Each year, 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with a life-threatening cancer called mesothelioma. Let our asbestos attorneys guide your family through this medical ordeal.

When a Family member receives a diagnosis of Mesothelioma, it’s nothing short of devastating. This cancer is often deadly. It may leave your loved one – someone you can’t imagine living without – with only months to live. You try to stay positive, but it’s so hard, especially when you feel overwhelmed. You just want some information you can trust, and maybe an advocate your family can rely on.

Our attorneys have handled mesothelioma lawsuits for more than two decades. We’re used to educating families about the disease and about the legal options that can help you afford the very best medical care.

Read on to learn more about what to expect from a loved one’s mesothelioma battle. If you have more questions or are ready to get help, we’re here for you.

What Is Mesothelioma?

You’ve probably come across mesothelioma ads before. But they didn’t tell you everything you need to know.

Now that your family member is facing mesothelioma cancer, you need a lot more information. You have questions about the disease, its causes, its treatment options, and patients’ prognosis.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that develops in a part of the body called the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a lining of cells that covers internal organs such as the heart as well as the inside of the chest and abdomen.

Mesothelioma Description

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. One factor that separates mesothelioma from other cancers is the long time it takes for cancer to develop. The mesothelioma latency period – the time between exposure to a carcinogen and diagnosis with a disease – can last anywhere from 10 to 50 years.

Some tumors that develop in the mesothelium are benign, or noncancerous. In malignant mesothelioma, the cells that grow abnormally are cancerous and dangerous.

Types of Mesothelioma

There are four different mesothelioma types based on where in the body the cancer develops.

Pleural Mesothelioma

When malignant cancer cells develop in the lining of the lungs and chest, it’s called pleural mesothelioma. This is the most common type of mesothelioma, accounting for close to 75 percent of all cases.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

The next most common form of mesothelioma is peritoneal. Peritoneal mesothelioma refers to cancer that begins in the lining of the abdomen and the internal organs it contains.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

Sometimes cancer cells develop in the pericardium, the lining of the heart. Pericardial mesothelioma is “very rare,” the American Cancer Society reported.

Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis

Another “very rare” cancer is mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis. Men may develop these tumors in the lining that covers the testicles.

Mesothelioma Types by Cell Arrangement

Another way to classify mesothelioma is by how the cancerous cells are organized in the body. Mesothelioma cells can be arranged in three ways:

• Epithelioid mesothelioma grows in the epithelial cells. Around half of all mesothelioma cases have an epithelioid cell arrangement. Because epithelioid mesothelioma tends not to spread as aggressively as other forms of the disease, patients with this type of cancer cell arrangement often have a better chance of recovery.
• Sarcomatoid mesothelioma, also called fibrous mesothelioma, develops in spindle-shaped cells called sarcomatoid cells. Only 10 percent of cases involve only fibrous mesothelioma cells.
• About 30 to 40 percent of mesothelioma cases involve cancerous cells of both the epithelioid and sarcomatoid types. Doctors refer to these instances as mixed mesothelioma or biphasic mesothelioma.

What Causes Mesothelioma?

While there are a few other mesothelioma risk factors, one factor is far more significant than all others. Exposure to the carcinogen asbestos is “the main cause of pleural mesothelioma,” the American Cancer Society reported.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. But just because it exists in nature doesn’t change how dangerous it can be. The tiny asbestos fibers are too small to be visible. However, once breathed in, they can cause irreparable damage to the lungs.

Asbestos has long been used in construction materials. Workers in certain industries and trades, such as the following, are more likely to suffer exposure to this cancer-causing material:

• Mining
• Shipbuilding
• Plumbing
• Construction
• Railroad or automotive work
• Work in a factory or manufacturing plant, especially those making products like insulation and gas masks

Repeated exposure puts a person at the greatest risk for mesothelioma. Your hardworking husband, father, grandfather, or other relative likely had no idea during all those years of service to their employer that their workplace was exposing them to a carcinogen.

