Mesothelioma Help, Mesothelioma Lawyer, New York Asbestos Law Firm

Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive form of cancer with no known cure. Initial symptoms of mesothelioma are often overlooked because mesothelioma symptoms, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, swelling and/or coughing up fluid, are associated with many other illnesses. But the incidence of mesothelioma, a cancer of the mesothelial cells caused by asbestos exposure, is increasing.

Mesothelioma help is available to people exposed to asbestos. The New York asbestos law firm of Belluck & Fox, LLP can be a powerful ally in the pursuit of justice for asbestos-related illness claims. The mesothelioma lawyers of Belluck & Fox, LLP concentrate on representing the injured in their fight for justice, so they can concentrate on improving their quality of life. Contact their law offices in New York City and throughout New York State, including Buffalo, Catskill, Syracuse, Massena and Finger Lakes, by calling Belluck & Fox, LLP toll-free at (877) NYLAW09 (695-2909), or by using our online contact form.

The information about mesothelioma treatments provided is for your information only and should not take the place of a full medical diagnosis. There are three kinds of treatment for patients with malignant mesothelioma: surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Mesothelioma Surgery
Mesothelioma tumors are usually large and difficult to completely remove, so surgery is usually combined with other asbestos-related cancer treatments to ensure the best results. There are generally two types of surgical methods for the treatment of mesothelioma — palliative procedures that treat symptoms to provide relief for the patient and potentially curative procedures which seek to remove all gross disease in an attempt to cure the mesothelioma patient.

Pleurectomy/Decortication: A Pleurectomy-decortication is a surgical procedure where the pleura, a membrane lining the lungs and chest cavity, are removed without removing the entire lung. This mesothelioma treatment option is usually performed on patients in early stages of the disease.
Chest Tube Drainage and Pleurodesis: The goal of chemical pleurodesis is to cause an irritation between the two pleura layers covering the lung. This irritation causes an obliteration of the space between the layers where fluid has accumulated, and prevents further fluid from accumulating. As the pleural space is closed, fluid drains out of the chest cavity by way of a chest tube.
Pleuroperitoneal Shunt: Pleuroperitoneal shunting may be used in patients who have failed chemical pleurodesis or other therapies. Pleuroperitoneal shunting provides a catheter for external drainage of fluid.
Extra-Pleural Pneumonectomy (EPP): Extra-Pleural Pneumonectomy is the removal of the pleura, diaphragm, pericardium, and the whole lung involved with a malignant tumor or tumors. EPP is considered a radical therapy not frequently performed by most surgeons. Mesothelioma patients are referred to centers specializing in these treatments.

Other Treatments

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy treatment for mesothelioma uses drugs to reduce or kill cancer cells and may be used as a primary treatment for mesothelioma, or it may be used as part of a complete treatment program. Chemotherapy focuses on shrinking existing tumors (neoadjuvant therapy, usually a pre-surgical treatment), controlling the spread of cancerous cells, and removing residual cancer cells following surgery (adjuvant therapy).
Radiation: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to destroy cancerous mesothelial cells and shrink asbestos-related tumors. The radiation may come from outside the body from a machine (external radiation) or from radioactive materials placed directly in or around cancer cells through thin plastic tubes (internal or implant radiation). In pleural mesothelioma, it is difficult to irradiate tumor tissue successfully without injuring nearby organs such as the heart and liver. However, radiation therapy can be very effective in relieving pain for certain mesothelioma victims.
Photodynamic Therapy: An experimental mesothelioma treatment, photodynamic therapy destroys cancer cells by using energy from light and may be effective when combined with surgery. A mesothelioma patient receives a photo-sensitizer drug that targets cancer cells by making them sensitive to light. Once the cancer cells are sensitized, fiber optic cables are placed in the body (usually through open-chest surgery) so that the correct frequency of light can be focused on asbestos-related tumors. The photo-sensitizer drug reacts by producing toxic oxygen molecules, which kill the cancer cells.
Gene Therapy: Currently in clinical trials, gene therapy treats cancers by altering genetic defects that allow a tumor to develop. A “suicide gene” is inserted directly into the tumor, making the cells sensitive to a normally ineffectual drug. The drug is then administered to the newly sensitive cancer cells, destroying those cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
Immunotherapy (biological therapy): Immunotherapy treats cancer by using the body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells. Though not yet available, promising clinical studies are underway for immunotherapy.

With mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses, it is important that you file a claim within a specified time period from the date that you receive your mesothelioma diagnosis. If you neglect to pursue NY asbestos litigation within the statute of limitations, you may lose your right to seek damages.

The asbestos cancer attorneys at Belluck & Fox, LLP recently won a mesothelioma settlement in excess of $12 million and have successfully concluded a number of personal injury cases involving defective medical products, recalled drugs, tobacco and lead paint, among others. To contact the mesothelioma law firm of Belluck & Fox, LLP call (877) NYLAW09 (695-2909) toll-free or use our convenient online contact form.

For more information, contact Belluck & Fox, LLP, or Consultwebs.com, Inc.