Mesothelioma is an uncommon malignancy caused primarily by exposure to asbestos. Millions of people in the United States alone have been exposed to asbestos and are in danger of developing malignant mesothelioma. The number of patients diagnosed with mesothelioma is expected to continue to rise until 2020. In undeveloped countries where the use of asbestos has not been banned, the rate of asbestos-related disease will climb higher and for much longer.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that was widely used in many industries before its general use was banned in the United States in the mid-1980's. Asbestos was added to thousands of products that are still in existence today. These materials when disturbed or damaged can release asbestos fibers into the air and cause a health risk.
When airborne asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested, they become lodged in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or chest cavities and can cause mesothelioma to develop years later. After a long latency period of 10 to 40 years after exposure, symptoms begin to appear. The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to and often confused with many other more common illnesses. The non-specificity of symptoms along with a long lag time between exposure and disease make mesothelioma very difficult to diagnose. The aim of current research is to identify tumors before they have reached advanced stages when interventions would be more effective.
Around the world, scientists and doctors are researching ways to improve diagnostic and treatment methods of mesothelioma. One area of research is focusing on ways to detect the disease earlier. To date, identifying mesothelioma accurately and in early stages has proven to be very challenging.
In recent years, mesothelioma specialists have been exploring blood-based tumor markers in attempts to find early and reliable detection of the disease, especially with patients who seem to be at higher risk. Particularly, researchers have been looking into the use of serum biomarkers that would lead to noninvasive detection of malignant mesothelioma. One potential marker, a soluble mesothelin protein, has shown the most promising results in being most sensitive and specific to early diagnosis of mesothelioma. Other markers are also being explored but have yet to yield reliable results.
As exposure to asbestos continues and cases of mesothelioma increase, further research is needed to discover more effective ways of identifying and treating the disease. New treatments and even a cure may be found if asbestos related cancers can be detected earlier. Patients with mesothelioma, as well as their family members and friends, pay high financial and emotional costs. Potentially thousands of lives could be extended or saved with earlier detection of the disease.
Sally Clapper is a representative for the law offices of Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason in Sausalito, CA. If you or someone you know is in need of a attorney for mesothelioma, please contact the firm at 1-800-440-4262. As experts in the field of mesothelioma law, the firm's attorneys are recognized as some of the leading plaintiffs' asbestos attorneys in the country.
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