High blood platelet count a ‘strong predictor’ of cancer, study finds

Known as thrombocytosis, up to half a million people (two percent) of those over the age of 40 in the UK have a raised blood platelet count, with around 1 percent of the general population developing cancer each year.

Led by the University of Exeter Medical School, the large-scale study is the first to thoroughly investigate the association between thrombocytosis and cancer—by looking at 40,000 patient records in the UK.

The team found that 11 percent of men and 6 percent of women over the age of 40 with thrombocytosis went on to be diagnosed with cancer within a year.

This number rose to 18 percent of men and 10 percent of women being diagnosed with cancer if a second raised platelet count was found within six months.

The most commonly diagnosed cancers after a thrombocytosis diagnosis were lung and colorectal cancer, and one third of these patients had no other symptoms that would indicate to their General Practitioners (GP) that they had cancer—except for thrombocytosis.

The team are now urging GPs to consider that those with unexpected thrombocytosis may go on to also be diagnosed with cancer, in order to try to catch the disease early on.

“We know that early diagnosis is absolutely key in whether people survive cancer. Our research suggests that substantial numbers of people could have their cancer diagnosed up to three months earlier if thrombocytosis prompted investigation for cancer. This time could make a vital difference in achieving earlier diagnosis,” commented lead author Dr Sarah Bailey, of the University of Exeter Medical School.

University of Exeter Medical School Professor Willie Hamilton also added that: “The UK lags well behind other developed countries on early cancer diagnosis. In 2014, 163,000 people died of cancer in this country.”

He added: “Our findings on thrombocytosis show a strong association with cancer, particularly in men — far stronger than that of a breast lump for breast cancer in women. It is now crucial that we roll out cancer investigation of thrombocytosis. It could save hundreds of lives each year.”

The paper can be found online published in the British Journal of General Practice. KI

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Mesothelioma Attorneys Pioneering Asbestos Litigation

Mesothelioma attorneys are not all the same. Some mesothelioma attorneys are very experienced and knowledgeable. Others sadly are unscrupulous and out to profit from someone else’s tragic circumstances. They will settle a case quickly just to get their fee. Still other mesothelioma attorneys may be well-intended but inexperienced and inept. Asbestos litigation is a very intricate and detailed legal niche.


 What if you could have the mesothelioma attorneys who pioneered asbestos litigation handle your case?  It would be like having Bill Gates install your computer’s software or Mark Zuckerberg create your Facebook page. While those two are unlikely to be available, it is really possible for you to have the mesothelioma attorneys who helped invent mesothelioma law, from the beginning, handle your case. You can be represented by Kazan Law.

Mesothelioma Attorneys with The Most Asbestos Case Experience

The founding partner of Kazan Law pioneered asbestos litigation over 40 years ago.  Today Steven Kazan is acknowledged as a leading global expert on asbestos law whose knowledge and skill continue to define this area of litigation.

Since the firm was founded by Steven Kazan in 1974, Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood, A Professional Law Corporation, has represented hundreds of people suffering from mesothelioma. They have won landmark victories and settlements totaling hundreds of millions of dollars for their clients. They have also achieved precedent-setting verdicts that have changed the way asbestos law cases are determined.



Today Kazan Law has grown to include 22 full-time mesothelioma attorneys.  But Steven Kazan, and his  partners at Kazan Law, still personally oversee every asbestos case the firm takes on. They remain as dedicated to obtaining justice for innocent working people whose lives have been jeopardized by callous profit-seeking companies as they were when they took on some of the first asbestos cases. Asbestos litigation at its best is about standing up for the rights of the little guy against big powerful corporate interests. And that is the kind of asbestos litigation expertly practiced by the mesothelioma attorneys at Kazan Law. They understand instinctively what to do because after all they were the ones who helped create asbestos litigation.

How Mesothelioma Attorneys Pioneered Asbestos Litigation

Over 40 years ago, many of the workers at the Johns-Manville plant in Lompoc, California were sick and dying.  Workers were upset about losing people they had worked with for many years. The labor union representative collected death certificates of all those who had died in the last five years and wrote a letter to someone he thought could help them.  That someone was Steven Kazan.

