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Mesothelioma attorney David A. Shaw has been representing victims of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma since 1986. His legal battles and investigations in asbestos injury and mesothelioma legal cases have taken him across the country, and in many cases, to visit the places where mesothelioma victims were exposed to asbestos day in and day out.
Mesothelioma attorney Shaw's dedication to help mesothelioma victims has led to him working side by side with asbestos attorneys across the nation. He is licensed to practice in New York, Rhode Island and Connecticut and has won, or helped win, substantial mesothelioma settlements for victims around the country. Learn more about The Law Offices of David A. Shaw.
Mesothelioma Articles and News
Featured below are mesothelioma news developments and articles by asbestos attorney David A. Shaw.
Celebrex - Arthritis Drug Effective Against Mesothelioma
Celebrex - the COX-2 inhibitor grabbing headlines lately for possible risks to those to whom it has been prescribed to treat arthritis, has been found to have a significant effect on malignant mesothelioma in preliminary studies. In a report from Italy, lab animals infected with mesothelioma that were treated with the drug have shown dramatically increased survival rates.
In a recent study, malignant mesothelioma cells stopped growing in a lab dish when treated with Celebrex (celecoxib). This is seen as hopeful news as many current forms of mesothelioma treatment have had generally disappointing effects against mesothelioma.
In contrast, celecoxib was effective in ceasing cancerous mesothelial tissue growth while allowing normal mesothelial tissue to remain largely unaffected. Mice implanted with mesothelioma were observed to have significantly increased survival rates—more so than what has been observed with other COX-2 inhibitors or chemotherapy drugs.
Though the benefits of celecoxib in mesothelioma-infected mice is far from a cure in humans, researchers say that there is enough evidence in experimental models to support further research in clinical trials for mesothelioma patients.
Source: International Journal of Cancer - 2004, April 10
How many will die from asbestos?
On July 22, 2004, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta issued a report documenting lung diseases cases from 1968 to 2000. The epidemiology specialists at the CDC examined the death certificates of 125,000 people who had been diagnosed with lung disease related to dust exposure. The CDC report stated that 77 people died from asbestos exposure in 1968 (preposterously low) and that 1500 people died from such diseases in 2000 (also low when you consider that there were probably at least that many deaths from mesothelioma alone). The significance of the CDC findings is the upward trend, and that deaths from asbestos overtook deaths from coal dust exposure (coal miner’s pneumoconiosis—also known as "black lung") in 1998. The bottom line from the CDC is that the upward trend in deaths from asbestos will probably continue into the next decade, because of the long latency periods, while death rates caused by silicosis and the other pneumoconiosis diseases have been dropping over the period of the study and will probably continue to drop.
Other conclusions of the report are hardly surprising: the greatest increases in death rates were in the coastal industrial states, and the vast majority of the deaths occurred in those over the age of 45. Also to be expected is the conclusion that men die from asbestos-related diseases at substantially higher rates than do women.
Author: David A. Shaw
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FAQ
What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the sheath-like tissue that surrounds the abdomen and chest cavities. This thin layer of tissue is called the mesothelium...
Are there different types of mesothelioma?
Yes. There are three malignant forms of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common and affects the mesothelium around the lungs. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the mesothelium surrounding the abdomen...
Who is at risk for mesothelioma?
Those with occupational exposure to asbestos fibers are at the highest risk for developing asbestos related diseases, including mesothelioma. Pipe insulators, boiler workers, mechanics and others...
How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
One of the major problems with mesothelioma is that it is difficult to diagnose. The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to other lung diseases and cancers. Another major problem with mesothelioma...
Is there a cure for mesothelioma?
Because mesothelioma is a form of cancer, there is no "cure" for the disease. Although the prognosis for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma is generally poor, there are mesothelioma patients who have lived...
What kind of treatments are there for mesothelioma?
Current treatments for malignant mesothelioma are similar to treatments to other forms of cancer that are available today. In addition to currently accepted forms of mesothelioma treatment, there are several mesothelioma clinical trials and emerging mesothelioma treatments...