Thursday, June 14, 2007

Average Age of Mesothelioma Patients Dropping - Younger People Continue To Be Diagnosed

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) has reported that people are being diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma at younger ages. A good write-up on this new report appears in a June 13, 2007 article at http://www.occupationalhazards.com/News/Article/67510/Study_Asbestos_Disease_Patients_Younger_Now.aspx

Occupational Hazards.com also quotes Dr. Robert Taub of the Columbia University Mesothelioma Center in New York City:

“The average age of our peritoneal mesothelioma patients is 51.7,” said Dr. Robert Taub, Milstein professor of clinical medicine and director of the Columbia University Mesothelioma Center. “And less than 50 percent had immediately recognizable asbestos exposure.”

Two comments about Dr. Taub's statement:
(1) The young average age of peritoneal mesothelioma patients reinforces the need for more money for mesothelioma research with the ultimate goal of finding a mesothelioma cure.
(2) The fact that asbestos exposure is not "immediately recognizable" in many cases means that is very important for doctors to take a detailed occupational and social history designed to identify possible sources of asbestos exposure, so that the cause of the person's mesothelioma can be determined and so other workers can be protected in the future.

In our mesothelioma law practice at Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP, www.lpklaw.com, we investigate all possible sources of asbestos exposure for our clients who have developed mesothelioma. In this way, the companies responsible for causing the disease can be held accountable. For more information visit, www.nynjmesothelioma.com.

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