That was in 1974. Telephones were attached to walls, a computer took up an entire room and companies that produced asbestos-containing products were getting away with murder. Employees exposed to asbestos at work were dying from asbestosis and mesothelioma without their employers being held accountable.

In Oakland, California, at that time, Steven Kazan, a recent Harvard Law School graduate, had just started his law practice. He was already known for litigating complex medical and scientific issues, and had worked with an attorney who was trying to get workers compensation benefits for some of the men from the Pittsburg, California Johns Manville asbestos products plant.

Then, in 1974, Mr. Kazan was asked to take on litigating the civil lawsuits for those workers.  He won a precedent-setting suit for Reba Rudkin, who had developed asbestosis after 29 years of working at the Johns-Manville plant in Pittsburg, California. After winning this landmark case, he represented over 100 asbestos-affected workers from the same company.

In 1982, he won a $150,000 verdict for Bob Speake, one of the Johns-Manville workers, in a test case trial ordered by the Superior Court in Contra Costa County, CA.  This case is regarded as a “threshold verdict” because it created the opportunity for punitive damage verdicts against Johns-Manville. Months later, just as Steven Kazan was getting ready to go to settlement conferences on a large group of those cases, Johns –Manville filed for bankruptcy court protection. Steven had 393 cases pending against the company which he resolved with the trust fund set up as a result  of that bankruptcy.

Today Kazan Law is still headquartered in Oakland California. The firm’s mesothelioma attorneys continue to excel at pursuing justice for mesothelioma victims and others exposed to asbestos.  Kazan Law daily puts its 40 plus years of experience in pioneering asbestos lawsuits and setting precedents to work for its clients.

Kazan Law has remained at the forefront of asbestos litigation in California and nationally.  Kazan Law is proud of its history as pioneers in asbestos litigation. But as mesothelioma attorneys who are among the most experienced mesothelioma lawyers in the United States, we do not dwell in the past – we continue to win major settlements for our clients.

Mesothelioma Attorneys at Kazan Law Have the Expertise to Win Major Verdicts

Today well into the 21st century, Kazan Law’s dedication to legal excellence and justice for asbestos victims continues to result in major verdicts.  These verdicts gain Kazan Law recognition in the legal profession among their peers in the United States and throughout the world. A brief list of some of the verdicts won by Kazan Law:

    $48 Million Verdict: Won by a former construction worker vs. the Union Carbide Corporation —this 2012 verdict was nationally recognized as the highest mesothelioma verdict on record for the year.
    $27 Million Verdict: Against Owens-Illinois in a lawsuit filed by the former wife of a pipe insulator.
    $11 Million Verdict: Won against Pneumo Abex  , Inc. in a wrongful death suit filed by the family of an automobile parts worker. This came after a separate $13 million award in the family’s personal injury suit.

As many activists and professionals throughout the world continue to fight for a global ban of asbestos, victims of asbestos exposure continue to contract mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases. For these people a chance to hold accountable those companies that exposed them to asbestos, pay for mounting medical bills, and provide for their families futures in the wake of their certain passing is motivation enough to seek the best and brightest asbestos litigators in the country. See what asbestos pioneers Kazan Law can do to help you and your family.

source: kazanlaw.com

Asbestos Exposure in the Military

The most common place where people have experienced asbestos exposure is in the workplace. The work sites with some of the highest rates of asbestos related disease may come as a surprise: the US Armed Forces’ ships and installations around the world. Veterans are more than three times as likely to develop mesothelioma as those who have never served in the military. Mesothelioma is a rare and fatal cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Exposure in the Navy
While members of every branch of the military run a higher risk of asbestos disease than the civilian population, the Navy has the highest rates of asbestos exposure. Members of the Navy and civilians who built and serviced naval vessels worked in an environment awash in deadly asbestos fibers.

Because asbestos is a good heat insulator, US Navy ships built between 1930 and the early 1970s were loaded with the toxic mineral. It was used for insulation in boiler rooms and around piping that ran throughout the ships. Asbestos was also used to construct rooms and entranceways in areas of the ship that might be prone to fire, since it is also resistant to fire.

