Welcome to Mesothelioma Attorney

The Mesothelioma Attorney web site is your resource for assistance and information about Malignant Mesothelioma (cancer).

What is malignant mesothelioma?

Malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura) or abdomen (the peritoneum). Most people with malignant mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos.

A doctor should be seen if a person has shortness of breath, pain in the chest, or pain or swelling in the abdomen. If there are symptoms, the doctor may order an x-ray of the chest or abdomen.

The doctor may look inside the chest cavity with a special instrument called a thoracoscope. A cut will be made through the chest wall and the thoracoscope will be put into the chest between two ribs. This test, called thoracoscopy, is usually done in the hospital. Before the test, the patient will be given a local anesthetic (a drug that causes a loss of feeling for a short period of time). Some pressure may be felt, but usually there is no pain.

The doctor may also look inside the abdomen (peritoneoscopy) with a special tool called a peritoneoscope. The peritoneoscope is put into an opening made in the abdomen. This test is also usually done in the hospital. Before the test is done, a local anesthetic will be given.

If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and have it looked at under a microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy. Biopsies are usually done during the thoracoscopy or peritoneoscopy.

The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on the size of the cancer, where the cancer is, how far the cancer has spread, how the cancer cells look under the microscope, how the cancer responds to treatment, and the patient’s age.

The purpose of the Mesothelioma Asbestos Attorney site is to provide patients and their families with useful information and access to resources which may be helpful. The medical information contained on this web site was compiled as a service to mesothelioma patients and their families and has not been endorsed by physicians or licensed medical professionals. Our staff are not trained medical/legal professionals and nothing on this site or provided by the staff should be taken as medical or legal advice. Patients are encouraged to consult with their physician for medical advice and with an attorney for legal advice. The Mesothelioma Asbestos Attorney site contains advertisements and/or links to third-party sites, and as such, does not make any any representation , warranty, or endorsement of any product or service or the content or accuracy of any materials contained in, or linked to, any advertisement or link on the Site