Physical Effects of Mesothelioma

Once inside the body, asbestos has the potential to slowly damage DNA in ways that cause a cell to become cancerous. Once a cell turns cancerous, it replicates uncontrollably, resulting in a buildup of cells that slowly forms into a tumor.

Mesothelioma is unique in the way it grows. Most tumors form as a singular mass. But mesothelioma tumors more commonly develop as numerous small nodules on the lining of the lungs or abdomen.



The nodules eventually grow and merge, forming a sheath-like tumor often compared to a fruit rind. As the cancer progresses, the tumor envelopes vital organs and causes physical effects such as pain or difficulty breathing.

Tumors originating in the lung lining will first affect pulmonary health, while those developing in the abdominal lining will first affect the digestive system.

Physical signs of mesothelioma usually arise in later stages of development. It is rare for stage I or II mesothelioma to cause noticeable symptoms.

Side Effects of Mesothelioma Treatment

Treatment of mesothelioma can physically affect the body in significant ways depending on the therapies used. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy all cause physical side effects are controlled with medication, diet, exercise and other lifestyle choices.

Surgery

• Pain at incision site
• Swelling, drainage or infection at incision site
• Bleeding at incision site
• Pain in area of surgery
• Fatigue
• Cardiac complications

Chemotherapy

• Fatigue
• Nausea & vomiting
• Diarrhea & constipation
• Mouth sores
• Hair loss
• Reduced blood counts

Radiation Therapy

• Skin changes & irritation
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Bladder irritation
• Difficulty swallowing

Mesothelioma Veterans Disability Benefits

Veterans with duty-related mesothelioma can receive monthly disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The amount of benefits depends in part on the degree of disability, as determined by the VA, although vets with duty-related mesothelioma are usually given the 100 percent disability rate.

If eligible, single veterans can get about $2,800 in monthly benefits. Married veterans could collect more. Spouses and dependents may also qualify for compensation under the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation program.

That monthly benefit of $1,195 is paid to the surviving spouse of a veteran who died from a service-related disability. The VA also offers benefits to support caregivers of veterans, including home-based care.

How To Claim Disability Benefits

To qualify, a veteran must have been honorably discharged from the service, and contracted mesothelioma from his or her time on active duty.

To obtain benefits, a veteran must file the required VA form, along with supporting medical records, including a physician’s diagnosis of mesothelioma. Because it can be complicated to complete the form and gather needed records to prove mesothelioma was contracted during active service, consulting with an attorney experienced in pursuing mesothelioma disability claims is usually helpful.

After reviewing a patient’s complete record, the VA will make its benefits decision. The crucial factor is demonstrating to the VA that the asbestos exposure was primarily, if not exclusively, related to active service.

The VA will assess the level of asbestos exposure during a veteran’s military service compared to any exposure during civilian occupations. Once the VA determines a veteran is eligible for disability benefits, it then assesses the degree of disability on a scale starting at 10 percent. The VA typically gives 100 percent disability ratings to veterans with service-related mesothelioma.

Other Legal Options

Veterans should also file a lawsuit against asbestos manufacturers and suppliers, which, despite long knowing about the dangers of airborne asbestos fibers, kept that information hidden for years. A lawsuit against asbestos manufacturers, suppliers, and any other responsible parties would not involve suing any branch of the military, nor would it impact your ability to get veteran’s benefits.

Deaths Due To Asbestos Related Diseases in USA

In every region of the country, people from all walks of life are susceptible to developing mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos. The graphic below highlights areas where asbestos exposure was prevalent.

Veteran Asbestos Exposure During Service

Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma as a result of active duty are entitled to benefits from the federal government
Did you know that veterans have a higher incidence of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases than the general population?

In fact, veterans make up approximately 30 percent of ALL U.S. cases of mesothelioma

 What is the cause of this disturbing fact?

