Archive for December, 2009
The medical word “prognosis” describes an opinion as to the likely outcome of a particular illness. This description can be reasonably accurate when applied statistically to a large number of people, but can never be accurate when applied to an individual patient, therefore a prognosis for an individual patient of any illness is often given in percentage terms of likelihood, as nothing is ever certain.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer which typically affects approximately three in one million people. The usual cause of mesothelioma cancer is exposure to asbestos particles although it has been known to be caused by exposure to other chemicals as well. Studies show that the majority of doctors are more likely to be optimistic when giving a prognosis to an individual patient.
A prognosis for a patient known to be suffering from mesothelioma will depend on a number of factors. The disease is often difficult to diagnose at all until the later stages, simply because all of the symptoms of mesothelioma can also be indicative of other diseases or illnesses, and also because many of the symptoms don not necessarily appear until 20 to 30 years after the patient has been exposed to asbestos.
Screening methods can help to determine if an individual patient is likely to develop mesothelioma in later years, but in the majority of cases, these practices are far from precise. Whilst smoking has not been shown to cause mesothelioma, it can increase the likelihood of developing the disease in later life.
The treatment of mesothelioma includes radiation, surgery, immunology and chemotherapy, or a combination of any or all. For instance, a patient may first have surgery to remove the main tumor, then have chemotherapy and radiation targeted to what is left.
A mesothelioma prognosis can be helpful in determining which treatments are likely to be the most effective, and of course can also be used in litigation when seeking compensation, which in certain cases can be considerable (sometimes more than tens of millions of dollars).
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The total number of workers in the north-east of England who are suffering from mesothelioma has reached the highest levels ever recorded. And worse still, an extensive research report by the British government Health and Safety Executive states that the number of people diagnosed with mesothelioma is not likely to reach its maximum until the year 2016.
The study implies that workers in this industrial region will continue to be treated for mesothelioma, a cancer affecting the fluid surrounding the lungs, for many years to come. Mesothelioma is a rare and typically fatal form of cancer that is frequently caused by long-term exposure to asbestos fibers. Patients with mesothelioma often die within eighteen months of diagnosis. With incidences of mesothelioma on the rise, the Health and Safety Executive is treating this situation as a regional and national health crisis.
Investigators at the Health and Safety Executive have predicted that the number of mesothelioma cases will continue to increase for at least another seven years. Reports show that a total of 2,046 men died due to mesothelioma in 2005 and 2,058 in 2006, increasing to 2,156 in 2007. Results from the Health and Safety Executive study also examined the frequency of incidence among females. Given that jobs that require exposure to asbestos are in male-dominated sectors like construction, demolition and mining, male patients had an incidence rate which was five times higher than their female co-workers.
However, the death rate amongst females rose at a steeper rate. Between 2002 and 2004, the death rate from malignant mesothelioma among female workers was 11.19 per million, compared to 87.08 per million among males. Whereas between 2005 to 2007, the death rate from mesothelioma among females jumped up to 16.41 per million, showing an increase of over forty-six percent from the previous three years. The death rate among male workers during that same time period was 89.52 per million, equating to an increase of less than three percent.
During the 50s and 60s, north-eastern England was an industrial center, with many facilities specializing in coal mining and the shipbuilding industry. Many of these facilities were using asbestos in their manufacturing and mining processes. Although women were not typically employed in these areas at that time, the theory is that many of the women who contracted mesothelioma did so by being exposed to the asbestos fibers that clung to the male worker’s clothing.
A Health and Safety Executive representative asserted that asbestos exposure for workers in the north-eastern area of England was not simply a problem of the past, but still posed a serious health hazzard to modern workers. Although the British government instituted a total ban on asbestos-containing materials in early 2000, at least half a million foreign-owned companies in Britain still operated facilities containing asbestos at varying levels. According to the Health and Safety Executive spokesman, asbestos remains as “Britain’s biggest industrial killer”.
One of the key initiatives that the Health and Safety Executive office is likely to implement is an asbestos education program for both workers on the ground and supervisors and managers of the affected facilities. Agency officials have also warned that they would step up their efforts to prosecute those companies that did not follow the strict guidelines in cleaning up and disposing of the toxic material. This included providing workers with protective clothing and breathing masks, as well as minimizing the danger of exposure to asbestos amongst the general public.
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Environmental Asbestos Exposure Multiplies Mesothelioma Risk
Visit Bulgaria Leftover waste from asbestos facilities is a major contributor to as many as ten additional cases of mesothelioma each year in neighbouring communities. … Tips For Preventing Mesothelioma or Other Abestos-Related Diseases Mesothelioma Risk Multiplied by Environmental Asbestos Exposure The Mesothelioma Victims Center Expands its Unparalleled Free Mesothelioma… |
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Recently, there has been an increase in the number of people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.
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Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which is relatively rare and typically affects approximately one in one million people. The usual cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos although it can be caused by exposure to other chemicals as well.
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