Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog

December 17, 2014

Genetic Research Looks at How Mesothelioma Differs from Other Cancers

Not only is mesothelioma deadly, there is also no effective means to control or cure the disease, as there are with some forms of cancer. If it were not for exposure to asbestos, malignant mesothelioma would rarely occur.

A recent article from Fox News looks at efforts by scientists to learn how mesothelioma forms and what can be done to treat the disease more effectively. One major difference discovered between mesothelioma and other forms of cancer is mesothelioma is likely caused by mutations in more than one cell.

Most forms of cancer are considered monoclonal, that is they are caused from mutations within a single cell. In making this finding, scientists used a method called HUMARA to trace cells from female embryos. The studied involved taking a serious of samples from 14 mesothelioma tumors removed from female mesothelioma patients. Through a change involving the deactivation of one x chromosome, researchers were able to make this link.
Continue reading

December 12, 2014

Massachusetts Town Spends Decades Looking for Buyer for Old Asbestos-Laden Building

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In the town of Belchertown, Massachusetts, residents have been waiting many years for the demolition of the State School for the Mentally Retarded. According to a recent news feature from New England Public Radio, prior to its closing in 1992, the school was often referred to as a snake pit.

This was 20 years after it was revealed as part of a federal lawsuit that there were numerous hazardous and inhumane conditions at the school, including raw sewage in the cafeteria, toilets and showers in public areas, nonworking fire alarms, and incidents of abuse and neglect.
Continue reading

December 6, 2014

How Mesothelioma Changed a Woman’s Life After Diagnosis at Age 22

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

It is well known that mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. When the fibers are inhaled, they can become lodged in a layer of tissue known as the mesothelium. The fibers are undetectable and cannot be removed by doctors. In time, normally 20 to 50 years, the fibers can metastasize into the deadly form of cancer known as mesothelioma, lung cancer, or other respiratory illness.

It is for this reason that we normally think of older people being diagnosed with mesothelioma. However, a recent news article from the San Antonio Express discusses a tragic case of a woman diagnosed with mesothelioma at age 22.

As a young girl, she would frequently hug her father, sit on his feet, and grab his legs while he was covered in asbestos fibers from work. After inhaling the fibers, they became embedded in the tissue that lined her chest and caused tumors to form. At age 22, after having a baby, she was having her tubes tied when doctors discovered the tumors and diagnosed her with mesothelioma.
Continue reading

December 2, 2014

Genetically-Modified Cells May Prove Effective in Fighting Mesothelioma

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

As it stands today, mesothelioma is an incurable cancer.

However, researchers are making strides in treatment options. One of the best new methods of cancer treatment is the use of genetically-modified cells. As the LA Times reports, training the human immune system to recognize and fight cancer is now being called the the “fifth pillar” of cancer treatment.

Boston mesothelioma lawyers know many of the treatments effective with other type of cancer frequently do not work as well for mesothelioma patients. This is also true of genetically-engineered cells. However, researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are taking a new approach that may work better.
Continue reading

November 30, 2014

Dow Asbestos Case to be Weighed by State High Court

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In 1967, a contractor for Win-Way Industries Inc. had the job of installing asbestos-containing insulation on pipes. Just a few feet away from where the contractor was working, employees of Dow Chemical Co. were removing old pipe installation and installing new insulation. That contractor who was installing the insulation died of mesothelioma, and his family believes Dow Chemical Co. should be held responsible for his death.

The family sued Dow, as well as Alcoa Inc., Hercules In.c, and Crane Co. The family alleged Win-Way Industries was not responsible for the exposure, but that it was the Dow employees who caused their loved one to breathe in asbestos.

The jury in the initial case awarded the family a $2.64 million verdict against Dow, according to the Texas Record.

However, when the company appealed, the jury verdict was reversed and the appeals court found in Dow’s favor. The family seeks yet another reversal, and the Texas Supreme Court recently granted a motion to review. Oral arguments have been set for next month.

