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Malignant Mesothelioma Asbestos Exposure Cancer

Malignant mesothelioma originates in the tissues that surround various internal organs or parts of the body. Most malignant mesothelioma cases involve men in their 50s to 70s; women make up only one in five cases of malignant mesothelioma.

Based upon the cancer's location, physicians have identified three different types of malignant mesothelioma: pericardial (heart), pleural (lung), and peritoneal (abdomen). The majority (about three-quarters) of cases of malignant mesothelioma start in the chest cavity, around ten percent begin in the abdomen, while cases of malignant mesothelioma originating in the tissue surrounding the heart are extremely rare. In all three cases, malignant mesothelioma generally is not identified until late in the process, as the early symptoms of malignant mesothelioma are notoriously difficult to identify, resembling the symptoms for pneumonia or flu. Often, malignant mesothelioma patients have no early indications of the disease. The average survival time for malignant mesothelioma patients is one year after diagnosis, although around half of all individuals diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma will survive for two years.

Contact with asbestos is the number one contributing factor to developing malignant mesothelioma. A period of twenty to fifty years usually exists between asbestos exposure and diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma, and there have been cases where individuals with less than a month of exposure developed malignant mesothelioma. Individuals who worked in industries where asbestos was frequently used are at the highest risk. Malignant mesothelioma appears disproportionately in plumbers, shipyard workers, steel workers, and others whose jobs involved asbestos exposure. Malignant mesothelioma victims and their families may be entitled to financial compensation for the costs associated with malignant mesothelioma, including medical costs, lost wages, and punitive damages from the party responsible for asbestos exposure.

Malignant mesothelioma victims who wish to learn more should Contact a Mesothleioma Attorney familiar with malignant mesothelioma litigation to find out if they are legally entitled to recover lost funds.