Most of the mesothelioma patients are ignorant and innocent. They do not know about the rights of action available to them. Ignorance about their legal rights makes it easy for the evil industrialists to prosper, harm and escape.
Mesothelioma patients should first realize that mesothelioma is a preventable disease; it is caused exclusively due to exposure to asbestos fibers. The industrialists involved in the mining, manufacture and use of asbestos products was well aware of the harmful effects of asbestos. The short-term economic gains from asbestos made them blind to the long-term harmful effects from asbestos. Because of this, millions of people around the World suffered while these few amassed fortunes. They did nothing to protect the workers, their families and the society. In fact, they caused much harm by trying to conceal important research reports on the harmful effects of mesothelioma. They tried to bribe authorities and threatened researchers to safeguard their profitable positions. Therefore, mesothelioma patients worldwide have a right to file suit against these evil people to compensate them for their medical expenses, pain and suffering.
Legal Rights: The law gives the following rights to mesothelioma patients against these people who have caused them harm. Every mesothelioma patient has a right to be compensated for all his or her medical expenditure. They do not have to bear even any small part of it.
They have a right to be compensated for all the pain and suffering they have undergone. Most of the times, it is the negligence of the employer or industry that has resulted in the person contracting mesothelioma. Even if you have very little time left on earth, you can opt for a huge compensation to enjoy that little life left or to safeguard the financial situation of your dependents. Immediate action is necessary in case of a mesothelioma diagnosis. File your case immediately using expert legal help. Mostly, mesothelioma lawyers do not charge any fees if they have not won any settlement for you. If they win a settlement, they usually charge a percentage of the settlement as their fees. Make all your paperwork ready before the case appears in court. Provide it to your lawyer and brief him in as detailed manner as possible. The data has to be very comprehensive and in depth. So, start early in compiling it.
There may be a situation in which you have no idea about how you contracted the disease. In this case, it is best to consult your lawyer who may be able to guide you in this matter. With his guidance, you can spot the factor that contributed to your contracting this disease. Then, you can proceed in the above stated manner. You have a duty towards your family and dependents and mesothelioma makes you feel guilty that you are unable to perform your duty. The settlement that you win out of your case will help in your children' education and in your spouses old age. So, file your case as soon as you are diagnosed with mesothelioma. The settlement will help your soul rest in peace.
About the Author
Archana Sarat ia a freelance writer and research expert at a medical research firm. to know more about mesothelioma log on to http://www.rarehope.com
Monday, October 22, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Veterans Suffering From Asbestos-Related Disease
According to statistics, more than 30% of Americans suffering from mesothelioma--a deadly asbestos-induced lung cancer--were exposed to asbestos while serving their country. Veterans and shipyard workers face the greatest risk of developing mesothelioma or similar diseases because of the extensive use of asbestos in military equipment and products, buildings, ships, and submarines. This is especially true for veterans who served during or after World War II and before the1970s when the government began regulating use of asbestos.
Sadly, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of American veterans have suffered exposure to asbestos, putting them at higher risk of developing asbestosis, mesothelioma, or other illness.
Veterans who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-induced lung cancer such as mesothelioma have legal rights and may be able to recover compensation for their losses and suffering. Only an experienced mesothelioma lawyer will know if you have a valid legal claim.
Navy Veterans at Risk
Asbestos-induced lung cancer is a significant problem among Navy veterans, particularly because the use of asbestos was so very extensive on ships. Virtually no area on a Navy ship built before the 1970s is safe including: · Fire and engine rooms
· Boiler rooms
· Navigation rooms
· Mess halls
· Sleeping quarters Additionally, commonly used products such as gaskets, cables, insulation, adhesives, valves, and numerous others contained asbestos. Navy veterans, like other veterans, were prone to carry asbestos dust home on their clothes, thereby exposing their loved ones to the dangerous fibers.
Rights of Veterans
Veterans groups across the country have started taking action to ensure their rights are protected. For instance, some veterans organizations have called on Congress to fund early lung cancer detection programs, which is especially important given the long latency period for mesothelioma--usually 30 to 50 years. Individual veterans, and, in some cases, their families, are filing legal claims to hold responsible parties accountable for the suffering caused by asbestos-induced lung disease.
About the Author
If you or a loved one is a veteran who has been diagnosed with asbestos-related disease or illness, please contact an experienced Chicago Workers Compensation Lawyer at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C., serving residents of Chicago, Rockford, Aurora, and surrounding areas of Illinois.
Sadly, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of American veterans have suffered exposure to asbestos, putting them at higher risk of developing asbestosis, mesothelioma, or other illness.
Veterans who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-induced lung cancer such as mesothelioma have legal rights and may be able to recover compensation for their losses and suffering. Only an experienced mesothelioma lawyer will know if you have a valid legal claim.
Navy Veterans at Risk
Asbestos-induced lung cancer is a significant problem among Navy veterans, particularly because the use of asbestos was so very extensive on ships. Virtually no area on a Navy ship built before the 1970s is safe including: · Fire and engine rooms
· Boiler rooms
· Navigation rooms
· Mess halls
· Sleeping quarters Additionally, commonly used products such as gaskets, cables, insulation, adhesives, valves, and numerous others contained asbestos. Navy veterans, like other veterans, were prone to carry asbestos dust home on their clothes, thereby exposing their loved ones to the dangerous fibers.