That’s the reason so many families are now pursuing a mesothelioma asbestos lawsuit – to hold the asbestos industry responsible for the harm its products have caused.

Coping With Mesothelioma Symptoms

It can take decades for symptoms of mesothelioma to emerge. When they do, they may seriously affect your loved one’s quality of life. They can make breathing difficult and painful and cause other severe effects.

Pleural mesothelioma early symptoms include:

• Cough
• Hoarseness
• Shortness of breath
• Trouble swallowing
• Chest or lower back pain
• Fatigue
• Swelling of the face and arms
• Fever and excessive sweating
• Weight loss

Signs of peritoneal mesothelioma may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal swelling
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss
• Constipation

It’s so hard to watch your loved one go through mesothelioma pain and other symptoms. You want to ease their pain, but you may feel like there’s very little you can do. That can be frustrating.

Mesothelioma doctors should be the ones treating your family member. Because these physicians are used to working with patients who have this rare form of cancer, they know the challenges your loved one is facing. They can often suggest ways to make the patient more comfortable.

These options might include things like strategies to avoid feeling out of breath, breathing and relaxation techniques, or even an oxygen tank your family member can use at home to breathe easier. Often, doctors can perform a medical procedure to remove the fluid that causes difficulty breathing and other symptoms. Doctors may also prescribe medications or recommend lifestyle changes to help your loved one cope with other problems caused by the cancer, including pain and fatigue.

The Stress of a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

In many cases, mesothelioma patients have a poor prognosis. As a result, even the possibility of being diagnosed with mesothelioma is often enough to inspire fear.

If your loved one has shown symptoms that could indicate mesothelioma, doctors may want to perform several tests.

In order to diagnose or rule out mesothelioma, your family member might undergo tests such as:

• Chest X-rays
• CT scans
• PET scans
• MRI scans
• Echocardiograms
• Biopsies and other procedures to gather tissue samples
• Blood tests
• Pulmonary function tests

Some of these tests can be a bit stressful even if you’re not dreading a negative result. Knowing that the testing could reveal the presence of a life-threatening cancer can make the situation even more difficult.

Family support can be invaluable at a time like this. Your loved one might want to talk about the tests and his or her fears. Or your family member may prefer to do some sort of activity with you that distracts them from the tests they need to undergo and the difficult road that may lie ahead. In any case, just knowing that you are there for them can help your loved one find the strength to get through this challenging time.

Going Through Mesothelioma Treatment

Doctors use three main methods of treating mesothelioma:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation

It’s natural for a patient and his or her family to feel frightened or upset about needing to undergo mesothelioma treatment. Each of these treatment methods presents risks and the possibility of complications.

Doctors sometimes use surgery to attempt to remove the mesothelioma tumors. Other times, patients undergo palliative surgery. These are surgeries meant to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life rather than to fight advanced cancer.

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to treat cancer. Doctors may prescribe these medications before or after surgery or on their own. Chemo can cause a number of unwanted side effects that can make your loved one feel sick and lower their quality of life, at least temporarily.

Mesothelioma doctors also use radiation, high-energy particles such as X-rays, to attack cancer cells. Like surgery, the purpose of radiation treatment can be to attempt to cure the patient or merely to relieve side effects such as pain and breathing difficulties. Radiation, like chemo, can cause side effects that are difficult to cope with.

If these traditional treatments seem not to work, your family member might want to try clinical trials of new treatment methods that work in different ways. In recent years, researchers have made progress with a number of mesothelioma breakthroughs. These trials can offer your loved one the best chance of a mesothelioma cure.

Coping With a Mesothelioma Prognosis

One of the most difficult things about dealing with mesothelioma is knowing that the prognosis is often bleak. Some patients do recover from mesothelioma. Unfortunately, this the exception rather than the rule. Only five to 10 percent of patients survive for at least five years after their diagnosis.

Learning that you have mesothelioma can seem like a death sentence. For family members, the less-than-reassuring mesothelioma survival rate can make it hard to stay optimistic.

