The Maune Raichle Law Firm

Mesothelioma Articles

There are many articles available which offer differing views and opinions about mesothelioma. These articles are often based on some fact but tend to skew the issue by introducing arguments for or against employers who are responsible for their employees’ asbestos exposure. The facts are often misrepresented, but here they are represented free of bias. First and foremost, asbestos is shown to be the cause of the vast majority of mesothelioma cases, about 90 percent, and may be responsible for a few cases that are never attributed to asbestos.

Mesothelioma is defined as a cancer but can truly present as either a benign or malignant case. Benign is often used to refer to a noncancerous or non-spreading tumor, in the case of mesothelioma; a benign tumor sits between the two layers of mesothelium and exerts force on the organs it is resting against. This can cause shortness of breath, pain, labored breathing, and decreased organ function, just like the malignant varieties of mesothelioma. Because the symptoms are so similar and their appearance is often the same, the only way to conclusively determine if a case of mesothelioma is benign or malignant is a biopsy.

Malignant mesothelioma, like most malignant cancers, can spread and advance rapidly if untreated. It is important to diagnose a case of mesothelioma as malignant quickly so that treatment can occur. The majority of articles will say that treatment for malignant mesothelioma includes chemotherapy and often surgery and sometimes radiation, but in a small number of cases, surgical removal of a malignant tumor in its earliest states is enough to prevent any further spread of the cancer. Early diagnosis is key and is the best chance a patient has at becoming healthy again.