
vinyl wallpaper
Vitricel asbestos sheet
Vitricel cement
wallboard
water tube boiler
waterproofing
Weathercote asphalt CM
Weatherkote
Weatherseal
weld-on cement
welding rods
white loose wool
white surface cement
white-cement
wick
wire mesh blanket
wires
Woolfe LT pipecovering
Woolfelt block
Woolfelt covering
Wovenstone
yarn
yellow insulation
Zono plaster aggregate
Zono-coustic
Zonolite acoustic plaster
Zonolite asbestos
Zonolite cement
Zonolite decorators
Zonolite dry cement
Zonolite high temp
Zonolite mono-cote F.P.
Zonolite plaster
Zonolite spray insulation
Zonolite spra-tex

Four Stages-Mesothelioma

The Four Stages of Mesothelioma

After confirming a mesothelioma diagnosis, the next step is called staging. Staging is the process used to find out how far the cancer has spread. Imaging studies, such as CT scans and MRI's, help a doctor to determine the mesothelioma stage. This is important because it affects the treatment and prognosis of mesothelioma.

The most common system used for measuring mesothelioma staging is the Butchart Staging System. This staging procedure is only used for pleural mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lungs) because it is by far the most common type of mesothelioma.

A. Stage 1 - Localized Malignant Mesothelioma
Stage I mesothelioma is the initial stage of mesothelioma. Here, the cancerous tumor is found in the pleura (the lung lining), and may also involvesome tumors in the lung, pericardium (the lining of the heart), or the diaphragm.

B. Stage 2 Mesothelioma
In Stage II mesothelioma, in addition to the presence of mesothelioma in the pleura, mesothelioma has spread to the chest wall, esophagus, or heart. Also, mesotheliomamay have spread to the lymph nodes in the chest.

C. Stage 3 Mesothelioma
In Stage III, mesothelioma has invaded the diaphragm into the peritoneum (the lining of the heart), and may involve lymph nodes outside of the chest.

D. Stage 4 Mesothelioma
In Stage IV, mesothelioma has metastasized, spreading through the bloodstream to other organs of the body.

Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant Mesothelioma

If you are interested in just the facts on Mesothelioma you may click this link

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops in the mesothelial cells. These cells are tissue that surround or line the lungs, heart, and stomach. The mesothelial cells protect these organs by producing a lubricating fluid that allows these organs to move smoothly. There are 2 types of tumors of the mesothelium, "benign" and "malignant". A benign tumor is non-cancerous, which means it does not cause any damage or will not harm you. A malignant tumor of the mesothelial cells is called a malignant mesothelioma. Because tumors of the mesothelium are usually cancerous, malignant mesothelioma is usually just called "mesothelioma". At one time, malignant mesothelioma was considered very rare.

The incidence of malignant mesothelioma, however, has increased at an alarming rate. Today, at least 14 cases per million persons in the United States develop malignant mesothelioma each year. This means that over 3000 persons are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma annually. This number is probably understated because many cases of malignant mesothelioma are not properly diagnosed.

Mesothelioma takes a long time to incubate in the human body, sometimes occurring twenty to thirty years after people have been exposed to asbestos. Many trace the rise in mesothelioma rates to the great building booms of the sixties and seventies, before asbestos was known to be such a health hazard. Men and women who worked in the mining industry, shipbuilding, and construction, especially the insulating industry during that period are now presenting themselves to their doctor’s offices with symptoms of this deadly disease.

It is known as a deadly disease because most patients die within two years of being diagnosed with mesothelioma. They may have had symptoms of this disease before hand but likely thought it was just an asthmatic condition or lung infection. By the time they are properly diagnosed it is often too late. Mesothelioma is also a tragic disease because people were simply going to work without knowing the dangers they were facing and only many years later do they discover that their job in construction, the military or insulating pipes was actually killing them slowly from the inside out.

