subject: Cases Of Mesothelioma Rise Around The Globe [print this page] The total number of mesothelioma deaths is increasing worldwide, according to recent reports. The United States, the United Kingdom and Canada have reported startling numbers of the lung cancer. The cancer, related to asbestos exposure, is a rare but deadly form of cancer. Individuals are often exposed as result from working in an industry that uses asbestos in manufacture or production stages, such as automotive or insulation. Many mesothelioma cases are legacy cases from asbestos exposure from the 1960s and 1970s since the cancer can develop 20 to 40 years after the initial exposure.
According to calculations by the Center for Disease Control, mesothelioma deaths are expected to peak around 2010 in the United States whereas in the United Kingdom, the Health and Safety Executive predicted mesothelioma cases would continue to rise until 2016. In the last 15 years, mesothelioma cases increased 67 percent, according to the Canadian government. The number of mesothelioma cases amoung women is reported to rise as well, despite that men are more likely to develop the cancer.
The increase in mesothelioma cases is due to asbestos exposure that occurred 20 to 40 years ago. Cancer patients face a bleak prognosis of less than 18 months. Prior to diagnosis, many patients were exposed to an occupational or environmental hazard that contained asbestos, as asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma.
Although optimism remains that the number of the cases is expected to decline as the residual impact of asbestos use subsides, asbestos-related diseases are debilitating and often the result of inadvertent exposure via an occupational hazard. The UK reports that carpenters, plumbers, heating and ventilating engineers, electricians and electrical fitters are occupations most at risk for developing an asbestos-related disease. However many death certificates do not record occupations of the patients dying from mesothelioma.
The slightest asbestos exposure can result in several potentially fatal medical conditions, including lung cancer, asbestosis or mesothelioma, despite the decrease in the commercial use of asbestos. Many individuals seek compensation for costly medical bills due to asbestos exposure with a mesothelioma lawsuit.
Mesothelioma litigation has risen in recent years as the population that was exposed to asbestos earlier in the twentieth century continues to age and the negative effects of asbestos become more prevalent. Mesothelioma treatment can be intense and expensive, which is why many mesothelioma patients seek mesothelioma legal counsel from experienced mesothelioma law firms. Although asbestos exposure has dropped in recent years, those exposed prior to the twenty-first century continue to suffer from the side effects.
