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About Asbestos Exposure: Frequently Asked Questions

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You can speak with a Thornton & Naumes attorney specializing in mesothelioma and asbestos litigation for free.  Call 1-888-632-0108 or fill out the form on our contact page.  We look forward to answering any questions you may have after this visit to our website.  We are here to help.

What is malignant mesothelioma?

The National Cancer Institute defines malignant mesothelioma as a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura) or abdomen (the peritoneum). Most people with malignant mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos in some form, usually in a job.

How Is malignant mesothelioma diagnosed?

The symptoms of malignant mesothelioma include the following:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Pain or swelling in the abdomen

Any person experiencing these symptoms should see a doctor. A doctor will normally start by x-raying the chest or abdomen. After x-raying the patient, the doctor may decide to conduct either a thoracoscopy (a procedure in which an instrument called a thoracoscope is inserted into the chest in order to determine if there is unusual tissue growth) or a peritoneoscopy (a procedure in which and instrument called a peritoneoscope is inserted into the abdomen in order to determine if there is unusual tissue growth). If abnormal tissue cells are found, a portion of them will be removed from either the chest or abdomen of the patient (this is called a biopsy). A pathologist will then review the biopsy in order to determine if there are cancer cells.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that can be difficult to diagnose. There are physicians throughout the country who specialize in diagnosing and treating malignant mesothelioma. Thornton & Naumes provide a list of physicians who specialize in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma.

Who is at risk of mesothelioma?

We know some victims of mesothelioma and asbestos disease have had only limited exposure to asbestos.  Others have worked directly with asbestos for many, many years.  Workers, spouses, and family members may all have a potential risk for developing mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.

Workers and individuals in the following trades are at risk for mesothelioma:

  • Miners
  • Electricians
  • Auto mechanics
  • Plumbers
  • Pipe fitters
  • Iron workers
  • Construction workers
  • Shipbuilders
  • Railroad workers
  • Boilermakers
  • Insulators
  • Consumers

Further, many develop mesothelioma through their work with or near other workers or tradesmen.  We have also represented spouses and other family members with mesothelioma who suffered exposure through the person and/or clothing of a family member.

How is mesothelioma treated?

There are several treatment options that are generally available for those suffering from malignant mesothelioma.  They are as follows:

  • Surgery—This option may involve the doctor removing part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. A lung also may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy if the cancer has spread significantly.
  • Radiation therapy—This involves using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is sometimes used in conjunction with surgery. Radiation can be delivered via a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or by inserting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
  • Chemotherapy—This option uses drugs to fight the cancer. Chemotherapy is also used in conjunction with surgery. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. In patients suffering from mesothelioma, chemotherapy drugs are sometimes put directly into the chest. This is called intrapleural chemotherapy

What kinds of products contain asbestos?

Common asbestos-containing products and exposures include the following:

  • Thermal Insulation: Pipecovering, cement, block, cloth
    • Applied to: Piping, boilers, tanks, turbines, other machinery
    • Often used by: Pipecoverers, insulators, shipyard, utility, maintenance, and railroad workers, among others
  • Joint Compounds, Plasters, and Patching Compounds:
    • Applied to: Walls, ceilings
    • Used by: Carpenters, frywallers, plasterers, painters, residential contractors, homeowners, among others
  • Machinery: Boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, steam traps, condensors, tanks, compressors, ovens, kilns, paper mill machinery, textile machinery, printing machinery, among others
    • Containing: Asbestos thermal insulation, gaskets and packing, asbestos board, felts, brakes, among various products used in or on machinery
    • Used by: Pipefitters, boilermakers, millwrights, Navy firemen, boiler tenders, machinist mates, and other Navy personnel. Shipyard, utility, industrial maintenance, HVAC, heating repair, and foundry workers, plumbers, stationary engineers, workers in the paper, textile and other manufacturing industries, among others
  • Gaskets and Packing: Cut, sheet, rope
    • Applied to: Flanges, valves, pumps, boilers, among others
    • Used by: Pipefitters, plumbers, boilermakers, millwrights, Navy firemen, boiler tenders, machinist mates, shipyard, utility and railroad workers, stationary engineers, among others
  • Asbestos-Cement Products: Asbestos-cement pipe, board, conduit, duct, others
    • Used by: Pipefitters, utility workers, electricians, sheetmetal workers, carpenters, among others
  • Electrical Products: Electrical panels, switchboards, circuit boards, insulated wire and cable, arc chutes, asbestos-cement conduit, explosion-proof conduit
    • Used by: Electricians, utility workers, maintenance workers
  • Molding Compounds and Resins:
    • Used by: Plastics and chemical industry workers, injection molders, various manufacturing industry workers, among others
  • Fireproofing and Acoustical Sprays:
    • Applications: structural steel, decking, decorative finishes, ceilings
    • Used by: Sprayers, plasterers, painters
    • Significant Indirect Exposures: Trades such as spray tenders, laborers, bricklayers, tilesetters, among others
  • Friction Materials:
    • Forms/types: Brake linings, clutch facings
    • Applications: Auto and truck brake and clutch assemblies, cranes and other heavy equipment, manufacturing machinery, elevators, railroad machinery
    • Used by: Auto and truck mechanics, railroad machinists operating engineers, oilers, elevator mechanics, machinists/machine maintenance, home auto repairers
  • Vinyl, Asphalt and Ceramic Tile Product:
    • Forms/types: Tile, thin-set cement (ceramic tile), adhesives, felt
    • Used by: Floorlayers, tilesetters, bricklayers, residential contractors, custodians, homeowners, among others
  • Roofing Products:
    • Forms/types: Tar, felt, paper, board, siding, shingles
    • Used by: Roofers, residential contractors, sheetmetal workers, homeowners
  • Asbestos Fiber:
    • Forms/types: Raw asbestos fiber in various grades
    • Used by: Manufacturing workers, longshore workers, among others

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Links to other important information

Medical links

Mesothelioma is an extremely rare condition and it can be difficult to find physicians who specialize in treating patients who are suffering from it. The following facilities and doctors are highly regarded for their treatment and research of mesothelioma:

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