Rights of Veterans
Veterans groups across the country have started taking action to ensure their rights are protected. For instance, some veterans organizations have called on Congress to fund early lung cancer detection programs, which is especially important given the long latency period for mesothelioma--usually 30 to 50 years. Individual veterans, and, in some cases, their families, are filing legal claims to hold responsible parties accountable for the suffering caused by asbestos-induced lung disease.
About the Author
If you or a loved one is a veteran who has been diagnosed with asbestos-related disease or illness, please contact an experienced Chicago Workers Compensation Lawyer at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C., serving residents of Chicago, Rockford, Aurora, and surrounding areas of Illinois.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
lawsuit asbestos lawyer
The number of asbestos lawsuits filed and the number of asbestos lawsuit lawyers who will take up an asbestos lawsuit case are a sad reflection of a long-time construction mistake that may lead to the ill health of over 250,000 Americans by the year 2020. If you think you may have been exposed to asbestos without proper protective filter masks, you may be entitled to file a lawsuit with the help of an asbestos lawyer.
A natural, fibrous form of a number of minerals, asbestos was used since ancient times in fabrics because of its durability and fireproofing ability. For over seventy years, asbestos was used in the insulation of and as fireproofing material in numerous buildings. Over 30 millions tons of asbestos in America alone made its way into the walls of commercial buildings, home, schools, shipyards, and industrial sites. Construction workers labored with asbestos without protection.
In the 1970s, however, the medical community, faced with an overwhelming number of construction workers coming down with illnesses, found that inhaling asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer, and the material was immediately banned for use in construction. Over the years, scientists have also linked asbestos to pleural disease, gastrointestinal cancer, and a disease specifically diagnosed for asbestos exposure, asbestosis.
A lawyer who specializes in asbestos lawsuits can tell you that each year asbestos surfaces in over 3000 new people and 10,000 people die of asbestos-related disease. As asbestos can line the lungs and accumulate over long periods of years before the body exhibits any symptoms, even workers who haven't worked in the construction field for twenty to fifty years have come down with asbestos-related diseases.
Asbestos lawsuit lawyers have filed lawsuits for more than just construction workers, though. Even some family members of construction workers have exhibited some form of asbestos disease because asbestos fibers can travel on clothing. Buildings over thirty years old that were made with asbestos likewise can seep asbestos to its occupants over time, although some efforts have been made to correct those buildings.
Do you think that you have been exposed to asbestos at a work site or by living in an asbestos-filled building or with a worker who was exposed to asbestos? You may be able to file a lawsuit, so contact an asbestos lawsuit lawyer. Some asbestos lawsuit lawyers have gotten their clients as much as $7.5 million dollars to offset the medical bills, pain, and suffering that have resulted as a consequence of this massive construction oversight.
If you feel that you may have been contaminated by asbestos, don't hesitate to see a doctor. If you find that you have suffered from asbestos complications, consult an asbestos lawsuit lawyer to decide where you should go from there. For one asbestos lawsuit firm that gives good information about asbestos contamination sites in the US and offers a free asbestos lawyer case evaluation, visit abestoslawsuitinfo.com.
About the Author
frank j vanderlugt owns and operates http://www.lawsuit-abestos-lawyer-abcmesotheolioma.info 2 Lawsuitabestoslawyerabcmesotheoliomainfo
A natural, fibrous form of a number of minerals, asbestos was used since ancient times in fabrics because of its durability and fireproofing ability. For over seventy years, asbestos was used in the insulation of and as fireproofing material in numerous buildings. Over 30 millions tons of asbestos in America alone made its way into the walls of commercial buildings, home, schools, shipyards, and industrial sites. Construction workers labored with asbestos without protection.
In the 1970s, however, the medical community, faced with an overwhelming number of construction workers coming down with illnesses, found that inhaling asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer, and the material was immediately banned for use in construction. Over the years, scientists have also linked asbestos to pleural disease, gastrointestinal cancer, and a disease specifically diagnosed for asbestos exposure, asbestosis.
A lawyer who specializes in asbestos lawsuits can tell you that each year asbestos surfaces in over 3000 new people and 10,000 people die of asbestos-related disease. As asbestos can line the lungs and accumulate over long periods of years before the body exhibits any symptoms, even workers who haven't worked in the construction field for twenty to fifty years have come down with asbestos-related diseases.
Asbestos lawsuit lawyers have filed lawsuits for more than just construction workers, though. Even some family members of construction workers have exhibited some form of asbestos disease because asbestos fibers can travel on clothing. Buildings over thirty years old that were made with asbestos likewise can seep asbestos to its occupants over time, although some efforts have been made to correct those buildings.
Do you think that you have been exposed to asbestos at a work site or by living in an asbestos-filled building or with a worker who was exposed to asbestos? You may be able to file a lawsuit, so contact an asbestos lawsuit lawyer. Some asbestos lawsuit lawyers have gotten their clients as much as $7.5 million dollars to offset the medical bills, pain, and suffering that have resulted as a consequence of this massive construction oversight.