One of the greatest risk factors for developing mesothelioma, asbestos-caused lung cancer, or other asbestos related disease is a stint working in the boiler room of a Navy ship. In the heat and hustle, it was not uncommon for tiny asbestos fibers to come loose. Floating through the air and invisible to the naked eye, these fibers were easily inhaled and could stick and stay in the lungs.

Because mesothelioma usually takes decades to develop, Navy veterans are still being diagnosed with this and other diseases caused by asbestos exposure that may have occurred forty or more years ago.

Asbestos Exposure in the Army

Starting in the early 1980s, the US Armed Forces stopped using asbestos as an insulator and construction material. The legacy of asbestos lingered on much longer, though, since buildings constructed with asbestos-laden materials continued to be used for many more years. And military vehicles like trucks, cars, and motorcycles used asbestos brakes and other parts.

Veterans of the Marines and Air Force, as well as the Army, may have suffered asbestos exposure while they worked and lived in buildings on military bases that were built with asbestos in ceiling tiles, insulation, or other parts of the structures. In addition, asbestos brake linings were used on military vehicles which may have remained in service for years after the toxic properties of asbestos were understood or the dangers simply ignored. Service members who worked repairing those vehicles may have a special risk of asbestos exposure.

The US Department of Veterans Affairs provides a list of military occupations that are particularly associated with asbestos exposure: “mining, milling, shipyard work, insulation work, demolition of old buildings, carpentry and construction, the manufacturing and installation of products such as flooring, roofing, cement sheet, pipe products, or the servicing of friction products such as clutch facings and brake linings.” Even if you didn’t fill one of these roles, you may have been exposed to asbestos during your military service if you were around others doing those tasks.

Asbestos Exposure in Vietnam and Beyond

One group of veterans who appear to have an elevated chance of asbestos exposure are those who served in Vietnam. During their deployment, military ships, vehicles, and structures would all still have contained asbestos.

One of the times where there is the greatest hazard of asbestos exposure is during removal of asbestos from boiler rooms and infrastructure. Construction workers who engage in this type of work today wear special protective gear. During Vietnam, some soldiers were tasked with ripping out asbestos-laden materials, often without proper protective gear.

The US Department of Veterans Affairs also notes that veterans who served in Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries may have been subjected to asbestos exposure. Although the conflicts in the Middle East happened after the military had stopped building with asbestos, hazardous fibers may have been released when buildings built in previous decades were damaged or destroyed in the fighting.

VA Benefits and Mesothelioma

The Veterans Administration does offer healthcare for veterans suffering from mesothelioma and other diseases caused by asbestos exposure during their military service. If you have an asbestos-related disease due to asbestos exposure in the military, you are eligible to apply for disability benefits through the VA.

In fact, the VA even has special centers at some of its facilities which employ experts in mesothelioma care. Veterans can travel to these centers or receive care remotely from the specialists there.

The good news is that the cost of mesothelioma care at the VA is likely to be lower than if you pursue treatment through private insurance. The VA gives highest priority to veterans with mesothelioma, so you shouldn’t have to wait for care – once you are approved for benefits.

The bad news is that these VA benefits are not always easy to claim for diseases due to asbestos exposure. Because mesothelioma takes so long to manifest, it can be difficult to prove that your asbestos exposure took place during your military service.

Compensation for Veterans

Veterans with mesothelioma or other asbestos diseases have another option to seek compensation for their illness. Like civilians who suffer from the long term consequences of asbestos exposure, veterans have the right to file a lawsuit against the corporations that manufactured or sold the asbestos materials that made them sick.

If you served in the military prior to the late 1990s and you develop mesothelioma or another disease caused by asbestos exposure, you should talk to an experienced asbestos attorney. An asbestos lawyer can guide you through the process of claiming compensation for your illness, pain and suffering, and lost wages. A lawyer can help you protect your rights and receive the compensation you and your family need to insure that you get the best possible healthcare and that your family is taken care of once you are gone.

source: kazanlaw.com

How Does an Asbestos Lawsuit Begin?