The only good news about mesothelioma is that scientists and doctors now know what causes mesothelioma and can ensure that hardly any future workers will be exposed to the dangers of asbestos fibers or the pain and suffering of mesothelioma. This is small comfort to the thousands of Americans who have already lost loved ones from this disease but at least future generations of workers are unlikely to suffer and die in these working conditions.
Anyone who has worked in any industry that caused an exposure to asbestos should have their doctor check for the development of mesothelioma. In some cases early detection can provide alternative treatment procedures that can alleviate and even stop the spread of this dehabilitating disease. There are also many sources of information about mesothelioma within the Mesothelioma Medical website in which anyone can find out more about mesothelioma and the damage it is causing to the health and lives of thousands of Americans and their families.

Diagnosing Mesothelioma

Diagnosing Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma takes a long time to incubate within a human body before symptoms of mesothelioma may appear and cause suffering to the carrier. It can take fifteen to twenty years for this deadly disease to fully present itself and the damage it has done. This presents a very difficult challenge for doctors and the medical community in diagnosing mesothelioma and in many cases patients with this disease are either not aware that they have it or do not ask the doctor to specifically check for symptoms of mesothelioma.

If a patient notes a history of asbestos exposure or contamination a doctor will immediately start looking for signs of the disease, most notably within the tissues and lining surrounding the lungs, heart and stomach areas. They will likely also begin with a full physical examination to determine the possible causes of patient discomfort. This will usually involve some lung and chest x-rays if the patient is reporting difficulty in breathing which is often a common ailment of mesothelioma suffers.

The physician will also order a number of pulmonary procedures to test the area around the lungs in particular since three quarters of all mesothelioma cases occur in the lining and tissue around the lungs. Follow up CAT scans and MRI tests may also be ordered if the preliminary tests show the probability of mesothelioma and these tests should be able to confirm or deny the presence of mesothelioma. They can also aid the medical personnel in being to determine the exact size and location of any tumors that may have developed as a result of the progress of the mesothelioma.

The next steps that a doctor may take are to request a biopsy of the affected area. This is a procedure to remove a piece of tissue from the area where mesothelioma is suspected and once that biopsy has been performed then the tissue sample can be tested further to determine the type of mesothelioma tumor that is present in the patient. Tissues that come back as benign usually mean that the tumor is not cancerous and while it may not be comfortable for the patient, benign tumors are rarely fatal. Malignant mesothelioma tumors however are cancerous and pose a great threat to the health and life of the patient.


1. Physical Examination
As with all diseases, a doctor begins the mesothelioma diagnosis by doing a complete physical exam and reviewing your medical history. Because mesothelioma is almost always caused by breathing in asbestos exposure (see Causes of Mesothelioma), you should tell your doctor about your exposure to asbestos if you suspect you may have mesothelioma.

After performing the physical exam, a doctor should have x-rays of the chest performed and, in some cases, pulmonary function tests to determine if the symptoms are consistent with malignant mesothelioma.

2. CT Scans and MRI's to Diagnose Mesothelioma
In many cases, a doctor may order CT scans and/or MRI's to aid in the mesothelioma diagnosis. These tools allow a doctor to assess the size, location, and extent of the mesothelioma tumor in the chest or abdomen.

3. Biopsy to Diagnose Mesothelioma
All of the steps described above are only preliminary indications of mesothelioma. If, after performing these tests, a doctor suspects mesothelioma, a biopsy should be taken to confirm the mesothelioma diagnoses.

* A biopsy is the procedure used for obtaining a tissue sample of the tumor. The two most common methods for removing tissue samples are a thorascoscopy and a broncoscopy.

* A thoracoscopy is obtained by inserting a telescope-like instrument connected to a video camera (thoracoscope) through a small incision in the chest. The doctor then removes the tumor using special forceps with the aid of the camera. This procedure is used for diagnosing both pleural mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma.

* A bronchoscopy involves inserting a flexible lighted tube through the mouth into the bronchi to remove tissue in the airway. This procedure is used for diagnosing pleural mesothelioma.

Although a biopsy is the most effective procedure for diagnosing mesothelioma, malignant mesothelioma cells can look like other types of cancer. Therefore, special laboratory tests are sometimes performed or electron microscopes are used to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma.