If you feel that you may have been contaminated by asbestos, don't hesitate to see a doctor. If you find that you have suffered from asbestos complications, consult an asbestos lawsuit lawyer to decide where you should go from there. For one asbestos lawsuit firm that gives good information about asbestos contamination sites in the US and offers a free asbestos lawyer case evaluation, visit abestoslawsuitinfo.com.
About the Author
frank j vanderlugt owns and operates http://www.lawsuit-abestos-lawyer-abcmesotheolioma.info 2 Lawsuitabestoslawyerabcmesotheoliomainfo
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Docetaxel for Malignant Mesothelioma
Docetaxel has activity in a wide variety of solid tumors. To evaluate its efficacy in malignant mesothelioma, previously untreated patients (pts.) were treated with docetaxel 100 mg/m[Superscript 2], 1-hour infusion administered every 21 days.
Dexamethasone 8 mg twice daily was also administered for five days starting 24 hours prior to docetaxel infusion. A total of 20 pts. Were accrued to the first stage of the study between December 1996 and April 1997. Nineteen of the 20 pts. Had histological confirmation of mesothelioma and the tumors were carcinoembryonic antigen and mucin negative. In one patient (pt.) the histology could not be confirmed and he was considered ineligible. Characteristics of the remaining 19 pts. Include: 5% ECOG Performance Status (PS) 0; 68% PS 1; 26% PS 2; median age 69 years (range 57--81); 89% male. Only one pt. Had a partial response, with an overall response rate of 5% (95% CI 0.16--26.4). Three pts. (16%) had stable disease, 11 (58%) progressed on treatment and 4 (21%) were not evaluable for response. One pt. With stable disease has not relapsed so far after 16 months of follow-up.
There were three deaths during the treatment phase: One died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, one from rapidly progressive disease with brain metastasis and one definite treatment related septic death with multi-organ failure.
The major toxicity seen was myelosuppression with grade 4 leucopenia in 17 pts. (90%) and grade 4 granulocytopenia in 8 (42%) pts. Other rare grade 4 non-hematologic toxicities included: Vomiting (1 pt.), diarrhea (1 pt.), hypersensitivity reaction (1 pt.) and cardiac toxicity (1 pt.). The study was terminated after the first accrual stage due to insufficient responses. In conclusion: Docetaxel is not an effective agent in malignant mesothelioma and does not warrant further investigation. (Conducted by ECOG and supported in part by PHS grants CA18653, CA23318, CA52743, CA13650, CA49957, CA66636, CA21115 from the NCI, NIH and the DHHS.)
Dexamethasone 8 mg twice daily was also administered for five days starting 24 hours prior to docetaxel infusion. A total of 20 pts. Were accrued to the first stage of the study between December 1996 and April 1997. Nineteen of the 20 pts. Had histological confirmation of mesothelioma and the tumors were carcinoembryonic antigen and mucin negative. In one patient (pt.) the histology could not be confirmed and he was considered ineligible. Characteristics of the remaining 19 pts. Include: 5% ECOG Performance Status (PS) 0; 68% PS 1; 26% PS 2; median age 69 years (range 57--81); 89% male. Only one pt. Had a partial response, with an overall response rate of 5% (95% CI 0.16--26.4). Three pts. (16%) had stable disease, 11 (58%) progressed on treatment and 4 (21%) were not evaluable for response. One pt. With stable disease has not relapsed so far after 16 months of follow-up.
There were three deaths during the treatment phase: One died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, one from rapidly progressive disease with brain metastasis and one definite treatment related septic death with multi-organ failure.
The major toxicity seen was myelosuppression with grade 4 leucopenia in 17 pts. (90%) and grade 4 granulocytopenia in 8 (42%) pts. Other rare grade 4 non-hematologic toxicities included: Vomiting (1 pt.), diarrhea (1 pt.), hypersensitivity reaction (1 pt.) and cardiac toxicity (1 pt.). The study was terminated after the first accrual stage due to insufficient responses. In conclusion: Docetaxel is not an effective agent in malignant mesothelioma and does not warrant further investigation. (Conducted by ECOG and supported in part by PHS grants CA18653, CA23318, CA52743, CA13650, CA49957, CA66636, CA21115 from the NCI, NIH and the DHHS.)
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Chemotherapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma
We reviewed the published literature of clinical studies in malignant pleural mesothelioma, including phase II trials of the newer antifolates and plant derivatives, as well as older single- agent and combination chemotherapy trials. We excluded trials with less than 15 patients, although we have mentioned smaller trials in the text to make a specific point, as well as ones that show promise. We have also included confidence intervals when cited in the original reports, or calculated them when absent.
