News: Fear over asbestos compensation

Victims of an asbestos-related disease may miss out on compensation, it has been claimed.

A solicitor representing dozens of people in Oxfordshire said he was worried a new bill to compensate those with pleural plaque may not become law.

The condition can be a forerunner of asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Peter Lodge said claimants would be "left in limbo" as a second reading of the bill in the House of Lords would be unlikely before the next election.

People suffering from pleural plaque lost their automatic right to compensation in 2007 following a ruling by the House of Lords.

'Nominal amount'

Pleural plaques are areas of thick scar tissue which form in the chest lining and diaphragm and are caused by asbestos exposure.

It does not have any obvious symptoms, but about 10% of people with pleural plaque develop other asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma.

The Damages Bill, which would compensate those with pleural plaque, was then passed in the House of Commons in October, but is still to be debated in the House of Lords.

Mr Lodge, who represents about 70 people, said he was reasonably optimistic the law would eventually be passed by the government.

"I think it is hopeful they will introduce a new scheme whereby anyone who can show that they have pleural plaque will receive a fairly standard nominal amount."

Clive Sutton, 67, from Stonesfield near Witney, came into contact with asbestos whilst working at a manufacturing plant in the fifties and sixties.

Doctors confirmed he had developed pleural plaque after having a chest x-ray in 2005.

He said: "When the ruling took place in the House of Lords, I think that's what the Lords were working on - the fact that no-one with pleural plaque had gone on to suffer any serious injury or effects."

Source: BBC News (11/12/09)

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Causes of cancer

In general, cancer begins when a series of genetic mutations occur within a cell, causing the cell to grow and multiply out of control, when healthy cells would normally die. The accumulating abnormal cells form a mass (tumor). Cancer cells invade nearby tissues and can break off from an initial tumor to spread elsewhere in the body (metastasize).

It isn't clear what causes the initial genetic mutations that lead to mesothelioma, though researchers have identified factors that may increase the risk. It's likely that cancers form because of an interaction between many factors, such as inherited conditions, your environment, your health conditions and your lifestyle choices.

Benign pleural mesothelioma
A form of noncancerous (benign) tumor that can occur in the chest is sometimes called benign mesothelioma. However, this name is misleading. Benign mesothelioma doesn't begin in the same cells where the cancerous forms of mesothelioma begin. And, in a minority of cases, benign mesothelioma can be very aggressive, despite the term "benign." For this reason, some doctors now refer this tumor as solitary fibrous tumor.

Solitary fibrous tumor usually doesn't cause signs and symptoms. Most cases are inadvertently discovered during tests and procedures for other conditions. It isn't clear what causes solitary fibrous tumors, but they aren't linked to asbestos exposure. Treatment for solitary fibrous tumor typically includes surgery.

Content provided by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER)

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The symptoms of mesothelioma

This article contains the symptoms and signs of mesothelioma that may vary depending on where the cancer occurs: pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and other forms of mesothelioma.


CT scan of a patient with mesothelioma, coronal section (the section follows the plane that divides the body in a front and a back half). The mesothelioma is indicated by yellow arrows, the central pleural effusion (fluid collection) is marked with a yellow star. Red numbers: (1) right lung, (2) spine, (3) left lung, (4) ribs, (5) descending part of the aorta, (6) spleen, (7) left kidney, (8) right kidney, (9) liver.

Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma vary depending on where the cancer occurs.

Pleural mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Painful breathing (pleurisy)
• Painful coughing
• Chest pain under the rib cage
• Unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on your chest
• Unexplained weight loss
• Dry (nonproductive) cough

Peritoneal mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal swelling
• A change in your bowel habits, such as more frequent diarrhea or constipation
• Lumps of tissue in the abdomen
• Unexplained weight loss

Other forms of mesothelioma
Signs and symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma and mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis are unclear. These forms are so rare that not much information is available. Pericardial mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include difficulty breathing or chest pains. Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis may be first detected as a mass on a testicle.

When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you have signs and symptoms that may indicate mesothelioma. Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma aren't specific to this disease and, due to the rarity of mesothelioma, are more likely to be related to other conditions. If any persistent signs and symptoms seem unusual or bothersome to you, ask your doctor to evaluate them.

Content provided by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER)

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