This month, we will explore mesothelioma in a series dedicated to the lifecycle of mesothelioma. This lifecycle will include discussions in phases of the disease and also discussions involving a victim’s legal rights and what type of legal representation is the best for successful trial or settlement.
Articles in Section I will include discussions on asbestos exposure, mesothelioma symptoms and the effects of the disease on the veteran community with asbestos on navy ships and veterans with mesothelioma.
Articles in Section II will provide information on receiving a diagnosis of mesothelioma, mesothelioma prognosis, malignant mesothelioma and the types of mesothelioma such as peritoneal mesothelioma.
Articles in Section III will detail how to find a mesothelioma attorney. There are many types of asbestos law firms fighting these types of tort cases. Any victim of mesothelioma should know it is important to recognize the characteristics to look for when securing an asbestos cancer lawyer, mesothelioma lawyer, an asbestos law firm or any attorney for mesothelioma.
Articles in Section IV will discuss information pertaining to the mesothelioma survival rate and mesothelioma life expectancy. Both topics are difficult to embrace but necessary to know so that affairs can be put in order.
All articles in this series are designed to provide you with helpful information in dealing with mesothelioma.
Section IV: Some Illnesses Require an Attorney – Mesothelioma is One of Them
In order to evaluate the extent and nature of any kind of cancer, including stage 4 mesothelioma, specialists have developed the rubric or “staging” system. Only one of several benchmarks used to classify malignancies, this system is the most standard used for mesothelioma cancer. Information used to classify the cancer includes identification of mesothelioma cell types and the location of the tumor.
Assigning a stage 4 mesothelioma to a patient assists specialists in determining how advanced the cancer is and what mesothelioma treatment would best destroy the patient’s malignancy.
Doctors mainly use 3 staging systems and all are based on four primary stages relative to the assessment of the tumor:
- In stage 1 mesothelioma, the tumor and/or cancer is confined to one organ or region and is relatively small.
- In stage 2 mesothelioma, the tumor and/or cancer has grown in size and has spread to one other tissue.
- In stage 3 mesothelioma, the tumor and/or cancer has spread to adjacent areas.
- In stage 4 mesothelioma, the tumor and/or cancer has spread to distant areas of the body, or “metastasized.”
In Stage 4 mesothelioma, the cancer has spread throughout the body and the anticipated mesothelioma life expectancy is not long. It is in this stage also that a mesothelioma prognosis is identified as terminal, and normally a patient has less than a year to live in most cases.