No drugs have consistently induced a response greater than 20%. Higher response rates have been reported with detorubicin, high-dose methotrexate, and edatrexate at 26%, 37%, and 25%, respectively, but these have yet to be confirmed. Agents that produce response rates in 10% to 20% of patients include doxorubicin, epirubicin, mitomycin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, cisplatin, and carboplatin. Combination chemotherapy trials do not demonstrate a consistently greater response rate than single-agent trials. However, the combination of doxorubicin, cisplatin, bleomycin, and mitomycin demonstrated a response rate of 44% (95% confidence interval, 27% to 63%), but this remains unconfirmed. Intrapleural therapy using interferon gamma, particularly for small-volume disease, shows promise.
The successful treatment of unresectable pleural mesothelioma awaits the discovery of active drugs. Recent trials of high-dose methotrexate and other antifolates are encouraging. Newer agents, including suramin, should be evaluated in phase II trials. Off-protocol combination therapy cannot be recommended over single-agent therapy, but studies that use combinations of the newer agents should be conducted.
No drugs have consistently induced a response greater than 20%. Higher response rates have been reported with detorubicin, high-dose methotrexate, and edatrexate at 26%, 37%, and 25%, respectively, but these have yet to be confirmed. Agents that produce response rates in 10% to 20% of patients include doxorubicin, epirubicin, mitomycin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, cisplatin, and carboplatin. Combination chemotherapy trials do not demonstrate a consistently greater response rate than single-agent trials. However, the combination of doxorubicin, cisplatin, bleomycin, and mitomycin demonstrated a response rate of 44% (95% confidence interval, 27% to 63%), but this remains unconfirmed. Intrapleural therapy using interferon gamma, particularly for small-volume disease, shows promise.
The successful treatment of unresectable pleural mesothelioma awaits the discovery of active drugs. Recent trials of high-dose methotrexate and other antifolates are encouraging. Newer agents, including suramin, should be evaluated in phase II trials. Off-protocol combination therapy cannot be recommended over single-agent therapy, but studies that use combinations of the newer agents should be conducted.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Pathogenesis of Malignant Mesothelioma
About 80% of malignant mesotheliomas in the Western World develop in individuals with higher than background exposure to asbestos. Only a fraction of those exposed to asbestos develop mesothelioma, indicating that additional factors play a role. Simian virus 40 (SV40), a DNA tumor virus that preferentially causes mesothelioma in hamsters, has been detected in several human mesotheliomas.
The expression of the SV40 large tumor antigen in mesothelioma cells, and not in nearby stromal cells, and the capacity of antisense T-antigen treatment to arrest mesothelioma cell growth in vitro suggest that SV40 contributes to tumor development. The capacity of T-antigen to bind and inhibit cellular p53 and retinoblastoma (Rb)-family proteins in mesothelioma, together with the very high susceptibility of human mesothelial cells to SV40-mediated transformation in vitro, supports a causative role of SV40 in the pathogenesis of mesothelioma.
Asbestos appears to increase SV40-mediated transformation of human mesothelial cells in vitro, suggesting that asbestos and SV40 may be cocarcinogens. p53 mutations are rarely found in mesothelioma; p16, p14ARF, and NF2 mutations/losses are frequent.
Recent studies revealed the existence of a genetic factor that predisposes affected individuals to mesothelioma in the villages of Karain and Tuzkoy, in Anatolia, Turkey. Erionite, a type of zeolite, may be a cofactor in these same villages, where 50% of deaths are caused by mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma appears to have a complex etiology in which environmental carcinogens (asbestos and erionite), ionizing radiation, viruses, and genetic factors act alone or in concert to cause malignancy. Copyright 2002 by W.B. Saunders Company.
The expression of the SV40 large tumor antigen in mesothelioma cells, and not in nearby stromal cells, and the capacity of antisense T-antigen treatment to arrest mesothelioma cell growth in vitro suggest that SV40 contributes to tumor development. The capacity of T-antigen to bind and inhibit cellular p53 and retinoblastoma (Rb)-family proteins in mesothelioma, together with the very high susceptibility of human mesothelial cells to SV40-mediated transformation in vitro, supports a causative role of SV40 in the pathogenesis of mesothelioma.
Asbestos appears to increase SV40-mediated transformation of human mesothelial cells in vitro, suggesting that asbestos and SV40 may be cocarcinogens. p53 mutations are rarely found in mesothelioma; p16, p14ARF, and NF2 mutations/losses are frequent.
Recent studies revealed the existence of a genetic factor that predisposes affected individuals to mesothelioma in the villages of Karain and Tuzkoy, in Anatolia, Turkey. Erionite, a type of zeolite, may be a cofactor in these same villages, where 50% of deaths are caused by mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma appears to have a complex etiology in which environmental carcinogens (asbestos and erionite), ionizing radiation, viruses, and genetic factors act alone or in concert to cause malignancy. Copyright 2002 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Care for Mesothelioma Patients
Mesothelioma cancer is one such disease that can happen to anyone both you and me. But records state the major victims come from the worker class of the asbestos companies, shipping companies and construction yards including mines where asbestos is one of the major minerals dealt with. This is primarily a lung disorder that ultimately takes the shape of fatal cancer.
Caring a Mesothelioma patient is very tough. Caring here doesn't simply mean physical care. A Mesothelioma patient has to be given equal mental and emotional support to fight with the situation. Most of the time it has been observed that the patient completely loses faith in life.
