MALCS was set up over 6 years ago, to recruit mesothelioma and primary resected lung cancer patients from across the UK, and we have obtained MREC approval to continue recruiting patients until 2015.
We aim to identify the occupations and work practices currently conferring the highest risk of mesothelioma through telephone interviews with patients.
We would like to say a big THANK YOU to all those individuals and centres who have been recruiting patients for us over the years and encourage you to continue. We would also be delighted to hear from new centres able to recruit patients for us. We are actively seeking to recruit all female mesothelioma patients (of any age) and male mesothelioma patients aged under 60. In addition, we are seeking to recruit male resected lung cancer patients born after 1940. Data from the first 624 mesothelioma patients and 425 resected lung cancer patients interviewed and are just about to be published and anyone on our mailing list will receive an outline of these results.
The Inhaled Particles Study (TIPS) is closed to recruitment of new centres as we have enough centres currently participating.
TIPS was set up to evaluate the risk of mesothelioma to much younger (construction and other) workers. This study will also determine any possible risks from current environmental or DIY asbestos exposures.
If you would like to help us with MALCS and you see mesothelioma patients or resected lung cancer patients, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Legal Advice
Although the risks of asbestos exposure and its relation to Mesothelioma have been known since the late 1950s and 1960s* asbestos was still widely used in many industries until the late 1970s, and later to a lesser extent. Unfortunately, despite the apparent dangers some employers did not provide adequate protection or take measures to prevent exposure.
The following is a list of occupations known to have put workers at risk of asbestos exposure. The list is not complete and final and you may have worked in a different occupation and experienced exposure to asbestos.
• Carpenters and Joiners
• Boiler, Pipe and Heating Workers
• Shipbuilding/Shipyard Workers
• Navy Seamen
• Dockworkers
• Laggers and Sprayers
• Mechanics
• Plumbers and Gasfitters
• Roofers
• Construction and Demolition Workers
• Painters and Decorators
• Electricians
• Railway Workers and Coach Construction
• Engineers
• Power Station Workers
• Laboratory and Research
• Asbestos Manufacture and Sales
Exposure was not limited to those who worked directly with asbestos. Mesothelioma can develop following para-occupational exposure. This means asbestos being taken outside the workplace and perhaps into the home on the work clothes of someone working with it, or following environmental exposure, for example, living near an asbestos factory.
The following is a list of occupations known to have put workers at risk of asbestos exposure. The list is not complete and final and you may have worked in a different occupation and experienced exposure to asbestos.
• Carpenters and Joiners
• Boiler, Pipe and Heating Workers
• Shipbuilding/Shipyard Workers
• Navy Seamen
• Dockworkers
• Laggers and Sprayers
• Mechanics
• Plumbers and Gasfitters
• Roofers
• Construction and Demolition Workers
• Painters and Decorators
• Electricians
• Railway Workers and Coach Construction
• Engineers
• Power Station Workers
• Laboratory and Research
• Asbestos Manufacture and Sales
Exposure was not limited to those who worked directly with asbestos. Mesothelioma can develop following para-occupational exposure. This means asbestos being taken outside the workplace and perhaps into the home on the work clothes of someone working with it, or following environmental exposure, for example, living near an asbestos factory.
Self Techiniques
Breathing is often easier if the person sits up and leans forward with their arms supported, for example on a table.
Standing and leaning forward can also help.
Sitting at a table with head resting on pillows or forearms or standing upright, hips and back leaning against a wall may also help.
A fan may also help by blowing cool air onto the face. Similarly sitting by an open window often helps.
The use of oxygen is not usually required unless specifically recommended by a doctor. In the majority of cases a flow of cool air works just as well.
Breathing control techniques can help patients to regain a sense of mastery over distressing shortness of breath. These simple techniques can be taught by physiotherapists, some Macmillan or lung cancer nurses, palliative medicine or hospice teams or through ‘Breathe Easy’ groups run by the British Lung Foundation.
Breathlessness can make people anxious. If anxiety is severe it can make the breathlessness worse. In addition to learning breathing control, a light sedative available such as lorazepam or diazepam may help. Relieving anxiety also helps to relieve muscular tension in the chest wall which affects breathing.
Relaxation exercises, self-hypnosis or visualisation are techniques that can also help patients deal with breathlessness – they are often taught by complementary therapists and advice can be obtained from Macmillan nurses, palliative care teams or hospices.
Standing and leaning forward can also help.
Sitting at a table with head resting on pillows or forearms or standing upright, hips and back leaning against a wall may also help.
A fan may also help by blowing cool air onto the face. Similarly sitting by an open window often helps.
The use of oxygen is not usually required unless specifically recommended by a doctor. In the majority of cases a flow of cool air works just as well.
Breathing control techniques can help patients to regain a sense of mastery over distressing shortness of breath. These simple techniques can be taught by physiotherapists, some Macmillan or lung cancer nurses, palliative medicine or hospice teams or through ‘Breathe Easy’ groups run by the British Lung Foundation.
Breathlessness can make people anxious. If anxiety is severe it can make the breathlessness worse. In addition to learning breathing control, a light sedative available such as lorazepam or diazepam may help. Relieving anxiety also helps to relieve muscular tension in the chest wall which affects breathing.
Relaxation exercises, self-hypnosis or visualisation are techniques that can also help patients deal with breathlessness – they are often taught by complementary therapists and advice can be obtained from Macmillan nurses, palliative care teams or hospices.
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