If you or a member of your family has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-caused lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease, you may want to consider filing an asbestos lawsuit. Because of the clear connection between the negligent use of asbestos by US industries and mesothelioma, many people have filed lawsuits and won compensation for their injuries.

The first thing you can do to help make your asbestos lawsuit a success is to hire the best asbestos attorney you can find, one with a great deal of experience in filing asbestos lawsuits. The next thing you can do is to learn about the process so you can best help your lawyer make your case.




Collect Your Asbestos Lawsuit Documents

In order to file an asbestos lawsuit on your behalf, your attorney will need proof of your diagnosis and the state of your health, as well as the cost of your medical treatment so far. In addition, your attorney will need to know your work history, to determine where you may have been exposed to asbestos. Top-notch asbestos law firms employ experienced investigators. An investigator will use your background information to gather evidence about where you were exposed to asbestos.

If this seems like an overwhelming amount of work, especially as you are coping with a severe illness, don’t worry. A good mesothelioma attorney will go over everything with you and will be able to help gather the documents you need for your asbestos lawsuit.

Beginning Your Asbestos Lawsuit

Before beginning the formal litigation process, your attorney may approach representatives from some of the corporations responsible for your asbestos-related disease. Some parties choose to enter into settlement negotiations with the most well respected mesothelioma attorneys before a lawsuit is filed, to avoid the time and expense of going to court. Instead some corporations ask us NOT to sue them so they can settle without wasting money on their lawyers.

If any of the parties have set up an asbestos trust fund, your attorney will initiate the trust paperwork. The corporations with asbestos bankruptcy trusts can’t be named in an asbestos lawsuit. They have already admitted their liability for exposing people to asbestos and have set aside money under court supervision to compensate those who become ill with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.

The parties who don’t agree to compensate you will be named in your asbestos lawsuit. Your lawyer will draft a complaint, which states the facts of the case and identifies all the parties in the lawsuit.

Your lawyer will file the complaint and get a summons from the court to serve on the parties named in the suit. These parties, now called the defendants, must file an answer with the court within 30 days. If any of the defendants do not respond to your lawsuit within the required time, your lawyer can seek a default judgment against that party. After a default is entered, your attorney will pursue that party for compensation.

Defendants always respond by denying that they are liable for exposing you to asbestos. Some may argue that your illness is caused by other factors, such as smoking. This push back is a normal part of the litigation process. An experienced asbestos attorney will have heard all these arguments before and will know how to respond to them.

Asbestos Lawsuit Discovery

The next phase of your asbestos lawsuit is called the discovery process. During this phase, both your attorney and the attorneys for the defendants will ask for documents and other evidence about the case. The defense will want copies of your medical records. Your asbestos lawyer will ask for information about the use of products containing asbestos at different places where you worked or lived, who sold them, and what they knew.

Part of the discovery process is taking depositions. Depositions do not take place in a courtroom, but they are sworn testimony recorded by a court reporter that may be used in court during the trial.

It is likely that the defendants will ask for your deposition. This may sound scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Your lawyer will work with you beforehand to prepare you to testify and will be right by your side every minute. If your health is failing, the deposition is a chance to record your account of your asbestos exposure and illness. Later on, if you are unable to come to court to testify at trial, a recording of your deposition may be played instead,  and will become evidence.

The discovery process can take several months. At times, you may feel that your lawsuit has stalled and that nothing is happening. For much of this time, however, your legal team will actually be hard at work. They will be combing through the documents received from the defendants through discovery, looking for evidence to bolster your asbestos lawsuit.

Will Your Asbestos Lawsuit Settle or Go to Trial?

Television likes the drama of the courtroom, but most people who get sued do not. Most lawsuits end with a settlement before trial. Asbestos lawsuits are no different: more than 90%  end with a settlement and never go through trial.

The discovery process plays a big part in settlement negotiations. If the documents received through this process show that a defendant knew about the hazards of asbestos exposure and did nothing to protect you and others, that party is unlikely to win at trial. They may choose to settle with you to avoid the cost of trial, as well as the embarrassment of having their misconduct exposed.

