Mesothelioma Claims Its Youngest Victim – Raises Concerns About Airborne Asbestos Particles

A young woman in the UK lost her battle against mesothelioma cancer and the mystery as to how she was exposed to the dangerous cancer-causing asbestos material remains. Before her death, Leigh Carlisle commented that as a youngster walking to grade school, she would sometimes cut across a field and knew that there were workers handling and cutting asbestos sheets, but she had no idea that merely walking within close proximity of these actions would cause her to inhale the asbestos materials that would ultimately lead to her decline.

Airborne Asbestos Fibers

It is known that by working within close proximity of asbestos and the ultimate inhalation of asbestos fibers is dangerous, but the mystery as to how Leigh inhaled the asbestos fibers while walking to school more than two decades ago is still a mystery. There are many documented cases in which workers developed the deadly cancer, but many of those workers were in a closed or semi-closed environment. In Leigh's case, she was outdoors walking through an open field. This brings up the question of just how far away people must be from a source of asbestos in order to avoid risk of inhalation.

Leigh’s speculation that she was exposed to the asbestos fibers while walking through a builder’s yard on her way to school has produced many renewed concerns about asbestos and the danger these fibers present to people who are within their proximity. Researchers surmise that particles from asbestos fibers can be carried by air over long distances, which causes a danger to those that live within close proximity to a factory or mill that uses asbestos for manufacture. However, researchers are not yet sure exactly how far asbestos fibers can be carried by air.

Although the exact cause of Leigh's exposure to asbestos is not yet known, some theorize that the exposure could be linked to her grade school and the composition of its building. As described by the National Union of Teachers, this issue is a “ticking time bomb”.

Mesothelioma cancer attacks a thin membrane coating within the lungs and abdomen and is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. In most cases, it usually takes more than twenty years to develop.

Childhood Exposure to Asbestos

Leigh Carlisle was twenty-eight years old at the time of her death and is the youngest known victim of this deadly cancer. She was unaware of her disease until she began to have abdominal pains a few years ago. It is estimated that nearly two thousand people die from this cancer each year in the UK alone. And many fear that this number is set to rise further due to the fact that many were exposed to asbestos as a child without any knowledge.

Leigh's case is a stark reminder that many children could have been exposed to asbestos without any realization of the danger. And due to the fact that some schools were insulated with asbestos, schoolteachers and school administrators could have been exposed as well. The exact number of people who were exposed is not yet known.

Asbestos Used in Schools

Leigh’s somber story has highlighted the many cases of nearly two hundred school workers who have died or are suffering very serious illness as a result of asbestos that was used in schools. And the problem of possible exposure to children and school workers still exists today. Unfortunately, it is estimated that nearly thirteen thousand schools contain asbestos still.

Victims of asbestos have worked to increase awareness of its danger. Tireless work by Michael Lees, whose wife died from mesothelioma cancer after teaching at a school which contained asbestos, has highlighted the problem and made the public more aware of the severe extent of the problem. Mr. Lees works towards the goal of increased government protection for school workers, teachers and children from exposure to asbestos fibers.

What is Known About Mesothelioma Cancer?

Mesothelioma develops as a result of exposure to asbestos fibers and dust at high levels over long periods of time. And the cancerous disease usually takes nearly twenty to forty years to develop from the time of exposure.

Consult With a Professional

If you or a loved one is concerned about exposure to asbestos fibers, it is recommended that you consult with a health care professional right away.

And concern about picking a qualified attorney should not be an additional stress during a time like this. If you are considering selecting an attorney for your mesothelioma case, experience is crucial. For those that are looking for a mesothelioma attorney, contact Tom Thurlow and Associates in Houston for a free consultation.

Mesothelioma/Asbestos Attorney

Attorneys Thurlow & Associates, P.C. continue to pursue mesothelioma cases throughout the country. The firm is located in Houston, Texas and can offer a preliminary consultation to clients located anywhere in the United States.

Brief History of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos, a material present in many work environments such as construction, ship building, automotive and other manufacturing industries. Individuals with a history of extended asbestos exposure are at the highest risk for developing malignant mesothelioma.

Exposure to Asbestos

Even a small exposure to cancer-causing asbestos can result in malignant mesothelioma. However, mesothelioma has a latency of up to forty years. Many individuals previously exposed to asbestos are only now displaying symptoms, so the average age of mesothelioma victims is between 50 and 70 years.

