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Supreme Court Refusal of Second J & J Talc Lawsuit A Win for Mesothelioma and Ovarian Cancer Victims
Thousands of malignant mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims have accused Johnson & Johnson of knowingly exposing them to asbestos in their talc-based baby powder product. In addition to personal injury lawsuits, litigation has been filed against the consumer giant by Mississippi’s state consumer agency for not having placed a warning label on the product. When
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Testimony from Mesothelioma Victim’s Father at Issue in Lawsuit
When Matthew Strong died of peritoneal mesothelioma, his wife filed suit against Honeywell International seeking compensation for herself and for his estate. She claimed that he’d been exposed to asbestos in Bendix-brand automotive brakes that the company manufactured, and to support her claim she entered testimony by Matthew’s father, Terry. When Terry died a year
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Mesothelioma Patients with Fluid in Abdomen See Benefit from Use of Shunt
Patients diagnosed with malignant pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma are both vulnerable to an accumulation of excess fluid that can create significant discomfort. While pleural mesothelioma patients are able to get rid of effusions in their chest through either a catheter or a procedure known as talc pleurodesis, those with peritoneal mesothelioma have traditionally had fewer
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After Mesothelioma Widow Wins Appeal, Baby Powder Case Can Go to Trial
Before Douglas Strobel died of malignant mesothelioma in 2020, he and his wife Jo Ann were in the midst of a legal battle against Johnson & Johnson. They had charged the company with negligence and fraud, accusing them of having known that the talc in their baby powder product was contaminated with asbestos, which they
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Cancer Cell Discovery May Boost Impact of Mesothelioma Treatment
Mesothelioma researchers may benefit from a remarkable new discovery about cancer cells. According to a report published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, scientists from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital have identified a mechanism that helps cancer cells increase the amount of energy they use to grow while at the same time depleting the energy that the immune
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Can New Drug Stop Mesothelioma’s Spread?
Finding a cure for malignant mesothelioma is an international effort, and a drug being tested by Chinese researchers is among the most promising around. Apatinib, also known as Rivoceranib, stops tumors from generating the blood vessels they need to grow and spread. When the drug was tested as a third-line treatment three years ago it
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Asbestos Company’s Attempt to Keep Mesothelioma Case in Federal Court Fails
When pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against an asbestos company, mesothelioma victims and their families must make many decisions, including whether to pursue their case in federal court or in a state court. State courts offer several advantages. They are both more convenient for victims who are struggling with their symptoms and medical treatment, and
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Should Women with Mesothelioma Reconsider Immunotherapy Treatment?
For patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, immunotherapy represents an exciting and promising treatment option. But a new study published in the December 2nd issue of JAMA Network Open is questioning whether women with various types cancer respond differently to the protocol. The study followed male and female advanced melanoma patients treated with the same combination of checkpoint inhibitors.
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Violators Jailed and Fined After Asbestos Mishandling Raised Community Risk of Mesothelioma
Two asbestos criminals will be jailed and fined $399,000 after being convicted of exposing their workers and the community-at-large to the risk of mesothelioma. Stephanie Laskin and Kristofer Landell were convicted of conspiring to violate Clean Air Act regulations regarding the safe removal, handling, and disposal of the carcinogenic material at a Kingston, New York
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California Company to Initiate Phase 2 Trial of Mesothelioma Drug
Malignant mesothelioma is among the most challenging cancers to treat. The rare form of cancer, caused by exposure to asbestos, has proven resistant to chemotherapy, and as each new therapeutic has been introduced its tumors have revealed a new defense. In response to the use of checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T protocols, mesothelioma cells secrete transforming
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Italian Asbestos Study Shows Risks of Both Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer in Exposed Workers
When discussing the extreme risk of asbestos exposure, malignant mesothelioma gets the lion’s share of attention. But a just-published study by Italian researchers suggests that the rare, terminal disease is only part of the story. In looking at the number of asbestos-exposed workers who died of lung cancer and comparing it to the number of
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Study Finds Ultrasound Superior to CT for Mesothelioma Biopsy Guidance
Malignant mesothelioma is often suspected when a person with a known exposure to asbestos starts having symptoms. But doctors cannot simply assume that they are right. The first step to meaningful treatment is confirmation of the diagnosis, and this requires collecting a sample of the tumor’s cells for analysis. The collection procedure is known as
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Jury’s Anger at Negligence Leads to $26.5 Million Mesothelioma Verdict
Juries hearing mesothelioma lawsuits often spend weeks hearing evidence about how the rare form of cancer develops, about asbestos, and how the victim was exposed to the deadly material. They are then asked to determine whether negligence occurred. The process can be contentious, but a Wisconsin jury’s only disagreement was over the amount to be
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Committee to Investigate Asbestos and Mesothelioma in British Schools and Hospitals
Just as is true in the United States, an alarming number of the United Kingdom’s school teachers succumb to malignant mesothelioma every year. A committee of the members of parliament believes that more needs to be done about asbestos in school buildings and other workplace environments. The group plans an investigation.
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Railroad Tries to Deny Justice to Worker Stricken with Mesothelioma
In 2020, retired railroad worker Denis R. Bouck was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. When he filed suit against his former employer, the railroad argued that the Locomotive Inspection Act protected them from being sued. But a Louisiana federal judge denied their argument, saying
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Asbestos Containment Study Points to Continued Risk for Mesothelioma
Before it was known that asbestos caused malignant mesothelioma and other deadly diseases, the mineral was mined, processed, and used in manufacturing all over the United States. Once its toxicity was discovered, the contaminated soil from sites where asbestos had been used and dumped was addressed on an individual basis. Some were simply abandoned, some
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Despite Multiple Procedural Errors, Judge Allows Mesothelioma Lawsuit to Proceed
One of the most frustrating aspects of pursuing a mesothelioma lawsuit is identifying the company responsible for the victim’s asbestos exposure. This is particularly challenging when the company has changed its name or when it and its liabilities have been acquired by another company. One such case recently made its way to the United States
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Study Links Childhood Asbestos Exposure to Early Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer that is most frequently diagnosed in the elderly. It is exceptionally rare for it to be found in people who are under the age of 50, yet a recent study conducted at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità found that in every year between 2003 and
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After Multiple Mesothelioma Deaths, Australia Clears Notorious Asbestos Town
Asbestos contamination in the town of Wittenoom in Western Australia has claimed at least 1,200 residents’ lives, but the fear of mesothelioma and lung cancer has not been enough to keep tourists away, or even to chase away residents. Now the government is taking drastic steps. A bill authorizing clearing the former town and compensating
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Study Suggests Limitations of CT in Pre-Surgical Mesothelioma Patients
People diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma have limited options for treatment. When deciding whether to pursue surgery they need as much information as possible about their own condition and how far the cancerous cells have spread within their bodies. A recent study from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania has revealed that one of the