Proper knowledge and guidance
Especially the near and dear ones of the patients must have adequate knowledge about the disease and also know what type of support should be given to the patient. There are doctors to look into the case but they are not available always. It is you who will be by the side of patient in his/her needs.
Treat the patient humbly and give him medicines and food at the right hour. The pain along the chest side is sometimes acute and unbearable. You must have an S.O.S. for instant relief. For Mesothelioma patients, morphine is a very good remedy. But a misconception prevails with the use of morphine and most of us refer it to be a sedative drug with other adverse side effects. Such preconceived notions have to be taken out of mind. Both the patient and the patient's relatives should have a positive mind setup and follow the doctor's prescription in an accurate manner. Otherwise you will welcome further troubles.
Well it is known to all of us that the Mesothelioma patient won't be able to sustain life with this cancer inside the body. But they too have every right to enjoy life till they close their eyes forever. Give them hope and happiness so that they live their life to the fullest even in this short time period. Let depression and despair not make shelter in their minds to blemish the rest of the days they are alive.
About the Author
Find more Mesothelioma and asbestos info online. For Credit repair related articles: http://www.credit-repair-fyi.info
Caring a Mesothelioma patient is very tough. Caring here doesn't simply mean physical care. A Mesothelioma patient has to be given equal mental and emotional support to fight with the situation. Most of the time it has been observed that the patient completely loses faith in life.
Proper knowledge and guidance
Especially the near and dear ones of the patients must have adequate knowledge about the disease and also know what type of support should be given to the patient. There are doctors to look into the case but they are not available always. It is you who will be by the side of patient in his/her needs.
Treat the patient humbly and give him medicines and food at the right hour. The pain along the chest side is sometimes acute and unbearable. You must have an S.O.S. for instant relief. For Mesothelioma patients, morphine is a very good remedy. But a misconception prevails with the use of morphine and most of us refer it to be a sedative drug with other adverse side effects. Such preconceived notions have to be taken out of mind. Both the patient and the patient's relatives should have a positive mind setup and follow the doctor's prescription in an accurate manner. Otherwise you will welcome further troubles.
Well it is known to all of us that the Mesothelioma patient won't be able to sustain life with this cancer inside the body. But they too have every right to enjoy life till they close their eyes forever. Give them hope and happiness so that they live their life to the fullest even in this short time period. Let depression and despair not make shelter in their minds to blemish the rest of the days they are alive.
About the Author
Find more Mesothelioma and asbestos info online. For Credit repair related articles: http://www.credit-repair-fyi.info
Friday, June 01, 2007
Beta Carotene and Vitamin A on Lung Cancer
Lung cancer and cardiovascular disease are major causes of death in the United States. It has been proposed that carotenoids and retinoids are agents that may prevent these disorders.
We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled primary prevention trial — the Beta-Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial — involving a total of 18,314 smokers, former smokers, and workers exposed to asbestos. The effects of a combination of 30 mg of beta carotene per day and 25,000 IU of retinol (vitamin A) in the form of retinyl palmitate per day on the primary end point, the incidence of lung cancer, were compared with those of placebo.
A total of 388 new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed during the 73,135 person-years of follow-up (mean length of follow-up, 4.0 years). The active-treatment group had a relative risk of lung cancer of 1.28 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.04 to 1.57; P = 0.02), as compared with the placebo group. There were no statistically significant differences in the risks of other types of cancer. In the active-treatment group, the relative risk of death from any cause was 1.17 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.33); of death from lung cancer, 1.46 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.07 to 2.00); and of death from cardiovascular disease, 1.26 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.99 to 1.61). On the basis of these findings, the randomized trial was stopped 21 months earlier than planned; follow-up will continue for another 5 years.
After an average of four years of supplementation, the combination of beta carotene and vitamin A had no benefit and may have had an adverse effect on the incidence of lung cancer and on the risk of death from lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and any cause in smokers and workers exposed to asbestos.
We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled primary prevention trial — the Beta-Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial — involving a total of 18,314 smokers, former smokers, and workers exposed to asbestos. The effects of a combination of 30 mg of beta carotene per day and 25,000 IU of retinol (vitamin A) in the form of retinyl palmitate per day on the primary end point, the incidence of lung cancer, were compared with those of placebo.
A total of 388 new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed during the 73,135 person-years of follow-up (mean length of follow-up, 4.0 years). The active-treatment group had a relative risk of lung cancer of 1.28 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.04 to 1.57; P = 0.02), as compared with the placebo group. There were no statistically significant differences in the risks of other types of cancer. In the active-treatment group, the relative risk of death from any cause was 1.17 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.33); of death from lung cancer, 1.46 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.07 to 2.00); and of death from cardiovascular disease, 1.26 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.99 to 1.61). On the basis of these findings, the randomized trial was stopped 21 months earlier than planned; follow-up will continue for another 5 years.
