Most Americans’ only familiarity with malignant mesothelioma comes from television advertisements that urge victims to contact attorneys regarding filing lawsuits. The rare form of cancer affects fewer than 3,500 people in the United States each year, so raising awareness of the disease is a real challenge. That may change very soon, as word comes that
When it comes to expertise in asbestos exposure and its role in mesothelioma, few come close to Professor John Cherrie. In addition to his role as Professor of Human Health at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, he is the Principal Scientist in the Research Division at IOM, one of the leading providers of workplace
It has been more than a decade since the combined use of the drug Alimta (pemetrexed) and the platinum-based drug cisplatin was approved for use in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, and since that time there has been little progress in finding additional effective drug protocols. In recent years, the immunotherapy drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab) has
There’s been a great deal of buildup and media attention regarding the mesothelioma lawsuit filed by 46-year-old Stephen Lanzo, III and his wife Kendra against Johnson & Johnson. The case is attracting attention for several reasons, not the least of which is that the product that Lanzo claims was the cause of his terminal illness
Asbestos exposure in the transportation industry posed more danger in the past, but it still happens today. The heaviest use of asbestos in cars, road-building equipment, airplanes, and railroads occurred in the past, but asbestos lingers in the industry. Asbestos exposure risks remain high for workers involved in the maintenance, repair, and renovation of older
U.S. Navy minesweepers protected other Navy vessels from explosives hidden underwater. They provided this essential service during World War II personnel landings. Like other navy ships, minesweepers contained asbestos in many components, leading to high rates of mesothelioma in U.S. Navy veterans today. About Minesweepers and Asbestos Although not as necessary today, minesweepers have played
The USS Nashville (LPD-13) was an amphibious transport dock constructed during a time of peak asbestos use on ships. Because of the many asbestos components, the Nashville caused exposure and harm to the crew and officers. Some of the veterans who served on her are now suffering the devastating consequences of asbestos exposure, with respiratory
Commissioned in 1945, the USS Comstock (LSD-19) was a dock landing ship of the amphibious type. Built at a time when U.S. Navy ships commonly included asbestos, the Comstock exposed many veterans to this harmful mineral. Some later received a diagnosis of mesothelioma or lung cancer. Was Asbestos Used on Navy Ships? From the 1930s
The USS Anchorage (LSD-36) was an amphibious dock landing ship in the U.S. Navy, commissioned in 1969. The Anchorage included harmful asbestos in its construction. Asbestos puts sailors and officers at risk of exposure to fibers and of developing devastating asbestos illnesses like mesothelioma, many years after active service. What Navy Ships Had Asbestos? The
The USS Kamehameha (SSBN-642) was a ballistic missile submarine constructed with asbestos to insulate parts and components and to fireproof areas of the vessel. Unfortunately, the heavy use of asbestos on ships like the Kamehameha put many U.S. veterans at risk of developing mesothelioma and asbestosis decades after serving their country. Was Asbestos Used in