Asbestos Industry

Asbestos Industry and the Cover-up

The dangers of asbestos were recognized and documented long before the Environmental Protection Agency stepped in the 1970s to ban the use of the material in the United States. In Roman times, historian Pliny the Elder and geographer Strabo pointed out that workers exposed to asbestos were often ill and were dying at a very young age. They even went as far as to recommend that no one purchase slaves who had previously worked in the asbestos quarries.

Asbestos DangersBy the late 1800s, as more and more individuals began working in factories, physicians began attributing pulmonary problems to the inhalation of asbestos dust, and by 1906, the first documented case of asbestos-related death was reported. Because such disease and its accompanying symptoms often did not develop until approximately 10-40 years after exposure, it wasn’t until the early 20th century that many cases came to light. By 1928, the name Asbestosis became the tag for lung diseases thought to be caused by asbestos inhalation.

It was shortly after this that companies began to cover up the suspected effects of asbestos and the dangers of working with this material. Companies that produced asbestos or asbestos products began circulating “internal memos” as to suspicious worker fatalities and had private discussions about the medical reports that documented their employees’ asbestos-related deaths. Such information was concealed from other employees who may have been at risk.

By the mid-1930s, large corporations were settling lawsuits brought about by victims of Asbestosis by demanding that their lawyers never again participate in the bringing of new actions against them on behalf of other asbestos-related disease sufferers. Furthermore, it’s been documented that corporate officials in the 1930s and 1940s altered warnings that were issued by insurance companies to employees, downplaying the dangers of asbestos inhalation.

When major asbestos companies did agree to conduct health studies in regards to the effects of working with asbestos, they took it upon themselves to once again alter the results, erasing any information that related asbestos to serious pulmonary disease before these reports were released to their employees and/or the general public.

By this time, physicians began noticing that their asbestos-exposed patients had not only contracted asbestosis - characterized by such symptoms as difficulty breathing, an enlarged heart, and persistent dry cough – but many appeared to also be suffering from lung cancer. The “c” word further alarmed asbestos companies and an extensive cover-up became all the more important in preserving their profits.

Factory supervisors and others that attempted to expose risks or to implement safety precautions were usually stopped in their tracks. Finally, in 1964, those who had long touted the dangers of working with asbestos were backed by a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, penned by Dr. Irving Selikoff, stating that, among those who work with asbestos-containing materials, there was an abnormal incidence of asbestosis, lung cancer, and Mesothelioma. Still, asbestos company owners attempted to negate or alter the facts found in this article and other such reports.

At last, in 1971, the first OSHA asbestos-exposure standard was issued. By 1973, the EPA banned spray-on asbestos insulation, noting that it was an air pollution hazard. Towards the end of the 1970s, documentation began to surface which proved that many large corporations had suppressed information about the dangers of exposure to asbestos, hoping to avoid lawsuits by affected employees and/or their families.

In 1979, the U.S. EPA announced their intention to issue a ruling that banned all uses of asbestos. Many other countries followed suit within the next decade. Still, there are countries, many in South America, that have not yet banned the use of asbestos in construction and other products. Furthermore, the decades-long cover-up will long affect those who worked with asbestos prior to the 1980s.

Were you or someone you love the victim of the asbestos industry cover-up? Have your rights been compromised? To learn more about your options, sign up for our free information packet on asbestos and asbestos-related diseases. It’s never too late to learn more about this deadly material that has affected the lives of thousands upon thousands of hard-working individuals throughout the last century.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

About 15% of Mesothelioma cases are found in the early stages, before the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or elsewhere. The 5 year survival rate for people with Mesothelioma is 50% if there is no evidence of cancer in lymph nodes at the time of surgery. Unfortunately, in most cases, the spread of cancer has already occurred even if not detected by current medical tests. When all Mesothelioma stages are considered together, the 5 year survival rate is only about 14%. Many early Mesothelioma are diagnosed incidentally - they are found as a result of tests that are done for an unrelated medical condition. Although Mesothelioma does not cause any symptoms until it has spread too far to be cured, symptoms do occur in some patients with early Mesothelioma . Prompt attention to symptoms, leading to early diagnosis and treatment can result in a cure for some patients. For others, prompt attention to symptoms can improve the likelihood that treatment can extend their life and relieve many of their symptoms.