Mesothelioma life expectancy depends a great deal on what stage the cancer has progressed to. The lower the mesothelioma stage, the more time your loved one has, and the more hope there is for remission. Mesothelioma metastasis, the spread of the cancer to distant regions of the body, is the most deadly.

If diagnosed at Stage I, your loved one is facing a median survival time of 21 months, according to the American Cancer Society. Remember, this is the median – the midpoint, with half of patients having more time and half having less time. Stage II mesothelioma has a median survival time of 19 months. The mesothelioma life expectancy when diagnosed at Stage III is 16 months. At Stage IV, a patient has a median survival time of 12 months.

It’s difficult for both you and your loved one to consider the possibility that this cancer could be terminal. Feelings of grief are completely normal. Making the most of the time your loved one has left can help both of you cope with these feelings and find closure.

What You Can Do to Make Your Loved One’s Mesothelioma Battle Easier

 As helpless as you might feel right now, there are steps you can take to make things easier on your sick family member – and on the rest of your family, too.

• Offer emotional support.

  If your loved one wants to talk about the condition, listen to his or her feelings – even if you can’t always solve the problem. If not, you can show your support in other ways, like doing activities that you can enjoy together. Often, it’s simply being there that’s important, not what you do to provide support.

• If possible, be willing to accompany your family member to doctor appointments, tests, or treatments – if your loved one wants the company, that is.

  Having someone with them may help make the situation less scary for your family member. Being involved in your loved one’s care can help you feel like you understand the situation better.

• Help your family member.

  Different mesothelioma patients may have different needs. If your loved one needs help remembering a doctor’s instructions or taking their medications at the right times, being there to remind them can take the weight off of their shoulders. You can help your family member make a list of questions they may want to ask their medical providers or look for a physician who can offer a second opinion.

  Some patients want to know the survival rates, while others prefer not to think about it. Make sure you understand how your loved one wants to handle this and other delicate matters.

  Of course, helping your family member in other ways can be beneficial, too. Taking over a few extra household tasks may allow your loved one to get more rest and feel less fatigued.

• Figure out your family’s legal and financial options.

  Medical care at top mesothelioma treatment centers isn’t cheap. A cancer battle can take a big toll on your family’s financial wellbeing. Worrying about the cost of treatment can make your sick loved one feel even more stressed.You should speak with a mesothelioma lawyer who can help you determine what kind of financial compensation is available to your family. A mesothelioma payout can do more than ease your mind. It can allow your family to afford the expense of getting connected with top mesothelioma doctors.It won’t cost you anything to speak to a mesothelioma attorney, so you have nothing to lose. By handling this matter for your sick loved one, you’re saving your family member the added stress of tracking down a lawyer you can trust.

• Understand your loved one’s wishes.
  

  If this cancer is too aggressive to beat, it’s important for your family to have honest discussions about your feelings and, in particular, about your ill loved one’s wishes.

  Some patients want as much time as they can get and are willing to undergo whatever treatments are necessary. Other patients value quality over quantity. They may choose to forgo treatments that could buy them time but would reduce the quality of their lives.

  Ultimately, this is a personal decision – one that the patient and his or her family should make with the guidance of your loved one’s doctors.

• Make sure you’re taking care of yourself, too.

  It’s not easy dealing with a mesothelioma diagnosis in your family. Caretakers often feel a great deal of emotional, physical, and financial stress, too.

  Getting burned out isn’t good for you or for a sick loved one who needs you. Make sure that you’re getting enough rest and sleep.

  Talk to a trusted friend, another family member, a fellow caretaker, or a counselor about any anger, sadness, or grief you are feeling. These feelings are normal. It’s important that you find a healthy and productive way to cope with them.

Your family member needs a lot of support right now. So do you. What’s best for your family is to have a team of trusted doctors handling your loved one’s medical care and a mesothelioma lawyer who can advocate for your legal rights. This leaves you free to focus on your family and on the cancer battle.

If you still have questions or if you would like to speak to a lawyer about a mesothelioma claim, help is just a phone call away.

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