After an average of four years of supplementation, the combination of beta carotene and vitamin A had no benefit and may have had an adverse effect on the incidence of lung cancer and on the risk of death from lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and any cause in smokers and workers exposed to asbestos.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Controversial Asbestos Settlement Heads to Court
After more than a year of bitter legal jockeying, an attempt to begin breaking the nation's biggest courthouse logjam - lawsuits surrounding asbestos - faces a critical test on courtroom. The case is complicated by any standard: millions of potential plaintiffs, dozens of lawyers, 20 defendants and more than two decades of wrangling over damages for people suffering from asbestos exposure.
The proposal to pay an estimated 100,000 asbestos-related disease sufferers or their families about $ 1 billion over the next 10 years is even more complex with stiff opposition and allegations of misconduct.
Backers and detractors will state their positions in a fairness hearing here Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Lowell Reed.
Lawyers who negotiated the deal call it a model for a faster and better way to compensate asbestos disease victims whose needs have gone unmet in court. Opponents call it inadequate and the result of collusion between the Center for Claims Resolution, a group of 20 former asbestos makers, and two law firms: Greitzer & Locks of Philadelphia and Ness, Motley, Loadholt, Richardson & Poole of Charleston, S.C.
Under the deal, consideration for damages would be given to anyone who requests it, a vastly simpler arrangement than hiring an attorney and waiting years for a case to wind its way through the justice system, said John Aldock, a lawyer for the Center for Claims Resolution.
A nationwide asbestos resolution has proven elusive. More than 100,000 cases are lined up in state and federal courts. The litigation has cost U.S. companies an estimated $ 7 billion, some $ 4 billion of it going to lawyers.
Under the settlement, average payments range from $ 5,800 for non-malignant disorders, such as labored breathing, to $ 60,000 for mesothelioma, a terminal lung cancer. The amounts are based on historical averages, proponents said, with the neediest paid first.
Only those showing symptoms get money. Victims could request additional compensation if they develop more serious illnesses. The CCR doesn't include the biggest asbestos manufacturers, and settlement plaintiffs still could sue them.
Critics argue that in most cases plaintiffs will receive a fifth of what they could win in court. Because of docket gridlock, however, most states are hearing cases filed in the late 1980s. All federal lawsuits have been on hold since 1992.
Wages, the union leader, figures that 350,000 to 400,000 of his current and former union members were exposed to potentially deadly amounts of asbestos. Many, including himself, will not be covered by the settlement because they weren't exposed for long enough periods - at least 10 years for mesothelioma and 12 years for other ailments.
Overall, more than 27 million Americans are estimated to have job-related exposure to asbestos, a natural insulator used for decades in construction, and roughly 1 million targeted by cancer. Not all of those people were exposed to products made by the companies included in the CCR, however.
There also have been questions about whether people who don't want to join the settlement "class" were adequately informed. People who wanted to be excluded, remaining free to sue CCR companies, had to inform the court by Jan. 24.
The settlement, filed in January 1993, received preliminary approval in October by Judge Reed, who ruled that accusations of collusion between the two firms and the CCR were unfounded.
Philadelphia lawyer Ben Shein said the law firms didn't do enough to determine whether defendants could afford to pay without a settlement. The National Asbestos Victims Legal Action Organizing Committee estimates the CCR members have $ 53.6 billion in assets.
But backers said draining company assets has driven 17 former asbestos manufacturers into bankruptcy. Locks said the settlement requires insurers to pay when necessary, helping guarantee defendants solvency as cases mount.
About the Author
For the latest asbestosis information, including case studies, treatment, diagnosis and symptoms, see: Mesothelioma Info.
The proposal to pay an estimated 100,000 asbestos-related disease sufferers or their families about $ 1 billion over the next 10 years is even more complex with stiff opposition and allegations of misconduct.
Backers and detractors will state their positions in a fairness hearing here Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Lowell Reed.
Lawyers who negotiated the deal call it a model for a faster and better way to compensate asbestos disease victims whose needs have gone unmet in court. Opponents call it inadequate and the result of collusion between the Center for Claims Resolution, a group of 20 former asbestos makers, and two law firms: Greitzer & Locks of Philadelphia and Ness, Motley, Loadholt, Richardson & Poole of Charleston, S.C.
Under the deal, consideration for damages would be given to anyone who requests it, a vastly simpler arrangement than hiring an attorney and waiting years for a case to wind its way through the justice system, said John Aldock, a lawyer for the Center for Claims Resolution.
A nationwide asbestos resolution has proven elusive. More than 100,000 cases are lined up in state and federal courts. The litigation has cost U.S. companies an estimated $ 7 billion, some $ 4 billion of it going to lawyers.
Under the settlement, average payments range from $ 5,800 for non-malignant disorders, such as labored breathing, to $ 60,000 for mesothelioma, a terminal lung cancer. The amounts are based on historical averages, proponents said, with the neediest paid first.
Only those showing symptoms get money. Victims could request additional compensation if they develop more serious illnesses. The CCR doesn't include the biggest asbestos manufacturers, and settlement plaintiffs still could sue them.
Critics argue that in most cases plaintiffs will receive a fifth of what they could win in court. Because of docket gridlock, however, most states are hearing cases filed in the late 1980s. All federal lawsuits have been on hold since 1992.