Asbestos consists of tiny fibers which can find their way to the outside lining of the lung and damages the cells that pleura is made of. These fibers can also be carried on clothing, which makes them dangerous not only to the person exposed, but also to family members

Symptoms

Symptoms may include, but are not limited to, respiratory distress and a lasting cough and pneumonia. In addition, symptoms are often mistaken for less serious ailments, and many patients show no signs at all. Diagnosis is usually made by chest x-rays and CT scans.

Seek Medical Attention

Anyone with concerns should seek medical help.

Legal Consultation

Call 713-CALL TOM for a free consultation.

Early Diagnosis of Mesothelioma Cancer

It took decades for companies to stop using Asbestos in the manufacture of their products. And despite the fact that asbestos use has been on the decline since the 1940s to the 1980s, it is estimated that nearly thirty million Americans were exposed to this cancer causing material.

Mesothelioma research is particularly important because there are very few symptoms that are present during an initial doctor's examination, which can lead to a misdiagnosis of mesothelioma cancer. In order to determine risk factors, doctors are left with the daunting task of scouring through a patient's past work history to determine if exposure to asbestos at work may exist. Risk factors for mesothelioma include asbestos exposure through work factors, and a complete examination by the attending physician is necessary to establish if this cancer is present.

Recent studies have focused on the early diagnosis of mesothelioma cancer. At the Columbia University Medical Center and Rosetta Genomics Ltd., there was a collective effort to pinpoint a more efficient means at which to offer early diagnosis of certain types of lung cancer - namely mesothelioma.

MicroRNA Technology and Mesothelioma Cancer

This study was successful in the first cancer diagnostic test, which focuses on Rosetta Genomics Proprietary MicroRNA Technology, and the test results were submitted to the State of New York for approval through the Department of Health Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program

The Laboratory-Developed probe is intended to tell the difference between squamous from non-squamous lung cancer.

Rosetta Genomics expects multiple increased tests based on its microRNA science to be validated and submitted for legalized approval within the third or fourth quarters of 2008 among laboratories in the United States. A single test is intended to differentiate mesothelioma from adenocarcinomas that may occur in the lung or intensify to the lung and pleura from varied other sites. Further tests are designed to compare the source of a metastasis in patients with cancer of unexplained primary origin.

The scientific study is in actuality a major step forward for those who may be exposed to asbestos and later develop mesothelioma because, as we are all aware, early diagnosis of any type of cancer is the key to successful treatment and management of the disease. Considering that this type of cancer often appears resembling other lesser but deadly types of lung cancer, it can grow suddenly and lapse into a fatal cancer in under several months upon the misdiagnosis.

Speak to a Mesothelioma Attorney

Patients with mesothelioma cancer or who have lost someone they love to this disease can speak with a mesothelioma attorney to explore their options and discover more details regarding a potential mesothelioma lawsuit in which financial compensation may be awarded.

Mesothelioma is an irreversible lung cancer that has been associated with the inhalation of asbestos fibers and dust. In most cases, the cancer generally remains latent within the body for years and sometimes even decades, and is often misdiagnosed due to the fact that its symptoms resemble other variations of lung cancer as well as other diseases.

Individuals who have been affected by this condition can receive legal consultation and additional mesothelioma information by speaking with a mesothelioma lawyer.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis

The central patient evaluations are urgent in identifying patients in danger of developing mesothelioma. To ascertain risk factors and the existence of symptoms, a medical doctor will most likely request a medical history that includes questions to aid in the determination of any possibility of asbestos exposure, either through your work or other environmental factors. Disclosure of information amidst the patient and doctor is crucial so that the earliest achievable detection of mesothelioma can be made. It is important that all patient information that may be relevant regarding prior work history and statistical asbestos exposure be shared with the physician.

In conjunction to constructing a medical outline and detailed medical history, a thorough physical examination will be performed, during which the physician may explore the following breathing sounds by concentrating on the chest cavity as the patient takes deep breathes. The emptiness of these breathing sounds may be evidence of liquid in the chest cavity, which may be pleural effusions.

The physician may tap on the area of the chest to test for a shallow sound, rather than a hollow loudness. This may also reveal the existence of fluid, or a possible mass, in the chest cavity. A thorough physical examination will be required to scrutinize the lymph nodes in case any are enlarged.

Early detection of mesothelioma is vital to the treatment and care of a patient who may be suffering from this disease. If you or a loved one is concerned about your medical situation, it is highly recommended that you consult your health care professional. If you or a loved one is suffering from mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure, you can contact a mesothelioma attorney who can answer any legal questions.

For further reading:

• http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS131912+03-Apr-2008+PRN20080403