Have you or your loved one been affected by mesothelioma or asbestos poisoning? Here you will find a plethora of articles and information about mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestos.

Mesothelioma in the UK





Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the external lining of the lungs (pleura) and the lower digestive tract (peritoneum). The disease has been linked to exposure with asbestos dust. Cancer of this kind is uncommon and rarely is a result of anything other than asbestos exposure. It is also very difficult to diagnose. Tumors of the mesothelieum can be either benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Most mesothelial tumors are malignant. However this disease is not very responsive to therapy.

Between a person's first exposure to asbestos and the onset of this disease can be anywhere from 15- 60 years. By the time symptoms first appear and the cancer is diagnosed, the disease is often in its advanced stage. The average survival time is one to two years. If found early enough almost half of the patients reach the two year mark and approximately twenty percent survive five years.

Symptoms of malignant mesothelioma include shortness of breath, abdominal pain, a persistent cough, fever, sweating, fatigue, weight loss, nausea, muscle weakness, pain in the lower back or side of the chest and sensory loss. Many people mistake the symptoms of this disease for other common everyday ailments and do not seek treatment.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published statistics regarding work related mesothelioma deaths in the UK, spanning the years 1981- 2000. The study was published in 2003. The statistics showed that the highest rates of mesothelioma deaths in men were in West Dumbartonshire, Barrow-in-Furness, Plymouth, Portsmouth and South Tyneside, which were areas that were involved in shipbuilding, thus the high incidence of asbestos.

Other areas, which were considered high risk, were areas that were situated close to, or contained railway engineering sites. These areas included Crewe, Eastleigh and Nantwich. Also high risk was Barking, Dagenham and Newham, which housed factories that made asbestos products.

The mortality rate for mesothelioma related deaths showed higher in men than in women. The average for women was approximately fifteen percent of the annual deaths due to this disease. The results for women were considered less reliable but showed the following: the areas with the greatest incidence of death for women included Barking and Dagenham (because of asbestos factories), Sunderland (manufacturing and shipbuilding) and Blackburn with Darwen (gas masks were manufactured in this region during the war).

* The statistics for this study are available on the HSE website which can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/area8100.pdf.

Anika Logan is a freelance writer and librarian who writes on a variety of topics including fashion and beauty, food and dining, entertainment, weddings, writing, home improvements and alternative medicine. She is new contributor to http://www.mesothelioma-24-7.com.


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If you are in the construction business or employed by an industry that uses products containing asbestos, you may wonder "Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye"? Generally asbestos fibers are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Asbestos becomes dangerous when it has broken down into small fibers and is inhaled. It is nearly impossible to detect the presence of asbestos without taking the material to a lab for testing. A lab technician will put the material under a microscope to search for asbestos fibers. Asbestos does not cause an immediate reaction. It will not cause you to cough, sneeze, or your eyes to water. You cannot see, smell, or taste asbestos.

Cigarette smoking is probably the most closely related link to developing lung cancer. A person who smokes two packs or more of cigarettes per day has a one in seven chance of developing lung cancer. Those that smoke one pack of cigarettes per day have a twenty-five times greater chance of developing lung cancer than a non-smoker. In addition, those people that smoke a pipe or cigar have a five times greater chance of developing lung cancer than a non-smoker.

Asbestos is a problem in homes that a lot of people have heard about, but few understand. It is a mineral fiber capable of standing up to intense temperatures, added to a variety of products before people realized it was dangerous. It is now considered toxic waste, but previously was used in a some building equipment due to its low cost and heat resistance. In the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency instituted a decade-long phase out of its use, but many older homes still contain the material. Asbestos is now considered a liability, and is sometimes the determining factor in whether a buyer will purchase a home or whether a mortgage company will provide a loan. If you suspect asbestos

It would almost seem like a given in this day and age that people would know and understand that smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer. Secondhand smoke has even been linked with increased lung cancer risks. Even were a person to never smoke a cigarette or be subjected to secondhand smoke, the possibility of lung cancer remains very real. But smoking cigarettes is nothing short of adding more bullets to a gun being used to play Russian Roulette-eventually, the odds of getting lung cancer will become impossible to ignore.

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Early detection of lung cancer warning signs - or any other types of illnesses - is crucial in helping to find a cure for the disease. Indeed, the earlier one is able to find out about the disease, the better chances they have for combating the illness.

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A pneumothorax is also known as a collapsed lung. It is basically the accumulation of air inside the pleural cavity. A pneumothorax if left untreated can be deadly. Below are some of the symptoms and treatments available. The main symptom of a collapsed lung is shortness of breath and chest pain. These symptoms however could be the result of a multitude of other problems so if you experience these symptoms you should get yourself to a doctor or hospital immediately.

No parent will get a good night sleep when his baby is persistently coughing and breathing for him is difficult. You think that it is no ordinary cold or cough. It is something else. You may want to check if your baby is suffering from Bronchiolitis.

Ever heard your doctor mention the term bronchitis? This is actually a chronic or acute swelling or soreness of the mucous membranes of the respiratory system's tracheobronchial tree (trachea or windpipe and the bronchial tubes). Under some circumstances, it may or may not be contagious.

Every year, you may suffer from a disease that can render you sick and disabled. Diseases that you cross paths with can immobilize you and can stop you from going to work to earn money, or will not allow you to go to school and catch up with the latest lessons. You have to consider that in order to get back to work or to school as soon as possible, you have to cure the disease in order to become a productive member of society again.

Coughing, most often, is the onset symptom of bronchitis. Being knowledgeable on matters regarding coughing can be most helpful in combating bronchitis especially chronic bronchitis. A cough is an abrupt, frequently recurring contraction of the "thoracic cavity," which results in an aggressive discharge of air from the lungs that comes with a distinguishing sound.

Bronchitis is an illness which scares most parents since it is after all an inflammation of the bronchi in a person's lungs. However, most physicians would advise parents or caregivers to calm down since according to medical findings bronchitis is not a chronic illness in children.

Whenever the word 'bacteria' is mentioned, most people will think about it negatively. The truth is there are bad bacteria as well as good bacteria. Bad bacteria often cause illnesses or diseases; and the good ones help in keeping the body healthy. Did you know that the largest class of all creatures on earth is bacteria?

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