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Many people going for mesothelioma surgeries do not even know how they acquired mesothelioma - a rare but fatal cancer. Asbestos is a group of natural fibrous minerals but has severe health consequences if it is inhaled as fibers. Many dangerous diseases including mesothelioma are common among people who work with asbestos. Asbestos can also affect the families of the workers who may carry asbestos dust home on their clothing and the people who live near asbestos mines or processing plants.

Factors Warranting Mesothelioma Surgery:

Mesothelioma affects the layer surrounding the lungs, abdomen, heart, and reproductive organs. Doctors usually recommend mesothelioma surgery to remove the mesothelioma tumor and nearby tissues that contain cancer cells. However, if extensive surgery is not possible, the pain can be reduced by using a procedure to drain excess fluid from around the chest or abdomen. This is done if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and both the heart and lungs are not properly functioning. The mesothelioma surgery is usually done in combination with chemotherapy or radiation to reduce or remove the mesothelioma tumor. Surgery attempts to control the further growth of mesothelioma cancer in two ways: aggressive surgery (long-term control) and palliative procedures (relief of symptoms).

Aggressive mesothelioma surgery involves removal of the pleura, the lung, the diaphragm and the pericardium through a procedure known as extra pleural pneumonectomy. This surgery carries a high risk of fatality within a month and is therefore performed only on younger patients.
Palliative procedures are performed when the cancer is in its advanced form to control the symptoms of mesothelioma because complete surgical removal of the entire tumor is not possible.

Compensation for Undergoing Mesothelioma Surgery:

Most people who had worked in asbestos industries were unaware of the risk of asbestos exposure. However, the owners of asbestos industries were aware of its damaging health impacts and yet persisted with its negligent usage for profit motives.

Such employees and the people living in the immediate vicinity of asbestos industries are eligible to recover for compensation for mesothelioma surgery and other damages if they develop mesothelioma or other asbestos related disease. The award of compensation has been of some relief to hapless people who are undergoing mesothelioma surgery because of their occupational asbestos exposure.