If you are offered a settlement by one or more of the defendants in your asbestos lawsuit, your attorney will negotiate the settlement amount and will help you assess whether the offer is fair. The advantage of settling is that you will receive compensation much sooner than if your case goes to trial. If you win at trial, a jury may award you more money than you would get from a settlement. There is no guarantee, however, of winning at trial, or getting more than what was offered, so settlement may be a good idea.

Seek advice from an experienced asbestos attorney as soon as you are able. That is the best way to get your asbestos lawsuit off to a smooth start and heading to a good result.

source: kazanlaw.com

US shows interest in Cuban lung cancer vaccines

Now that the 55-year Cuban trade embargo might soon be lifted, many Americans are curiously intrigued at how the largest island nation in the Caribbean beats developed countries in providing high-quality healthcare and medical technology.

Before US President Barack Obama went to Cuba, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, with the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, visited Havana on a two-day foreign trade mission. A report from Wired.com said they finalized an agreement with Cuba’s Center for Molecular Immunology to export CIMAvax, Cuba’s own lung cancer vaccine, which will be scheduled for clinical trials in the US. The US-based Cancer Institute raised hopes that the drug would be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Research on CIMAvax concluded that it had lower toxicity, fewer side effects, and could be manufactured at a lower cost.

In order to secure the FDA drug application, the Center for Molecular Immunology in Cuba will give the US all the documents needed for the project, including toxicity data and results of past trials. Candace Johnson, CEO of Roswell Park, says she hopes to get approval for testing the vaccine within six to eight months, and to start clinical trials in a year, according to a report.

The vaccine does not shrink tumors, but it can stop cancer cells from growing and spreading rapidly.

 

For decades, Cuba enjoyed superior biotechnology and medical research in the world; in fact, the life expectancy of an average Cuban is on a par with an average American.

Despite decades of bleak economic sanctions, Cuba’s President Raul and his brother Fidel pioneered medical research and technology after the 1981 dengue fever epidemic that resulted in 344,000 cases where 10,300 were severe, and deprived 158 Cuban lives.

Aside from developing a cutting-edge immuno-oncology drug, the country has been a reputable powerhouse when it comes to medical breakthroughs, such as the production of interferon, a protein that is secreted by the immune system’s cells, and localized vaccines for meningitis B and hepatitis B. They also engineered monoclonal antibodies utilized for kidney transplants.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Talc, a common ingredient in baby powder and makeup, contains stray asbestos

Talc is a common ingredient in many everyday products, but as a number of recent lawsuits have brought to light, it may also contain trace amounts of asbestos, a material whose airborne fibers can scar lungs and cause cancer.

Talc is used in everything from makeup to baby powder. It’s even used as a food additive. But it is also sometimes interlaced with asbestos. Although asbestos is known to be dangerous—and known to be found in cosmetic talc— the US Food and Drug Administration has allowed the industry to monitor itself in its use of talc in cosmetics, despite concerns about its toxicity. Manufacturers say they test their talc for asbestos and only use talc that is proven to be asbestos-free. But some experts say that the outdated tests being used can’t detect the low levels of asbestos that may be present and can still be dangerous.

Government documents show that FDA officials first discussed the issue in 1976 but decided to allow the industry to test its own products. Proposals for the FDA to run the tests came up again in 1994 and 2001, but to no avail.

Asbestos was a common material used in buildings, toys, and various products until the mid-1970s, when its toxicity was recognized and its use became more limited. But it is still not entirely out of manufacturing in the US. Recent tests run by the non-profit Environmental Working Group found asbestos in four brands of crayons and toy crime-scene kits, it recently reported.

