There are a number of illnesses that are caused by workplace exposure to asbestos fibres.

These are mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. Mesothelioma and lung cancer are usually terminal and whilst many asbestosis sufferers can continue with a reasonable quality of life, the disease is progressive and can be very debilitating. Because the latency period between asbestos exposure and disease symptoms and diagnosis can in some cases be up to forty years or even longer, it is very difficult to establish when the exposure took place. For instance if a person has worked in a car maintenance depot where he/she has been exposed to asbestos fibres from car brake linings, and subsequently worked in the building industry where asbestos was used for insulation purposes, it is extremely difficult to prove which employer was responsible for the exposure.

Furthermore, if the person used asbestos privately, for example in the construction of a car garage which were often made from asbestos, then this could also have been the cause of the fatal exposure. As the compensation claims can be for very large sums of money, which is completely justifiable, it is also reasonable to assume that the employers in question along with their insurers will vigorously defend their positions in order to prevent such claims being successful. Furthermore, it is quite possible that the company in question is no longer in existence.

On the other side of the fence, it is a fact that there has been a substantial number of false asbestos compensation claims made, which has increased the caution of insurance companies and governments alike.

Obtaining compensation in these circumstances can be extremely difficult, and is likely to be particularly distressing for sufferers and their families. Despite there being several precedents both for and against the awarding of claims, along with several different acts of parliament concerning compensation for asbestos related diseases, a simple route to obtaining compensation remains far from being clear and straightforward thus excellent legal assistance is a necessity.



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Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is most commonly caused by an exposure to asbestos. However, mesothelioma symptoms do not show up for many decades after the asbestos exposure. There are mainly three types of mesothelioma: Pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial, and all of them have terrible effects on the victim and their family.

Mesothelioma is not a common form of cancer and it is also the most deadly of all diseases related to asbestos exposure. Keep in mind that just because it is uncommon, it is not considered a rare type of cancer. Because the symptoms mesothelioma exhibits are not very unique as they also tend to show up in other diseases, it is often difficult to diagnose. Treatment may no longer be effective by the time a diagnosis is made. It is one of the least responsive cancers to treatment.

Pleural mesothelioma affects the chest and lungs of its victim. From the chest and lungs, it spreads to different organs in the body, including the brain. Pleural mesothelioma is often not easy to detect. Survival rates are usually about a year and a half from the onset of their symptoms. A very small percentage may survive three to five years.

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms include:
• Pain in a specific area of the chest that doesn't seem to go away.
• Shortness of breath or breathing problems due to fluid buildup in the chest.
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Aneamia{low blood levels}
• Fatigue
• Coughing up blood
• Jaundice
• Low blood sugar
• Blood clots
• Tumor masses

Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdomen and many times spreads to nearby organs, such as the spleen, liver, or bowels. The survival rate is very low, with most patients surviving about ten months after the development of symptoms.

Common peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include:
• Severe abdominal pain
• Excessive fluid in the abdomen area
• Difficult bowel movements
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Swollen feet

Pericardial mesothelioma affects the heart and is the least common of the mesothelioma-related cancers. This type of cancer invades the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart. When the disease progresses, the heart is unable to deliver the right amount of oxygen to the rest of the body. The health of the victim declines very rapidly during the progression of the disease. The most common symptoms resemble a heart attack, with nausea, difficulty in breathing, and pain in the chest.

Mesothelioma treatment is with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, though there are some experimental treatments are currently been tried for the disease is still in their earlier stages. This serious disease affects more than just the victim; it affects their loved ones as well. As the effects of the disease is devastating, a lot of effort and hard work needs to be done to protect the rights of working men and women.


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Mesothelioma tumors of the peritoneum include benign, malignant and cystic.

Although peritoneal mesothelioma is the most common of these, it is very rare with an annual incidence of 1-2 cases per million persons. Only 10-20 percent of all mesotheliomas arise in the peritoneum. Peritoneal malignant mesothelioma occurs more commonly in adult males but also occurs rarely in children with equal sex incidence.

Malignant mesothelioma occurs mainly late in the fifth decade of life, the benign type in the fourth decade and the cystic type in the third decade. The non malignant type are common in women.

Cause
The link with asbestos exposure which is well established for pleural mesothelioma is not clear for peritoneal mesothelioma.

Symptoms and Signs
-Abdominal pain which may not be limited to any specific region of the abdomen but may be migratory.
-Abdominal distention and complaints associated with partial bowel obstruction are frequent
-Ascites (fluid in the abdomen,) may be present
-Abdominal mass/swelling may be present

Diagnosis
-CT scans frequently show tumor masses and ascites (fluid in the abdomen)
-Laparatomy and laparoscopy for multiple biopsies {the surgeon opens up the abdomen surgically to look into the peritoneum directly and take samples}

Treatment of Peritoneal Mesothelioma
It is treated with combination therapy:
A. Peritoneal radioactive P32 followed by whole abdomen radiation is used often
B. Chemotherapy:Combination chemotherapy with doxorubicin is a very important secondary component.
C. Surgery:Surgical treatment is done mainly to debulk (reduce the size of the tumor by cutting of parts of the tumor,) and treatment of intestinal obstruction.

Prognosis of Peritoneal Mesothelioma
The prognosis of peritoneal mesothelioma is dismal with median survival of about 1 year after presentation. Death usually results from progressive bowel obstruction.



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