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Asbestos in Bendix Brakes Blamed for NYC Transit Authority Worker’s Mesothelioma Death
From 1962 to 1987, mesothelioma victim Roy Barbarino was employed at the New York City Transit Authority, moving up from helper to an “A” level worker responsible for maintaining, installing, inspecting, testing, altering, and repairing vehicles. Over the years he was exposed to workers performing engine and brake repair, and after his death his wife…
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Innovative Treatment Approach Delivers Promise for Mesothelioma and Other Advanced Cancers
There’s no such thing as a good cancer, but some are particularly bad: malignant mesothelioma is one, and there are many other cancers that are notoriously hard to stall or stop once they reach an advanced stage. But an innovative company headquartered in Germany has tested a new oral monotherapy that shows real promise for…
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New York Factory Blamed for Residents’ Mesothelioma Deaths
One week after reporting on asbestos contamination in OxyChem’s Niagara Falls chlorine plant, Pro Publica has revealed that neighbors of another of the company’s New York plants have been sickened by malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The publication reports that since the 1990s, the company has been named in multiple personal injury lawsuits, many…
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Italian Researchers Identify Key Difference in Mesothelioma Cells
Malignant mesothelioma is a uniquely aggressive and challenging form of cancer. The rare, asbestos-related disease has proven itself resistant to almost all standard cancer treatments, and while some researchers work to modify those protocols, others are investigating what it is about the disease that protects it. Now a group of researchers from the University of…
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Court Rejects Asbestos Companies’ Efforts to Deny Mesothelioma as Cause of Death
Despite the extensive legal and scientific record, companies accused of causing mesothelioma and asbestos-related deaths aggressively defend themselves against personal injury lawsuits, going so far as to question victims’ cause of death. A recent case filed by Joanne Reulet on behalf of her late husband Kirk demonstrates this, with asbestos companies arguing against the testimony…
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Immunotherapy or Palliative Therapy? Mesothelioma Patients and End-of-Life Care
A diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is heart-wrenching. The rare asbestos-related disease is always considered fatal and is extremely fast-moving and aggressive. This leaves patients and their families with a difficult decision: should they ask physicians to prolong survival at all costs, or opt for hospice and palliative therapies that focus on quality of life?
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Study Shows Improvements to Immunotherapy May Help Mesothelioma Patients
Immunotherapy’s positive results and FDA approvals have offered hope for patients diagnosed with cancers of all kinds, including malignant mesothelioma. Yet few people know that the innovative protocol’s side effects can be just as harmful as those caused by chemotherapy. A collaboration between researchers at Harvard University and a Swiss cancer research consortium may offer…
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Mesothelioma Victim Continues Pursuit of Japanese Auto Brakes Company
When George Sweikhart was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, he filed suit against several companies he accused of negligently exposing him to asbestos. Among these was Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd. and its subsidiary, Akebono Brake Corporation (ABC), whose asbestos-contaminated brakes he’d worked with throughout his career. Since being named, the company has made several attempts…
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Workers Fearing Mesothelioma Break Their Silence on Chlorine Plant
In a remarkable profile featured on National Public Radio’s website, longtime employees of a now-shuttered chlorine plant in Niagara Falls, New York detailed their fear of mesothelioma after years of exposure to asbestos, and of their employer OxyChem’s resistance to taking protective measures on their behalf.
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Hurricane Ian’s Destruction Raises Concerns Over Mesothelioma Risk
The state of Florida is slowly recovering from Hurricane Ian’s destruction, but as people begin to remove debris, asbestos experts are expressing concern about the risk of malignant mesothelioma.
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Mesothelioma Widower Successfully Prevents Asbestos Company Evasion
Ruby Lee Marie Falgout died of malignant mesothelioma last August. Before her death, she and her husband John identified the cause of her illness as asbestos exposure from when she laundered John’s clothing. They filed suit against Avondale, the shipyard where John had worked, but the company tried to evade responsibility. Last week a court…
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New Computer Platform May Help Match Mesothelioma Patients with Cancer Trials
Learning you have a fatal disease is just one of the overwhelming aspects of being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Many patients ask about inclusion in a clinical trial in hopes these innovative treatments will offer success, but identifying the right state-of-the-art study for a particular patient can be a challenge. Now, a new computer platform…
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Innovative Blood Test May Lead to Earlier Mesothelioma Diagnosis
For most mesothelioma patients, early diagnosis leads to more effective treatment and longer survival. But symptoms of the rare, asbestos-related disease don’t present until the tumors are well established, and more advanced the disease presents treatment challenges. A new test developed by healthcare company Grail may offer an important tool in the quest for earlier…
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Court Calls Out Witness’ Lack of Knowledge in Mesothelioma Case
Gloria Maryn was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma after years of laundering her son’s asbestos-covered work clothes. She filed a claim against Armstrong Pumps, accusing them of failing to warn of the danger posed by asbestos contained within the company’s products. The company filed a motion to have the case against them dismissed. In denying their…
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Woman’s Mesothelioma Death Blamed on Cashmere Bouquet Talcum Powder
Like many victims of malignant mesothelioma, Maryann Purser recalls having used body powder from the time she was a small child. Before her death from the rare asbestos-related disease, she filed suit against Colgate-Palmolive Company, accusing them of having negligently exposed her to asbestos and having failed to warn her. She also sought punitive damages,…
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Ford Fails in Attempt to Shut Down Mesothelioma Lawsuit
When Joseph Skrzynski was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma, he and his wife Deborah filed suit against Ford Motor Company, blaming the company for his exposure to asbestos-containing parts during the years that he was employed by Towne Lincoln Ford Mercury dealership in Orchard Park, New York. Though Ford does not dispute the presence of asbestos…
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Kaiser Gypsum Fails in Attempt to Strike $5 Million Mesothelioma Verdict
In February of 2020, an Oregon jury ordered Kaiser Gypsum Company Inc. to pay more than $6.2 million in damages to a mesothelioma victim and his wife, finding their conduct in the 1960s reckless and responsible for the man’s malignant mesothelioma. The award, reduced to $5,233,618, was appealed by the company on several grounds. This…
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Study Shows Artificial Intelligence Boosts Accuracy and Speed of Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Malignant mesothelioma is a uniquely challenging disease to diagnose and treat. Its symptoms are frequently mistaken for those of less serious conditions. As a result, vital treatment is delayed. Researchers at Japan’s Hyogo College of Medicine determined that part of the problem is physicians’ lack of familiarity with the extremely rare illness. They tested whether…
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Asbestos-Contaminated Town Continues to Pose Mesothelioma Risks
Despite the risks of malignant mesothelioma and the best efforts of the government, the town of Wittenoom in Western Australia has become a tourist destination. The former site of an asbestos mine, it is littered with blue asbestos tailings and fibers that have presented a challenge and draw for people in search of free camping…
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Widow of Shipyard Worker with Mesothelioma Prevails in Court Fight with Vessel Owner
Paul Hotard died of malignant mesothelioma despite never having worked directly with asbestos. The shipyard worker spent years working for Avondale Shipyards, where he handed pipe to pipefitters and tacked pipe together for a welder to weld. He blamed SeaRiver Maritime, the owner of the vessels on which he worked, for failing to warn him…