Asbestos exposure can cause a very aggressive form of cancer called mesothelioma. In the US, about 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year, says the American Cancer Society. If you believe you or someone you care about has been exposed to asbestos, contact Cooney & Conway, a law firm specializing in mesothelioma, to learn more about your legal rights.

source: cooneyconway.com

Talc is a common ingredient in many everyday products, but as a number of recent lawsuits have brought to light, it may also contain trace amounts of asbestos, a material whose airborne fibers can scar lungs and cause cancer.
Talc is used in everything from makeup to baby powder. It’s even used as a food additive. But it is also sometimes interlaced with asbestos. Although asbestos is known to be dangerous—and known to be found in cosmetic talc— the US Food and Drug Administration has allowed the industry to monitor itself in its use of talc in cosmetics, despite concerns about its toxicity. Manufacturers say they test their talc for asbestos and only use talc that is proven to be asbestos-free. But some experts say that the outdated tests being used can’t detect the low levels of asbestos that may be present and can still be dangerous.
Government documents show that FDA officials first discussed the issue in 1976 but decided to allow the industry to test its own products. Proposals for the FDA to run the tests came up again in 1994 and 2001, but to no avail.
Asbestos was a common material used in buildings, toys, and various products until the mid-1970s, when its toxicity was recognized and its use became more limited. But it is still not entirely out of manufacturing in the US. Recent tests run by the non-profit Environmental Working Group found asbestos in four brands of crayons and toy crime-scene kits, it recently reported.
Asbestos exposure can cause a very aggressive form of cancer called mesothelioma. In the US, about 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year, says the American Cancer Society. If you believe you or someone you care about has been exposed to asbestos, contact Cooney & Conway, a law firm specializing in mesothelioma, to learn more about your legal rights.
- See more at: http://www.cooneyconway.com/blog/talc-common-ingredient-baby-powder-and-makeup-contains-stray-asbestos#sthash.xk9wtQnv.dpuf

Mesothelioma Treatment Costs and What to Expect

Mesothelioma treatment costs are high; there is no denying that. Estimates range from $150,000 to over $1,000,000. But there is also no denying the importance of making sure to get the treatments you need in order to achieve the best quality of life you can during this time. In addition to major treatments like surgery and chemotherapy, mesothelioma requires many tests and checkups to ensure the best life expectancy possible. 









Sources of Mesothelioma Treatment Costs

    Diagnostic Tests
    Lab Tests
    Drug Costs
    Check-ups
    Surgery
    Chemo and Radiation
    Caregiver Costs
    Transportation Costs

Cost of Drugs for Mesothelioma

The most widely used anti-cancer drugs for mesothelioma treatment are Alimta and Cisplatin. The combined cost of these drugs for one treatment cycle is approximately $4,100. Be aware that several treatment cycles may be needed and optimal for you.

Mesothelioma Surgery Costs

A typical hospital admission for mesothelioma surgery costs $150,000 or more. And that’s when it goes well without any complications that extend the hospital stay or require additional operations. We have seen total bills of around $1,000,000 in some cases. Also keep in mind that surgery for mesothelioma is often a controversial subject among mesothelioma medical experts and there are complex issues when weighing benefits versus risks.  Be sure to discuss this option very thoroughly with your surgeon, oncologist and other members of your medical team, and ask for their frank opinion.

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Treatment Costs

Mesothelioma treatment costs for chemotherapy can vary, with some costing as much as $30,000 over an eight-week period. The average cost for an initial mesothelioma treatment is approximately $7,000. Actual costs will vary with individuals depending on the drugs they are taking, their stage of mesothelioma and other factors for each patient.

Mesothelioma Radiation Treatment Costs

Radiation treatment for mesothelioma can be expensive because of the high priced high-tech equipment required. The total expense will depend on how many treatments, the type of radiation you receive and your health coverage. Some estimates suggest that the patient cost for radiation therapy is about $2,000 a month. Analysis of data on costs to insurance companies and Medicare show the cost per patient ranges from $10,000 and $50,000.

Paying For Mesothelioma Treatment Costs

Some mesothelioma treatment costs may be covered by health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. Financial assistance to help pay for the rest may sometimes be obtained through the social services units of hospitals, the Cancer Information Network, the American Cancer Society and the Veteran’s Administration, if you are a vet.

How a Health Care Lien on Your Settlement Can Help

One of the main reasons for bringing a mesothelioma lawsuit is to obtain funds to cover the best possible medical treatment, even when your insurance isn’t as good as you’d like. Almost all insurance plans stipulate that you have to reimburse them from your lawsuit recovery for treatments provided. It is important that your mesothelioma lawyer have the experience, skill and willingness to thoroughly review all claims and bills to eliminate inappropriate or excessive charges, and negotiate the lowest possible reimbursement amount for you. This can help you can keep as much of your settlement money as possible. We do that routinely for our clients, and never charge for these services.

