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Here are some of the mesothelioma and asbestos news stories that we are currently following:

Firefighters reach settlement with city in asbestos lawsuit (January 20, 2012): A group of Washington firefighters have reached an agreement with the city of Everett after filing a $9 million asbestos lawsuit. Under the agreement, the city will pay for any medical tests the firefighters could require as a result of asbestos exposure that may have occurred during a training program run by the city.

Shipyard worker wins Washington mesothelioma lawsuit (January 19, 2012): A Washington ship worker has won his mesothelioma lawsuit against his former employer. Roger Hammet was awarded $1.45 million after a jury found that Sea-Land Service Inc. was responsible for the mesothelioma diagnosis Hammet received after working on the company’s ship.

New York woman files asbestos lawsuit after husband’s death (January 14, 2012): A New York woman has filed an asbestos lawsuit against her husband’s former employers after he died from lung cancer. Carolina Malone alleges in her lawsuit that Alcoa Inc. exposed her husband to asbestos while he worked for the company, which caused him to develop cancer.

Environmental agency files asbestos lawsuit against contractor (January 11, 2012): The U.S. Department of Environment Protection (DEP) has filed an asbestos lawsuit against a Pennsylvania contractor. The lawsuit alleges that Lovett Contracting improperly removed nearly 3,000 feet of asbestos insulation from a commercial building and failed to properly dispose of the materials.

Here are some of the mesothelioma and asbestos stories that we are currently following:

• Colorado man files mesothelioma lawsuit (October 25, 2011): A Colorado man has filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against companies he alleges are responsible for asbestos exposure that occurred during his work as a laborer and electrician.
• Colorado landlord on trial for exposing workers to asbestos (October 18, 2011): A Colorado landlord is on trial for allegedly exposing workers to asbestos on the job without their knowledge.
• British company pledges free asbestos awareness training (October 13, 2011): British company Expedient Training Services has pledged to provide free training to educate employers about the dangers of occupational asbestos exposure.
• Inhalants may ease mesothelioma cancer treatment (October 12, 2011): Scottish researches have found that administering cancer drugs via inhalants to treat mesothelioma and other forms of the disease may reduce harmful side effects of treatment. 
• Concerns rise over cancer-causing mineral (October 7, 2011): A fibrous mineral, known as erionite, that is prevalent in western states such as North Dakota, Wyoming, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona and California has been linked to cases of mesothelioma.

Here are some of the latests mesothelioma and asbestos stories that we are currently following:

Some mesothelioma cases may be misdiagnosed as ovarian cancer (July 18, 2011): A new study has uncovered evidence that some women who were suffering from mesothelioma may have been wrongly diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The study is one of the first pieces of evidence that some ovarian cancer cases may have actually been misdiagnosed cases of mesothelioma.

Libby woodchip contamination reignites asbestos fears (July 15, 2011): An investigation by the Associated Press has revealed that officials with the Environmental Protection Agency have known about the existence of asbestos-contaminated woodchip piles in the town of Libby, Montana for at least three years, but failed to notify residents about their potential danger.

West Virginia couple names 85 companies in mesothelioma lawsuit (July 6, 2011): A West Virginia couple filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against 85 companies alleging that the man received a mesothelioma diagnosis due to workplace asbestos exposure. Vincent and Antoinette Scriptunas filed the suit in Kanawha County in June 2008.

New tests may aid in early detection of mesothelioma (July 6, 2011): U.S. researchers have discovered significant biological differences, or biomarkers, that distinguished blood samples of patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is most commonly detected at an advanced stage, leaving the possibility of a cure minimal.

The law firm of Hissey Kientz, LLP is pleased to offer a free mesothelioma information packet to prospective clients and other individuals seeking information about the hazards of asbestos exposure.

The free packet contains information about the latest treatments for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, resources for asbestos victims and their loved ones, information on how to obtain legal assistance from an attorney and instructions on how to receive free asbestos testing to determine if you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos.

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A new study published by the National Academy of Sciences may have uncovered an answer to the question of how asbestos causes the formation of cancerous mesothelioma in healthy cells.

When asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested, they can become permanently lodged in the mesothelium, the lining that surrounds the body’s internal organs. These fibers may cause the death of mesothelial cells with which they come into contact. Since dead cells cannot form tumors, experts were puzzled as to how malignant mesothelioma cancer cells could form after asbestos exposure.

Researchers from the University of Hawaii found that when healthy mesothelial cells are exposed to asbestos fibers, they undergo a process called “programmed cell necrosis.” This process causes dying cells to release a protein called “high mobility group box 1” (HMGB1). The release of HMGB1 causes the nearby cells to release a second protein, TNF-α, which triggers inflammation and increases the risk of mutation into the malignant cancer cells that cause mesothelioma.

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