Mesothelioma Lawyers
Baltimore, Maryland and Delaware
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the thin membranes
lining the thoracic and abdominal cavities and surrounding
internal
organs, including the gastro-intestinal tract. Virtually
all—90%—of
cases of mesothelioma are linked with asbestos exposure. Symptoms
of mesothelioma include: shortness of breath, pain in the lower
back or side of the chest, coughing, and weight loss. Mesothelioma is especially dangerous because it can affect people who have
experienced even low or intermittent levels of asbestos exposure.
To learn more about how you or a loved one might have been
affected by mesothelioma, click here.
Over the years we have
helped hundreds of families deal with the fallout from this
deadly exposure and we can help you and your loved ones too.
Malignant Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining
of the lung, abdominal cavity, or heart. It is almost always
caused by exposure to dust that contains asbestos. Significantly,
even brief exposures to asbestos, lasting a matter of weeks,
can place a person at risk for this rare disease. More importantly,
all commercial types of asbestos fibers can cause malignant
mesothelioma. Even more disturbing, symptoms from the disease
can show up as long as 20 or more years after the first exposure
to dust containing asbestos.
The most common form of malignant mesothelioma attacks the
lungs. This type of mesothelioma is known as malignant pleural
mesothelioma. Individuals with this condition may sometimes
initially seek medical attention because of chest pain, shortness
of breath, weight loss, coughing, or general weakness, although
other symptoms may also cause someone to seek medical attention.
Sometimes, cancer can be discovered on a routine chest x-ray—even
before an individual has symptoms. Individuals often present
to doctors with a collection of fluid in the pleural space
called a pleural effusion, which can be recognized by a physician.
Ultimately, a trained pathologist makes the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma after conducting a microscopic review of the individual’s
tissue.
Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the membrane
that covers the abdominal cavity, or stomach. Individuals with
this condition may initially seek medical attention because
they have abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, loss of appetite,
weight loss, weakness, or other disturbing symptoms. With this
type of the disease, fluid can accumulate in the abdominal
space, which can cause or contribute to the above symptoms.
Depending on medical care, a tumor may be discovered on an
x-ray of the abdomen conducted for routine purposes even before
symptoms occur.
As with malignant pleural mesothelioma, the diagnosis of malignant
peritoneal mesothelioma is based on a pathologist’s microscopic
analysis of an individual’s tissue.
It should be noted that malignant mesothelioma can also develop
in other locations in the body, such as in the tissue surrounding
the heart or around the testicles.
The Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos is a nationally recognized
law firm in the area of asbestos disease. Over the years, we
have successfully represented hundreds of individuals diagnosed
with malignant mesothelioma, and we can help you or a loved
one too. To learn more, click here.