Your health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or the Veteran’s Administration if you are a vet, will likely help pay for your mesothelioma treatment costs. However when you receive a settlement from your mesothelioma lawsuit, the insurer or agency that paid your bill will expect to be reimbursed.

A healthcare provider – such as a doctor or hospital where you were treated – may also put a lien on your settlement if your medical bills haven’t been paid.  Those liens will be for the specific costs of the treatment you received, and may help resolve any pending payment issues you may have for your mesothelioma treatments.

source: mesotheliomacircle.org

Nanotechnology May Help Identify Early-Stage Mesothelioma

The earlier cancer is discovered, the greater the chances of successfully fighting it.  Advances in medicine are helping to put earlier detection within closer reach.  Nanotechnology, which combines molecular science and technology, is one such advancement that may help in identifying cancers such as mesothelioma at an early stage.

While cancer cells result in the production of unique proteins which could theoretically aid in detection of the disease, it is not easy to spot these proteins.  This is due to the fact that the proteins become weakened in a patient’s bloodstream.  Applying nanotechnology may enable scientists to increase the visibility of cancer indicators through engineered biomarkers.  This could help doctors more readily locate and identify molecules linked to cancer.  

Nanotechnology functions by making use of nanoparticles, which, due to their microscopic size, have properties that are different from those of materials on a larger scale.  Scientists treat the nanoparticles with peptides that are susceptible to attack from enzymes called MMPs, which are frequently secreted by cancer cells.

The nanoparticles are injected into a person’s body, and once there, they will connect with a tumor.  The cancer enzymes cut many peptides off the nanoparticles into even smaller fragments, which make their way into the bloodstream.  The enzymes then build up in the kidneys, which results in biomarkers being passed into a person’s urine.  The biomarkers can be identified in the urine, and can help lead to earlier detection of disease.  Another benefit of this type of research is that it is far less invasive than other methods of diagnosis, such as a biopsy.

Once the biomarkers have been spotted and sampled, mass spectrometry is utilized to view the particles, and to tell them apart.  This helps researchers determine characteristics attached to specific tumors.

The process might also enable tracking of disease proliferation in the body, as well as measuring the effectiveness of treatment on tumors.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is focused on ensuring the safety and effectiveness of nanotechnology as it is applied to medicine, and is actively monitoring developments.

source: cooneyconway.com

Emotional Support for Mesothelioma

While everyone handles stressful situations differently, many people benefit from turning to others for emotional support.  If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, reaching out to others for encouragement and assistance can be a crucial tool.          

Studies have shown that having a strong social network is highly beneficial in many ways.  Spending time talking with friends and family can boost your mood, and help to decrease stress levels.  It can also help to make you feel like you belong.  All of these things are vital when you are coping with an illness.

Support groups help bring together people who are dealing with similar situations.  Many people find that connecting with those who know firsthand what they are going through can be very helpful.  Discussing your experiences and feelings with other mesothelioma or lung cancer patients is a good reminder that you are not alone; there are many other people out there familiar with what you are up against.  

Support groups come in different forms; they sometimes meet and talk over the phone, in person, or online.  Social media sites like Facebook can be a helpful place to find and join support groups for discussion, and allow members to connect with others near and far from the comfort of home.  Organizations such as The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation offer various support groups to suit individual needs.

Keep in mind that many local community resources are available as well, such as churches and libraries.  Your doctor may also be able to provide information on area resources, or could help connect you with a therapist.  Many people find that talking with a trained therapist or counselor is beneficial.  Not only can such professionals offer suggestions and techniques for coping, but they also offer a confidential setting for you to vent and discuss anything that is on your mind.

Deciding what kind of support group or method to pursue, if any, is a very personal decision.  The most important part is to make sure that you feel comfortable, and that the group or method of support is a good fit for you.  If one avenue doesn’t seem right, don’t be discouraged—there are many other options available.

source: cooneyconway.com