MINNESOTA - A study that focuses on the link between taconite mining and asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, has expanded to include the state’s Silver Bay region in addition to the previous Iron Range area.
There is a taconite pellet processing and shipping facility in the Silver Bay region that has been operating since the 1950s.
The study began in 2007 and is being conducted by the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. They are planning on including respiratory health information for the former workers or the facility as well as their families to see how they have been affected.
Being exposed to asbestos can be extremely harmful. Asbestos is the sole cause of mesothelioma cancer, a deadly cancer for which there is no known cure of.
Each year, 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are discovered in the United States. The cancer is extremely difficult to diagnose and treat because symptoms may not develop for up to 50 years following initial exposure.
Even then, symptoms may not cause enough alarm for a victim to get checked out. Many times, mesothelioma patients only suffer from a cough or fever. Unfortunately, the window period to seek treatment is around 18 months after the cancer develops. Common treatments include surgery, radiation or chemotherapy and have been found to help many patients enter remission.
The study will hopefully lead to new insights about the disease. The project was funded by the state for $5 million after a large number of mesothelioma cases began to surface among taconite miners working in the northeastern part of the state.
Anyone who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma should contact a mesothelioma lawyer immediately. Many times, victims develop the cancer as a result of an employer’s negligence. If you or a loved one have worked in a facility that was known to have asbestos present, a mesothelioma lawyer will help you obtain medical help as well as compensation for your disease. Call today to set up an appointment with a mesothelioma lawyer near you.
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