•     The military made widespread use of asbestos from 1930s to the 1990s.
•     Asbestos was used in everything from shipbuilding to the construction of barracks.
•     Each branch of the military used asbestos.
•     Every naval ship constructed in this time period contained asbestos.
•     Asbestos was used in boiler and engine rooms, as well as in electrical products.

This means that U.S. Navy veterans are especially at risk for getting mesothelioma, particularly those that worked at shipbuilding facilities, or in engine and boiler rooms.

U.S. Coast Guard vets face similar risks of exposure. Asbestos was also widely used in military buildings and equipment, such as military vehicles and aircraft.

This means veterans of the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Marines also faced potential exposure. Asbestos fibers are dangerous when airborne.

Veterans who served in any of the following occupations faced the highest risk of exposure to asbestos:

•     asbestos in jeep partsmechanics
•     pipefitters
•     boiler tenders
•     electricians
•     carpenters
•     steamfitters
•     firemen

What is Mesothelioma?

•     Mesothelioma is a serious, incurable cancer that can affect the lining (mesothelium) of the lungs, chest, abdomen or heart.
•     It usually takes 15-60 years to develop. This is why veterans who served years ago remain at risk. It is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos fibers that are inhaled or ingested.
•     The fibers become lodged in the body, which can cause internal tissue scarring and eventually the growth of cancerous cells.
•     Like other cancers, mesothelioma is diagnosed in stages depending on its severity at the time of diagnosis, with Stage 1 the least severe and Stage 4 the most progressed.
•     While it cannot be cured, there are some potential treatments, like surgery and chemotherapy.

Curative vs. Palliative Surgery

Mesothelioma has a complex growth pattern that makes complete surgical removal a very difficult task, which is why surgery that aims to remove all cancer cells is more accurately described as “potentially curative” rather than “curative”.

Part of what makes cancer such a stubborn malady is that it’s very difficult for surgeons to remove all cancer cells, and any cells that are left behind can grow, divide and lead to the cancer’s return.

To try and prevent this from happening, the surgeon removes as much tissue as the patient can safely tolerate.

More extreme surgeries attempt to remove visible cancerous tissue as well as tissue that is a likely site for metastasis.

Not all patients are healthy enough for more invasive mesothelioma surgeries, however, and sometimes the cancer is too widespread to be removed completely. In these instances, “palliative surgery”—or surgery meant to ease cancer symptoms instead of potentially curing the cancer—may be performed.

Palliative mesothelioma surgery can extend a patient’s life and improve their quality of life.

Multimodal Therapy

Whether surgery is performed for curative or palliative purposes, it is rarely performed in isolation. Surgery is almost always accompanied by the other standard treatments for mesothelioma: chemotherapy and radiation.

Neoadjuvant therapy for mesothelioma is chemotherapy or radiation administered to a patient before surgery in order to shrink mesothelioma tumors and make their removal more manageable.

Adjuvant therapy is chemotherapy or radiation administered post-surgery to help prevent the recurrence of tumors.

Mesothelioma Surgery

For patients who are in the process of being diagnosed or have just been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, surgery is typically one of the standard treatment options doctors will want to consider.

Depending on your health and the stage of your cancer, mesothelioma surgery may be used to prolong your life, prevent symptoms or ease your pain.

Typically, surgeries are divided into three types:

Diagnostic Surgeries: As soon as a doctor suspects a person is showing symptoms of mesothelioma, diagnostic surgery techniques may be used to explore the chest or abdominal cavities to check for definitive signs of the cancer.

Some examples of diagnostic surgeries for mesothelioma are thoracoscopy, laparoscopy, thoracotomy and laparotomy. A biopsy is usually done during this surgery to test for mesothelioma cells.

Potentially Curative Surgeries: Mesothelioma has a complex growth pattern that makes complete surgical removal a very difficult task, which is why surgery that aims to remove all cancer cells is more accurately described as “potentially curative” rather than “curative.”

Part of what makes cancer such a stubborn illness is that it’s very difficult for surgeons to remove all cancer cells, and any cells that are left behind can grow, divide and lead to the cancer’s return.