This case is just one of many examples of an asbestos plaintiff having difficulty recovering compensation after exposure caused loss. Victims need to get help from an experienced Boston mesothelioma lawyer to navigate the legal system and obtain the compensation they deserve.
Continue reading

November 29, 2014

Asbestos Awareness Day Important Reminder Asbestos Risks

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Asbestos is a worldwide problem, resulting annually in nearly 110,00 deaths and more than 1.5 million disability-adjusted life years across the globe.

As the World Health Organization reports, around 125 million people worldwide are still exposed to asbestos in the workplace. Asbestos is also a big problem among home renovators who may not be aware of the tremendous risk they are taking with their life.

A Boston mesothelioma lawyer knows many people simply are not informed about the dangers of asbestos or don’t think the warnings apply to them. Public education is necessary to help renovators, employers and workers understand the full extent of the risks that they take when they work in an environment that may have asbestos without the proper precautions.
Continue reading

November 25, 2014

Pre-Operative Tests To Determine Mesothelioma Status

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer and many patients are not diagnosed until the later stages of the disease. While there is no cure, surgery can be performed to attempt removal of most of the cancer in order to prolong the life of the patient.

Boston mesothelioma lawyers understand it is essential for a patient to have an accurate diagnosis and understand the extent of his health issues before deciding whether to undergo surgery.

A number of different medical tests can be performed on a mesothelioma patient to assess whether mesothelioma has spread throughout the body and whether a particular treatment will be effective. Patients need to seek treatment from specialists with experience in mesothelioma in order to make sure the appropriate diagnostic tests are used so the right treatment method can be chosen. The costs of this medical care should be paid for through workers’ compensation if the asbestos exposure occurred at work, or from compensation from an asbestos victim’s trust or from the asbestos manufacturer.
Continue reading

November 23, 2014

Navy Veteran Diagnosed with Mesothelioma

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

When tourists visit Boston, the Charlestown Navy Yard is often on the list of things to see. You can the U.S.S. Constitution, which is the oldest commissioned naval ship. You can also see the U.S.S Cassin-Young.

The Cassin-Young was a World War II destroyer that survived one of the biggest non-battle-related tragedies in naval history. In 1944, the Cassin-Young, along with other ships in the U.S. Third Fleet, was operating near the Philippines when a Pacific typhoon named Cobra hit the battle group.

100mph winds and huge waves ravaged the fleet, and, of the 776 men aboard the respective ships, 91 survived. According to a recent news article from Your West Valley News, one sailor remains the only living member from that tragic event. However, he is suffering from mesothelioma.
Continue reading

November 20, 2014

New Brain Cancer Treatment May Be Used on Mesothelioma Patients

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. However, it generally takes 20 to 50 years after inhaling asbestos fibers before a patient develops any symptoms. Once a patient develops symptoms and gets diagnosed with mesothelioma, the disease is generally in a very advanced stage, and the patient may only have a very short time to live. There is currently no cure for mesothelioma.

According to a recent news article from the New York Times, an experimental treatment being used for people dying from brain tumors may have future applications for mesothelioma patients.

The medical device that is glued to a patient’s scalp and generates a low alternating current electrical field that the manufacturer calls tumor-treating fields. It’s believed the electrical fields can stop tumor growth by preventing cancer cells from dividing.
Continue reading

November 15, 2014

Boston Officials Have Trouble Finding Tenant for Asbestos Laden Buildings

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The city of Boston is having trouble finding a developer who is interested in occupying two Boston Marine Industrial Park parcels of land that were once used by the United States Navy as a heavy metal fabrication plant.

The Boston Herald is reporting that the city is looking for a long-term tenant for the 160,000 square foot building that sits on over three aces of waterfront land. The city wishes to find someone who intends to use the existing building and re-purpose it, rather than demolishing it and constructing something else on the site.

While engineers report that the building is structurally sound, the problem is that it is lined with metal panels that have been impregnated with asbestos. This metal skin poses a significant risk of environmental problems related to asbestos exposure and city engineers believe that anyone who occupies the building will be required to replace all of the panels before the building can be used again.
Continue reading