Common signs and symptoms of Mesothelioma include:

* A cough that does not go away
* Chest pain, often aggravated by deep breathing
* Hoarseness
* Weight loss and loss of appetite
* Bloody or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)
* Shortness of breath
* Fever without a known reason
* Recurring infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia
* New onset of wheezing
* When Mesothelioma spreads to distant organs, it may cause:
* Bone pain
* Neurologic changes (such as weakness or numbness of a limb, dizziness)
* Jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes)
* Masses near the surface of the body, due to cancer spreading to the skin or to lymph nodes (collection of immune system cells) in the neck or above the collarbone.

A. Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms
Some of the symptoms of pleural mesothelioma (mesothelioma cancer of the lung lining) include:
pain in the lower back or the side of the chest
shortness of breath
a persistent cough
difficulty swallowing food
fever and sweating
fatigue
weight loss.

These symptoms are also common to many minor ailments and, therefore, may not cause a doctor to suspect mesothelioma.
Pleural Effusion-fluid in the Lungs
One of the most common and specific symptoms of pleural mesothelioma is the accumulation of fluid between the lungs and chest cavity. This generally causes shortness of breath, and requires a doctor to drain the fluid, called fine-needle aspiration, to make breathing easier and relieve chest pain. This symptom is more unique to mesothelioma, making it more likely that you may have the disease.

B. Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma (abdominal mesothelioma - mesothelioma of the lining of the stomach) include:
stomach pain
nausea and vomiting
weight loss.

Like pleural mesothelioma, these symptoms are also common to many minor ailments and, therefore, may not cause a doctor to suspect mesothelioma.

Understanding Mesothelioma

Dealing with mesothelioma is a very difficult process. It will require a lot of physical and emotional endurance, a strong family and social network, and expert medical and professional advice and assistance. The best way to approach dealing with mesothelioma is to first learn everything that you can about the disease. This should include the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of mesothelioma.

Understanding all of the aspects of mesothelioma will help the patient and their family and caregivers feel less helpless during treatment and give them the hope they need to recover successfully from this terrible disease. There are many sources of information available to help with understanding mesothelioma. They include doctors, nurses and community health care workers. They also include cancer information centers and university teaching hospitals that specialize in mesothelioma.

There are also many books written about the subject of mesothelioma, including ones written by mesothelioma patients, survivors and their families. Some books written by specialists in the field also provide helpful tips for patients and families who are beginning their mesothelioma treatments on what to expect and how to maximize pain management tools and techniques. The Internet has a wide range of websites that promote education and information about mesothelioma and offer suggestions on where to find specialists and other resources.

The relationship between the doctor and patient should be the primary source of understanding mesothelioma for the patient. The doctor has made the preliminary diagnosis and has the experience of dealing with similar situations in the past. To make the most of this important relationship the patient should prepare a list of questions in advance of any meeting or session with the doctor so as to minimize the time required and to get the most accurate information and answers to their questions.

Other people who have been through mesothelioma treatments can also provide helpful suggestions from their own experience on not just what to expect but how to best assist in one's own recovery. These suggestions will probably include tips on pain management but will also likely help the mesothelioma patient to physically and psychologically prepare for possible surgery and the recovery period that will follow.

Mesothelioma patients will require a lot of other support if they are going to successfully navigate the path to recovery. Some time and consideration will need to be given to financial concerns that will arise during the period of treatment and recovery from mesothelioma. This may include meetings and advice from a range of financial and insurance advisors in order to ensure that medical costs are covered and regular bills are paid during this difficult time.

It is certainly not easy to deal with all of the medical, physical, emotional, and financial issues that may be raised when dealing with a serious disease like mesothelioma, but it always better to be prepared.