Mesothelioma Lawyers

Until a generation ago asbestos--a silicate fiber--was generally accepted as a safe, economical material effective for fire protection and insulation. Thus, asbestos was widely used in theater curtains, in mitts and trivets for the home, and in many types of industrial insulations.

The association between asbestos exposure and subsequent lung cancer and mesothelioma attorney was recognized in 1955 and 1960, respectively. Indeed, almost half of asbestos workers die of cancer; 1 in 4 of lung cancer, and 1 in 10 of mesothelioma attorney. By comparison,only 20 percent of Americans will develope cancer of any site at some point in their lives.

The carcinogenicity of the asbestos fiber depends on its length/width ratio--which ranges from 10:1 to 100:1--more than on its chemical composition. Thicker, less crushed fibers are less carcinogenic than the long, needlelike particles. With each breath, the narrow slivers work their way from the endotracheal lining to the pleura. Although about half the asbestos deposited in the tracheal-bronchial tree is removed by the mucociliary expulsion, the remainder permanently remains in situ.

Since the asbestos fiber is a silicate that does not disintegrate, the length of exposure is actually the number of years the patient survives after initial contact; exposures as short as 1-2 months can result in the development of mesothelioma years later.

In fact, there is no threshold of asbestos exposure below which no risk has been documented. Many patients with asbestos-associated malignancies report only a few months of incidental exposure to asbestos, generally after an interval of 30-50 years. At the same time, many asbestos workers never develop malignancies.

Smoking seems to multiply the risks of asbestos. Asbestos workers who smoke are 70-90 times as likely to get lung cancer as are nonsmokers in the general population.

During World War II, asbestos insulation was a major component of shipbuilding. Engineers the shipyard inhaled the fibers and also brought the material home with them on their clothing, placing their families at risk. A significant number of these household contacts have subsequently developed lung cancer or mesothelioma attorney. People living within a mile or so of an asbestos mill or mine also have a documented increased risk of these malignancies.

Asbestos exposure also may increase the risk of gastrointestinal cancer--esophageal, stomach, colon, and rectal--because a substantial proportion of inhaled asbestos is expectorated and swallowed. Yet, thus far there's no evidence that consumers of the water from Lake Superior--contaminated by asbestos mine tailings--develop asbestos-related disease. Perhaps the oral route of exposure may not result in as high a risk of disease as the respiratory route.

At present, asbestos is ubiquitous in our environment and is found in such materials as the concrete of water mains, insulation in older hair dryers, brake linings in cars and trucks, and ceiling panels. Hairdressers, auto mechanics, and construction workers may be at increased risk.

Asbestos in ceiling tiles is embedded in plastic and generally represents no significant risk unless the ceiling is damaged and the asbestos is aerosolized. Removal of asbestos insulation is hazardous since the silicate aerosolizes and may remain afloat for months. In schools, removal of asbestos must be timed at the beginning of the school's summer vacation so the asbestos settles by the time the children return. Generally, the area of asbestos to be removed is sprayed with water, and workmen wear coveralls and masks.

Approximately half of asbestos workers with a substantial exposure can be expected ultimately to develop neoplastic disease. Since lung cancer--generally adenocarcinoma--occurs more often than mesothelioma see "Asbestos exposure," page 163 , think lung cancer first when a patient with a mass on X-ray diagnosis gives a history of asbestos exposure. There may be some genetic susceptibility or a cocarcinogen that explains why only 10 percent of people exposed to asbestos develop mesothelioma.

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