Mesothelioma Legal Help, Mesothelioma Lawyers, New York Mesothelioma Claims, New York Asbestos Law Firm

Cancer of the mesothelial cells, or mesothelioma, is a rare but deadly form of cancer. Mesothelioma victims exposed to asbestos on the job have asbestos fibers lodged in the thin, Saran Wrap-type membrane lining their lungs or, in some cases, abdominal cavity. Each year another 2,500 to 4,000 mesothelioma victims are diagnosed in the U.S.

The only known and established cause of mesothelioma to date is asbestos exposure. Even though materials containing asbestos were banned for most uses in the mid-1970s, individuals are still at risk from mesothelioma today due to the long latency, or inactive, stage of mesothelioma cancer, a period which can last anywhere from 15 to 50 years.

Mesothelioma legal help is available to victims of mesothelioma and their families from the New York asbestos lawyers of Belluck & Fox, LLP. Their asbestos attorneys represent the injured in their fight for justice so they can concentrate on their quality of life. Contact their law offices in New York City and throughout the state, including Buffalo, Catskill, Syracuse, Massena and Finger Lakes, by (877) NYLAW09 (695-2909), or using our online contact form.

Patients with malignant mesothelioma are treated with surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or a combination of cancer treatments. The information about mesothelioma treatments provided here should not take the place of a full medical diagnosis.

Surgical Treatments for Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma surgery is usually combined with other asbestos-related cancer treatments.

A Pleurectomy/Decortication is a surgical procedure in which the pleura, a membrane lining the lungs and chest cavity, are removed without removing the entire lung. This mesothelioma treatment is usually performed on patients in early stages of the disease.
Chest Tube Drainage and Pleurodesis are palliative procedures that relieve pain and inflammation. Chemical pleurodesis causes an irritation between the two pleura layers covering the lung. This irritation obliterates 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 through a chest tube.
Pleuroperitoneal Shunt may be used in patients who have failed chemical pleurodesis or other therapies. Pleuroperitoneal shunting provides a catheter for drainage of fluid.
Extra-Pleural Pneumonectomy (EPP) 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.

Non-Surgical Treatments

Chemotherapy treatment for mesothelioma focuses on shrinking existing tumors, controlling the spread of cancerous cells, and removing residual cancer cells following surgery. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to destroy cancerous mesothelial cells and shrink asbestos-related tumors. Radiation therapy can be very effective in relieving pain for certain mesothelioma victims.
Photodynamic Therapy, an experimental mesothelioma treatment, 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 cancerous cells by making them sensitive to light. Light is then focused on asbestos-related tumors. The photo-sensitizer drug produces toxic oxygen molecules, which kill the cancer cells.
Gene Therapy may treat cancers by altering genetic defects that allow a tumor to develop. A “suicide gene” is inserted directly into tumors, 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. Gene therapy is still in clinical trials and is not available yet.
Immunotherapy, or biological therapy, 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.

Mesothelioma treatments are expensive procedures that can exhaust the financial resources of victims of mesothelioma and their families. It can be crucial to seek mesothelioma legal help to protect your rights.

The mesothelioma legal help team at Belluck & Fox, LLP recently won a mesothelioma settlement in excess of $12 million and has 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.