MESOTHELIOMA: Deadly Cancer Caused by Exposure to Toxic Asbestos
What Are the Symptoms of Mesothelioma?
The symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear for 15 to 50 years after the victim was exposed to asbestos. Therefore, many people do not know they have the cancer until the disease has reached an advanced stage, when few viable treatment options are available. The most common symptoms of mesothelioma are:
- Chronic pain in the lower back, chest, or abdomen
- Nausea or fatigue
- Unexplained loss of weight
- Difficulty swallowing, breathing, or speaking
- Constant coughing with bloody discharge
- Chronic sweating or fever
- Presence of an abdominal mass, distention, or swelling
- Bowel obstruction or other digestive complication
Anemia (low red-blood cell count)
If you or a loved one has developed mesothelioma caused by exposure to toxic asbestos, we encourage you to contact qualified and aggressive legal representation.
Which Jobs are Most at Risk of Mesothelioma?
If you or a loved one has worked in the following jobs and careers, both of you may at increased risk of developing mesothelioma caused by exposure to asbestos:
- Mining, manufacturing, removal, or disposal of asbestos products
- Construction, including insulation and tile work
- Plumbing
- Automotive repair
Demolition or building remodeling - Police, firemen, and first responders to fires and other emergencies
Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The disease targets the mesothelium, the protective membrane surrounding the liver, lungs, heart, and other internal organs, and is most often found in white men between ages 50 and 70. About 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year, with just one in five victims surviving for five years past the date of their diagnosis.
Inhaling asbestos fibers at work is the leading known cause of mesothelioma and accounts for about 80 percent of such cases. Workers in the construction, mining, industrial, automotive repair, and related fields are at increased risks of developing mesothelioma. Also, loved ones of exposed workers may come into contact with asbestos fibers brought home on dirty work clothes, tools, and other items.