Wages, the union leader, figures that 350,000 to 400,000 of his current and former union members were exposed to potentially deadly amounts of asbestos. Many, including himself, will not be covered by the settlement because they weren't exposed for long enough periods - at least 10 years for mesothelioma and 12 years for other ailments.
Overall, more than 27 million Americans are estimated to have job-related exposure to asbestos, a natural insulator used for decades in construction, and roughly 1 million targeted by cancer. Not all of those people were exposed to products made by the companies included in the CCR, however.
There also have been questions about whether people who don't want to join the settlement "class" were adequately informed. People who wanted to be excluded, remaining free to sue CCR companies, had to inform the court by Jan. 24.
The settlement, filed in January 1993, received preliminary approval in October by Judge Reed, who ruled that accusations of collusion between the two firms and the CCR were unfounded.
Philadelphia lawyer Ben Shein said the law firms didn't do enough to determine whether defendants could afford to pay without a settlement. The National Asbestos Victims Legal Action Organizing Committee estimates the CCR members have $ 53.6 billion in assets.
But backers said draining company assets has driven 17 former asbestos manufacturers into bankruptcy. Locks said the settlement requires insurers to pay when necessary, helping guarantee defendants solvency as cases mount.
About the Author
For the latest asbestosis information, including case studies, treatment, diagnosis and symptoms, see: Mesothelioma Info.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Controversial Asbestos Settlement Heads to Court
After more than a year of bitter legal jockeying, an attempt to begin breaking the nation's biggest courthouse logjam - lawsuits surrounding asbestos - faces a critical test on courtroom. The case is complicated by any standard: millions of potential plaintiffs, dozens of lawyers, 20 defendants and more than two decades of wrangling over damages for people suffering from asbestos exposure.
The proposal to pay an estimated 100,000 asbestos-related disease sufferers or their families about $ 1 billion over the next 10 years is even more complex with stiff opposition and allegations of misconduct.
Backers and detractors will state their positions in a fairness hearing here Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Lowell Reed.
Lawyers who negotiated the deal call it a model for a faster and better way to compensate asbestos disease victims whose needs have gone unmet in court. Opponents call it inadequate and the result of collusion between the Center for Claims Resolution, a group of 20 former asbestos makers, and two law firms: Greitzer & Locks of Philadelphia and Ness, Motley, Loadholt, Richardson & Poole of Charleston, S.C.
Under the deal, consideration for damages would be given to anyone who requests it, a vastly simpler arrangement than hiring an attorney and waiting years for a case to wind its way through the justice system, said John Aldock, a lawyer for the Center for Claims Resolution.
A nationwide asbestos resolution has proven elusive. More than 100,000 cases are lined up in state and federal courts. The litigation has cost U.S. companies an estimated $ 7 billion, some $ 4 billion of it going to lawyers.
Under the settlement, average payments range from $ 5,800 for non-malignant disorders, such as labored breathing, to $ 60,000 for mesothelioma, a terminal lung cancer. The amounts are based on historical averages, proponents said, with the neediest paid first.
Only those showing symptoms get money. Victims could request additional compensation if they develop more serious illnesses. The CCR doesn't include the biggest asbestos manufacturers, and settlement plaintiffs still could sue them.
Critics argue that in most cases plaintiffs will receive a fifth of what they could win in court. Because of docket gridlock, however, most states are hearing cases filed in the late 1980s. All federal lawsuits have been on hold since 1992.
Wages, the union leader, figures that 350,000 to 400,000 of his current and former union members were exposed to potentially deadly amounts of asbestos. Many, including himself, will not be covered by the settlement because they weren't exposed for long enough periods - at least 10 years for mesothelioma and 12 years for other ailments.
Overall, more than 27 million Americans are estimated to have job-related exposure to asbestos, a natural insulator used for decades in construction, and roughly 1 million targeted by cancer. Not all of those people were exposed to products made by the companies included in the CCR, however.
There also have been questions about whether people who don't want to join the settlement "class" were adequately informed. People who wanted to be excluded, remaining free to sue CCR companies, had to inform the court by Jan. 24.
The settlement, filed in January 1993, received preliminary approval in October by Judge Reed, who ruled that accusations of collusion between the two firms and the CCR were unfounded.
Philadelphia lawyer Ben Shein said the law firms didn't do enough to determine whether defendants could afford to pay without a settlement. The National Asbestos Victims Legal Action Organizing Committee estimates the CCR members have $ 53.6 billion in assets.
But backers said draining company assets has driven 17 former asbestos manufacturers into bankruptcy. Locks said the settlement requires insurers to pay when necessary, helping guarantee defendants solvency as cases mount.
About the Author
For the latest asbestosis information, including case studies, treatment, diagnosis and symptoms, see: Mesothelioma Info.
The proposal to pay an estimated 100,000 asbestos-related disease sufferers or their families about $ 1 billion over the next 10 years is even more complex with stiff opposition and allegations of misconduct.
Backers and detractors will state their positions in a fairness hearing here Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Lowell Reed.
