MESOTHELIOMA TREATMENT
YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS

Exposure to asbestos fibres is known to cause a number of asbestos related diseases some of which are inevitably fatal. Evidence of the connection between asbestos and these diseases comes from epidemiologic studies as well as numerous studies of workers exposed to asbestos in a variety of occupational settings.

This condition is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma treatment depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease (whether the cancer has spread to other organs) and the patient's age. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Sometimes a combination of these methods is necessary. When surgery is required, the doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura a lung may be removed. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed. Surgery can provide relief from symptoms and sometimes the bulk of the tumour can be removed. Surgery is often used in combination with other treatments, but its value is very limited if the tumour is near any vital organs.

Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) involves the use of radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. This is the least invasive method of mesothelioma treatment. Usually, it is not a primary treatment but is used in conjunction with other therapies such as surgical resection and chemotherapy. It is generally used to reduce the size of the symptomatic tumor and help relieve symptoms like pain and shortness of breath.

Chemotherapy is the use of potent anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Often, it is offered as an additional therapy alongside radical surgery and/or in combination with radiation therapy or immunotherapy, particularly when the cancer has spread beyond an operable area. Most drugs used to treat this condition are given by an intravenous injection or intrapleurally (in the pleural cavity itself).

Doctors specializing in mesothelioma treatment frequently treat a patient with a combination of therapies. Due to the relative lack of effectiveness of using one type of treatment only, the multimodal combination of treatments holds more promise for survival of malignant cancer patients. If there is fluid build-up in the chest or abdomen, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up. This may provide some pain relief.

If you have this condition and need to speak to a solicitor about making a compensation claim then here are 3 good reasons to choose our lawyers :-

1. Our lawyers will provide you with legal advice on your rights and entitlements to compensation with no further obligation.
2. Our solicitors are specialist accredited expert members of the Law Society personal injury panel with extensive experience in negotiating, settling and litigating accident compensation claims.
3. If you decide to instruct any of our specialists to obtain compensation for you, they will act on a “no win no fee” basis. Compensation is paid in full and win or lose there is no charge.¹