Mesothelioma Information Washington DC Blog | Parker, Dumler and Kiely LLP

Recent advances in treating mesothelioma offer new hope to its victims and their families. Dr. David Sugarbaker is Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital. His treatment has improved the survival rates of mesothelioma patients under his care significantly. Mesothelioma attorney Matt Kiely can advise you about care options and whether you might be eligible for a settlement to pay for good care.

Until a cure is found, living longer with this disease makes living well increasingly more important. First, accept the fact of your disease and immediately arrange for your medical and emotional care. Receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis is a tremendous shock.

Involve your family and friends in your life, and maintain as normal a routine as possible for as long as possible. Don’t forget the many benefits that come from regular exercise.

As you become more dependent up on others to help you with your daily tasks, be sure to involve people doing what they do best. For example, if someone loves cooking, ask them to prepare and freeze meals for you. Have others shop, clean, do laundry, assist you with paying bills, take you to the doctor, or whatever you need done.

Try to stay as socially active as possible. Maintain your hobbies and usual activities as much as you can. Your involvement with others will help keep you hopeful and upbeat. Depression and anxiety are always ready to dampen your hopes, but with so much progress being made, you never know when a cure or life-lengthening improvement will be the one that benefits you.

For a no-cost evaluation of your claim to please contact the experienced mesothelioma lawyers at Parker, Dumler, and Kiely, LLC in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Traditional treatment for mesothelioma involves surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, palliative care or a combination of these. The specific treatment chosen is based upon the mesothelioma disease stage, as well as whether it is intended to remove or destroy the cancer or if it is palliative for comfort, pain relief or to reduce other symptoms and complications.

Surgery

Surgery is an option for removing the tumor, directly. Surgery may also treat mesothelioma symptoms and complications by removing membrane or lung tissue that may develop tumors at a later time.

Thoracentesis and pericentesis are minor surgical procedures to draw fluid and infectious material out of the pleural or peritoneal space. Fluid buildup is a complication caused by inflammation or infection resulting from the tumor irritating nearby tissue.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, can be delivered by directing radiation (X-rays) directly to the affected area, or by injection of a radioactive solution via intravenous injection (IV).

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy technically refers to any medication (chemical) given as a treatment. Under chemotherapy come several medication classifications: Cancer killing drugs, antibiotics to treat secondary infections, and pain relievers. Chemotherapy can be administered by pill or IV. Technically, radiation therapy administered by IV could be considered chemotherapy. Chemotherapy has been used successfully in conjunction with specialized light therapy to make cancer cells more susceptible to light as a method of killing cells.

Palliative Care

Palliative care relieves pain and symptoms. While palliative treatment is not curative, it could be administered in conjunction with curative treatments to alleviate pain, shortness of breath (SOB), anxiety, depression, fatigue, loss of appetite or gastrointestinal problems.

Palliative care can be surgical or chemotherapeutic intervention. It may include draining fluid, treatment to improve breathing and relieve shortness of breath, pain pills, exercise, behavioral modification (breathing techniques, biofeedback), acupuncture and other approaches.

The experienced mesothelioma lawyers at Parker, Dumler, and Kiely, LLC in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. invite you to please contact them for a free evaluation of your claim.

Asbestos, a known carcinogen, poses a threat to anyone who works directly with or around its loose fibers, whether in the workplace or in private life. Employers are required by government regulations through agencies such as OSHA, EPA, and Workers' Compensation laws to provide protection to employees. These protections aren't a trade secret, and if you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can protect yourself from asbestos by taking the time to learn a few techniques. The danger from asbestos arises when the fibers are airborne, so the goal is to minimize the amount of dust you create.

Some of the pointers you'll find at the link above are summarized here. Dust can land on your clothing, in your hair, and in your food, drink, and even on cigarettes, so don't put anything in your mouth in the presence of dust.

Other recommended protections are:

Working with dampened material will reduce dust.
Working with hand tools gives you more control over dust than working with power tools.
Wear an appropriate mask that will filter particles smaller than asbestos particles (FFP3 type), wear disposable coveralls, including boot covers and a covering for your hair.
Use an appropriate vacuum to clean up.

Working with certain materials without a license is a serious consideration for anyone renovating their home. Many dangerous wall, ceiling, and insulation materials are commonly found in older buildings. Deterioration from aging creates an exposure risk whether or not they are repaired. Find out which constructions materials are safe to repair, and which are best left to the professionals. You should consult a licensed professional before you begin any renovation.

Please contact the law offices of Parker, Dumler, and Kiely, LLC to learn more about asbestos protection laws and your rights in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Asbestos (Greek for "inextinguishable") was once touted by ancient Greeks as the "miracle mineral." The Greeks used asbestos for just about everything from clothing to household items to building materials. But they, like us, learned too quickly that this mineral had a dark side when they found that slaves who worked with the "miracle mineral" were dying of lung diseases caused by asbestos.

History repeated itself when, in 1879, an asbestos mine in the Canadian Appalachians opened, followed shortly by many the opening of many more mines throughout North America. Asbestos, the "miracle mineral" reigned for another 100 years until 1979 when regulatory agencies began restricting its use. By 1990 U.S. laws prohibited any new uses of asbestos, but still allowed its use in products that had previously been approved.

Because of its deadly nature–and the rapid rise in lawsuits–most manufacturers either discontinued or severely limited asbestos use in products where alternative materials could be substituted. Prior to this time mining and manufacturing companies knew of the dangers of this material. Many blatantly ignored the warnings and continued to subject employees to the deadly mineral without informing them of the dangerous exposure or offering any protections from it.

If you have been exposed to asbestos because of a negligent employer, please contact the law offices of Parker, Dumler, and Kiely, LLC serving clients in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.