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| Mesothelioma |
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| What is it? |
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| Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious
of all asbestos-related diseases. It is an uncommon, but no longer rare, cancer that is difficult to diagnose and
poorly responsive to therapy.
The disease usually affects the thin membrane (the pleura) that lines the chest cavity and the lungs.
It also can affect the lining of the abdominal cavity, called the peritoneum, and, very rarely,
it affects the lining around the heart, called the pericardium.
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| Most cases of malignant mesothelioma are
caused by exposure to asbestos. People exposed to asbestos for a long time or exposed to high levels have an
increased risk of developing malignant mesothelioma but even people exposed for a very short time can develop
this disease. The disease develops at least 15 years (typically 20 to 40 years) after exposure to asbestos.
People usually are diagnosed with this disease between ages 50 to 70. More men than women get this cancer,
probably because men are more likely to have worked in the industries that use asbestos.
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| Treatment |
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| Surgery |
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| A procedure called extrapleural pneumonectomy involves removal of the pleura,
the lung, the diaphragm and the pericardium.
The intent of this very aggressive, complicated surgery is to remove as much of the tumour as possible. |
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| Radiation Therapy |
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| Radiation therapy can be used to relieve the symptoms of mesothelioma,
including chest pain. However, because of the location of malignant mesothelioma,
it is extremely difficult to deliver high enough doses of radiation to kill the tumour without
damaging the surrounding organs. |
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| Chemotherapy |
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| Chemotherapy is the use of medications to treat cancer,
it cannot cure mesothelioma, but it may be administered after surgery in an attempt to kill cancer cells
that could not be removed during the procedure. |
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| Making a claim |
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| If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma
in the last 3 years you will be able to make a claim. The success of the claim will depend on whether the company
where the exposure occurred is still in existence. If you are not sure, don't worry; it could be that the company
was taken over, or that the insurers of the company still exist. In either case we will find out on your behalf as
part of the service.
Simply call us on freephone 0800 783 9535. |
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