Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining that covers the outer surface of a number of the body’s organs.
Where can mesothelioma be found?
The most common type of mesothelioma is found in the lungs, where the cancer develops in the lining, called the pleura. This is called pleural mesothelioma. The second most common type of mesothelioma is found in the abdomen where the lining of the lower digestive tract is affected, this is called peritoneal mesothelioma.
Although rare, mesothelioma can also affect the lining of the heart, pericardial mesothelioma, and the lining of the testicles, testicular mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer and is often not diagnosed until it has progressed to a late stage. Sadly, there is no cure for mesothelioma, however, advances in cancer treatments have helped many mesothelioma patients live longer, with few symptoms.
Types of mesothelioma cells
There are three main types of mesothelioma cells, epithelioid, sarcomatoid and biphasic.
Epithelioid mesothelioma
- This is the most common cell type for mesothelioma, accounting for more than half of all diagnoses. This type of mesothelioma is the most receptive to treatment.
Sarcomatoid mesothelioma
- This is a rare cell type, unfortunately, the prognosis for someone with sarcomatoid mesothelioma is usually poor.
Biphasic mesothelioma
- As the name suggests, this is a combination of epithelioid and sarcomatoid cells. The prognosis is dependent on the ratio of the two cell types.
Who is likely to be diagnosed with mesothelioma?
The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos was used extensively in the construction industry and occupations at risk of exposure to asbestos include laggers, electricians, plumbers and carpenters.
There is a latency period of between 10 and 50 years, or sometimes longer, from the time of exposure to asbestos to the development of symptoms of mesothelioma. Therefore, many people who are now being diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos in the 1960s and 1970s. Due to the working trends at that time, the majority of patients diagnosed with mesothelioma are male.
However, there are an increasing number of women being diagnosed with mesothelioma, either from exposure to asbestos in their own work or through secondary exposure from the clothes of those who worked directly with the deadly substance.
The latest figures from the HSE show that in 2021 there were 1,867 male deaths due to mesothelioma, compared to 401 female deaths. Due to the latency period, people tend to be over 60 years old when diagnosed, however, there have been people diagnosed with mesothelioma at much younger ages. We were sadly instructed by the mother of a 22 year old who had died due to mesothelioma, having been exposed to asbestos from his father’s work clothes when he was a baby.
Claiming compensation for mesothelioma
The majority of people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma are able to say where, when and how they were exposed to asbestos. If you were employed by a company when the exposure occurred, you should be able to pursue a claim for compensation.
If the employer is still trading or if employers’ liability insurance can be traced for the period you worked for the company if it is dissolved, a civil compensation claim can be brought against the company. If the company is dissolved and no insurance can be traced, a claim can be brought under the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS).
We have helped hundreds of clients with civil compensation claims and have helped many clients with DMPS claims.
If you were not exposed to asbestos directly through your work and you came to be exposed to asbestos through secondary exposure, and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, we would need to trace the public liability insurance for the time that the disease was contracted or sustained (depending upon the wording of the relevant insurance policy). That is generally said to be approximately 10 years before symptoms began. This is easy if the company is still trading but many companies are now dissolved and may not have recent public liability insurance. Where no insurance can be traced, we can assist in applying to government compensation schemes.
How can we help?
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related condition, whether you were exposed to asbestos in a school or any other building, we can help. Contact us today on our freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, head over to the ‘Contact Us’ page, complete the form and we will be in touch.