A gentleman named Timothy Elliot wrote today to ask for an opportunity to address veterans in the audience about Mesothelioma: a kind of cancer that often afflicts veterans because of exposure to asbestos. That piece, "The War Against Mesothelioma," follows. The War Against Mesothelioma Thousands of U.S. veterans are finding themselves on the front lines of another war, years after they’ve left active duty. Even veterans who left the service 20-50 years ago are finding themselves conscripted into an all too often deadly battle with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, affects nearly 1,000 veterans each year and experts believe that number is only going to rise in the next 5-10 years. Mesothelioma is much more common among soldiers than civilians, in fact 30% of all mesothelioma victims are veterans, because until it was discovered that asbestos was strongly linked cancer in the late 1970’s the military used it in over 300 different products ranging from cloth to electrical insulation to roof shingles. In 1939 the Navy actually issued specifications requiring the use of asbestos in all newly constructed ships. If mesothelioma is diagnosed early enough, the most effective treatment option is to surgically remove the tumor, however because mesothelioma has a latency period of between 20-50 years before it begins to spread throughout the body it’s not uncommon for it to go undiagnosed and untreated until it is too late. Once mesothelioma has spread throughout the body it’s almost impossible to cure and as such the mesothelioma life expectancy is only between a year and two years after diagnosis. Most treatments for mesothelioma in its later stages is aimed primarily at alleviating pain and improving quality of life. If diagnosed with mesothelioma veterans have several options available to them. Veterans who were exposed to asbestos during their service and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma are eligible to receive VA disability benefits, or they can possible receive compensation from the manufacturers of asbestos. In addition veterans who receive treatment through VA can apply to the Fisher House program which provides housing for veterans’ families to stay nearby military medical facilities free of charge. There is a Fisher House at every major US military hospital around the world. Because the mesothelioma symptoms, which are primarily trouble breathing and a fluid build-up in the lungs, are difficult to diagnose and symptomatic of many other, less serious diseases, mesothelioma can be particularly difficult to diagnose. The key to the early detection of mesothelioma in veterans is discussing with your doctor if you believe you have previously been exposed to asbestos. Asbestos exposure was particularly common in the Navy at shipbuilding sites, where asbestos was commonly sprayed onto ships as insulation in clouds. Both the Pensacola Naval Air Base in Florida and the Curtis Coast Guard Yard in Maryland were designated as EPA Superfund sites because of the dangerous levels of asbestos at each. It’s a tragedy that so many dedicated servicemen and women should have to fight against mesothelioma, especially years after their service ended. But it’s important to remember that there are resources such as the Fisher House and VA that are out there to support our vets no matter what. The most important thing is for any veterans who believe that they may have been exposed to asbestos to speak to their doctors about getting tested for mesothelioma while they still have options for treatment. Only our vigilance and dedication to early detection will win the war against mesothelioma.
Read the complete post at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blackfive/~3/Ao12yAf4lZ8/guest-post-the-war-against-mesothelioma.html
Posted
Feb 17 2011, 08:42 AM
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BLACKFIVE