Lawyers who negotiated the deal call it a model for a faster and better way to compensate asbestos disease victims whose needs have gone unmet in court. Opponents call it inadequate and the result of collusion between the Center for Claims Resolution, a group of 20 former asbestos makers, and two law firms: Greitzer & Locks of Philadelphia and Ness, Motley, Loadholt, Richardson & Poole of Charleston, S.C.
Under the deal, consideration for damages would be given to anyone who requests it, a vastly simpler arrangement than hiring an attorney and waiting years for a case to wind its way through the justice system, said John Aldock, a lawyer for the Center for Claims Resolution.
A nationwide asbestos resolution has proven elusive. More than 100,000 cases are lined up in state and federal courts. The litigation has cost U.S. companies an estimated $ 7 billion, some $ 4 billion of it going to lawyers.
Under the settlement, average payments range from $ 5,800 for non-malignant disorders, such as labored breathing, to $ 60,000 for mesothelioma, a terminal lung cancer. The amounts are based on historical averages, proponents said, with the neediest paid first.
Only those showing symptoms get money. Victims could request additional compensation if they develop more serious illnesses. The CCR doesn't include the biggest asbestos manufacturers, and settlement plaintiffs still could sue them.
Critics argue that in most cases plaintiffs will receive a fifth of what they could win in court. Because of docket gridlock, however, most states are hearing cases filed in the late 1980s. All federal lawsuits have been on hold since 1992.
Wages, the union leader, figures that 350,000 to 400,000 of his current and former union members were exposed to potentially deadly amounts of asbestos. Many, including himself, will not be covered by the settlement because they weren't exposed for long enough periods - at least 10 years for mesothelioma and 12 years for other ailments.
Overall, more than 27 million Americans are estimated to have job-related exposure to asbestos, a natural insulator used for decades in construction, and roughly 1 million targeted by cancer. Not all of those people were exposed to products made by the companies included in the CCR, however.
There also have been questions about whether people who don't want to join the settlement "class" were adequately informed. People who wanted to be excluded, remaining free to sue CCR companies, had to inform the court by Jan. 24.
The settlement, filed in January 1993, received preliminary approval in October by Judge Reed, who ruled that accusations of collusion between the two firms and the CCR were unfounded.
Philadelphia lawyer Ben Shein said the law firms didn't do enough to determine whether defendants could afford to pay without a settlement. The National Asbestos Victims Legal Action Organizing Committee estimates the CCR members have $ 53.6 billion in assets.
But backers said draining company assets has driven 17 former asbestos manufacturers into bankruptcy. Locks said the settlement requires insurers to pay when necessary, helping guarantee defendants solvency as cases mount.
About the Author
For the latest asbestosis information, including case studies, treatment, diagnosis and symptoms, see: Mesothelioma Info.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Asbestos: Still a Carcinogen
Asbestos is an important cause of human illness. Clinical and epidemiologic studies have established incontrovertibly that asbestos causes cancer of the lung, malignant mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum, cancer of the larynx, and certain gastrointestinal cancers. Asbestos also causes asbestosis, a progressive fibrotic disease of the lungs. The risk of these diseases increases with cumulative exposure and also with the length of time since the first exposure
Asbestos is a generic term applied to a group of minerals, all of them fibrous. There are four commercially important forms: chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, and anthophyllite. Chrysotile is the most important. It accounts for more than 95 percent of current world production. Nearly all asbestos used in North America has been chrysotile from the province of Quebec, Canada
All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic. All have been shown in clinical, epidemiologic, and laboratory studies to be fully capable of causing lung cancer, mesothelioma, and the full range of asbestos-related diseases. Although crocidolite appears to be two to four times more potent than chrysotile or amosite in its capacity to induce mesothelioma, all forms appear to be equally potent in their capacity to cause cancer of the lung.
New use of asbestos has almost completely ended in the United States and in most other developed nations as the result of government bans and market pressures. Those forces were stimulated by the landmark epidemiologic studies of Selikoff and colleagues6 and by the release of information on the carcinogenicity of asbestos that had previously been suppressed by the industry.7 By contrast, extensive and aggressive marketing of asbestos by Canada and other exporting nations continues in the developing world, where sales remain strong.
Asbestos is a generic term applied to a group of minerals, all of them fibrous. There are four commercially important forms: chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, and anthophyllite. Chrysotile is the most important. It accounts for more than 95 percent of current world production. Nearly all asbestos used in North America has been chrysotile from the province of Quebec, Canada
All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic. All have been shown in clinical, epidemiologic, and laboratory studies to be fully capable of causing lung cancer, mesothelioma, and the full range of asbestos-related diseases. Although crocidolite appears to be two to four times more potent than chrysotile or amosite in its capacity to induce mesothelioma, all forms appear to be equally potent in their capacity to cause cancer of the lung.
New use of asbestos has almost completely ended in the United States and in most other developed nations as the result of government bans and market pressures. Those forces were stimulated by the landmark epidemiologic studies of Selikoff and colleagues6 and by the release of information on the carcinogenicity of asbestos that had previously been suppressed by the industry.7 By contrast, extensive and aggressive marketing of asbestos by Canada and other exporting nations continues in the developing world, where sales remain strong.
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