To try to prevent this from happening, the surgeon removes as much tissue as the patient can safely tolerate. More extreme surgeries attempt to remove visible cancerous tissue as well as tissue that is a likely site for metastasis.

Some examples of potentially curative surgeries for mesothelioma are extrapleural pneumonectomy and pleurectomy/decortication.

Palliative Surgeries: Not all patients are healthy enough for very invasive mesothelioma surgeries. And sometimes the cancer is too widespread to be removed completely.

In these instances, “palliative surgery” — or surgery meant to ease cancer symptoms — may be performed. Palliative mesothelioma surgery can ease a person’s pain and improve the quality of life.

Some examples of palliative surgeries for mesothelioma are pleurocentesis, paracentesis and pleurodesis.

The Greatest Compensation for A Navy Veteran with Mesothelioma and Data About Particular Attorneys Who Ship Superior Outcomes

The Mesothelioma Victims Heart says, “Our primary precedence is guaranteeing US Navy Veteran with confirmed mesothelioma receives the very best monetary compensation for this uncommon most cancers attributable to asbestos publicity. To attain our objective, we provide on-the-spot entry to a number of the most expert, skilled, and succesful mesothelioma attorneys in america who persistently ship superior monetary settlement outcomes on nationwide foundation.
“As we want to focus on anytime at 800-714-0303, mesothelioma compensation claims for Navy Veterans doesn’t contain suing the US Navy; it includes firms that supplied the insulation on US Navy ships and/or an organization that knowingly coated their pipes or tools with asbestos. It isn’t unusual for the monetary compensation for these kinds of circumstances to be value lots of of 1000’s of or extra. The total-time mesothelioma attorneys we recommend are extremely motivated in making absolute sure their US Navy Veteran receives one of the best monetary compensation. They don’t receives a commission until there’s a monetary settlement for his or her shopper

“If in case you have been recognized with mesothelioma and your publicity to asbestos occurred whereas serving within the US Navy please name us anytime at 800-714-0303 for our unsurpassed assets. Once more, our prime precedence is guaranteeing a Navy Veteran with mesothelioma receives the very best monetary compensation. Please do not accept much less.” http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

The Mesothelioma Victims Heart focuses on helping US Navy Veterans with Mesothelioma who had asbestos publicity that occurred within the following methods:

* Whereas at a US Navy Shipyard

* Whereas making ready any ship for deployment

* Whereas the US Navy ship was being decommissioned

* Whereas sustaining a US Navy Ship Whereas Deployed

Important monetary compensation tip for a US Navy Veteran who has lately been recognized with mesothelioma or their household from the Mesothelioma Victims Heart: “Earlier than you rent a lawyer or legislation agency to help with a current mesothelioma analysis, name us at 800-714-0303 in order that we are able to provide the most trustworthy you may obtain concerning the caliber of legal professional it would be best to rent if the easiest monetary compensation is what you are after. If in case you have mesothelioma and wish to obtain the very best compensation please name us anytime.” http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

For an inventory of all present and former courses of US Navy ships please evaluate the next web site: http://www.navy.mil/navydata/our_ships.asp

Excessive-risk work teams for publicity to asbestos embody Veterans of the US Navy, energy plant staff, shipyard staff, metal mill staff, oil refinery staff, manufacturing unit staff, plumbers, electricians, welders, pipefitters, millwrights, pipefitters, miners, auto mechanics, machinists, pulp or paper mill staff, printers, firemen, rail street staff and development staff. In most cases individuals with mesothelioma have been uncovered to asbestos within the 1950’s, 1960’s, 1970’s, or 1980’s. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

In accordance with the CDC the states indicated with the very best incidence of mesothelioma embody Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

Nevertheless, primarily based on the calls the Mesothelioma Victims Heart receives a Navy Veteran with mesothelioma may reside in any state together with New York, Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska.

For extra details about mesothelioma please check with the Nationwide Institutes of Well being’s website online associated to this uncommon type of most cancers: https://www.most cancers.gov/varieties/mesothelioma.