Exposure to asbestos can result in a mesothelioma diagnosis many years later. Some may not even realize they had asbestos in their body. The fibers can be inhaled or ingested and often do not exit the body. The hazardous substance will start to create cancerous cells that will appear as a tumor. When this tumor is near the heart, it’s called pericardial mesothelioma.
Learning you or a loved one has a terminal disease is devastating news to receive. As your thoughts and actions may turn to what you can do about it in terms of treatment, you may also wonder if there is any legal action you can take as well. Exposure to asbestos can happen from someone’s job—even though employers are supposed to keep their workers safe. If negligence led to you or your loved one’s prolonged asbestos exposure and eventual pericardial mesothelioma diagnosis, you may want to look into your legal options.
The legal process is often complex. When you have your health or your loved one’s health to focus on, you’re going to want to have experienced and skilled representation at your side. Frost Law Firm, PC has years of experience in defending those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. We’ll do everything we can, so you receive fair compensation.
Information About Pericardial Mesothelioma
This is the rarest type of mesothelioma. While pleural mesothelioma makes up around 65%-70% of cases and peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for about 30%, pericardial typically accounts for only around 1%-2%. When people have pericardial masses, it’s usually spread from other original sources, which could be from other cancers like lung or breast cancer, melanoma, and others. In a random sample of nearly 500,000 autopsies, primary pericardial mesothelioma (PPM) occurred in only 0.0022%.
Primary tumors originating from pericardial mesothelioma can take between 3 and 80 years to develop, but the median age is typically 46. This type of disease is more common in men than in women.
After someone is exposed to asbestos, the fibers can settle in the pericardium, which is the lining meant to protect the heart. Over time, tumors will form. With these tumors so close to the heart, it can affect how the heart naturally expands and contracts. As the tumors grow, someone may experience chest pain and heart palpitations. Additional signs of pericardial mesothelioma include coughing and fatigue.
How Does the Rarity of Pericardial Mesothelioma Affect Diagnosis?
As we’ve mentioned, pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest type of this disease. Because of this and because of how long it takes for mesothelioma to appear, sometimes the diagnosis may only come from an autopsy. In about 200 cases of primary pericardial mesothelioma that have been reported in medical literature, about 25% were diagnosed while the patient was still alive.
However, this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to diagnose pericardial mesothelioma and focus on treatment. When doctors examine a chest radiograph, an enlarged cardiac silhouette may indicate pericardial effusion, or excess fluid. Further tests will be necessary to conclude pericardial mesothelioma. When this diagnosis comes, the prognosis is typically poor. Patients are usually given the prognosis of living up to or less than one year.
There are still treatments available to those with pericardial mesothelioma. While its rarity means there isn’t a standard treatment procedure, there are options out there that can help prolong the patient’s life. It should be noted that many of the treatments are palliative and focus on providing comfort to the patient.
Facing this reality is incredibly difficult. You and your loved ones do not need to face this reality alone. Frost Law Firm, PC advocates for victims and their families. We will do everything we can to make your voices heard to the negligent companies that allowed this to happen.
Seeking Justice with Dependable Representation
If you or a loved one was recently diagnosed with mesothelioma, we’re here to help you pursue legal action. Unfortunately, because of the unique nature of pericardial mesothelioma, you may not have realized your loved one had it. If you’ve lost a loved one to pericardial mesothelioma, you can still take legal action to hold those accountable for their negligence and get justice for your loved one.
Our lawyers can help you seek damages for the wrongful death you and your family have experienced. It’s a terrible loss to lose a loved one, especially when their passing could have been prevented. If you depended on your loved one financially and emotionally, you’ll be dealing with the loss of these forms of support on top of your grief. This can leave families in financially difficult situations. Those who lost someone who they ran a household with will now have to take on all of those responsibilities. With our lawyers at your side, we’ll fight for you to recover fair compensation so you will have a secure financial future. This will provide some level of certainty in this difficult and confusing time.
At Frost Law Firm, PC, we understand the emotional upheaval that mesothelioma can cause. We’re here to represent those whose lives have been turned upside down or cut short because of this disease. Our Hawaii mesothelioma lawyers have years of experience in investigating and compiling evidence into a clear, strong case. We have the best chance of getting our clients the compensation they deserve. Give our office a call today for a free case evaluation. We’re here to answer your questions and help you move forward.
