Mesothelioma is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. While knowledge has increased over the past years, doctors and scientists alike still know relatively little about this aggressive disease that strikes the membranes encasing the lungs (pleura). What is known is the challenge in finding effective treatment options for both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma is the more common form of the disease, and as a result, doctors have a slight advantage in treating this type. Patients who develop peritoneal mesothelioma often face more promising prognoses, but fewer options when the outlook is less positive. The recent release of study results from the Columbia University Medical Center in New York City on potential peritoneal mesothelioma treatments comes as welcome news -- particularly to New York mesothelioma lawyers who represent many patients suffering from the disease.

Study Results

According to the American Journal of Oncology, the study reviewed a treatment regimen incorporating surgery, multiagent intraperitoneal chemotherapy and abdominal radiation. Results showed a median overall survival of 70 months and a three-year survival rate of 67%.

Why is this important?

While a three year survival rate may not sound like much to the layperson in good health, the truth is that any victory in the fight against mesothelioma is a major one. This cancer is different from many others in that doctors do understand its cause; asbestos exposure.

Today companies in the Unites States follow strict laws regarding the use of asbestos, but corporate greed in decades past has produced a legacy of truly preventable cancer. Workers exposed to asbestos as long as 60 years ago can develop mesothelioma today.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, your first step should be to contact a New York mesothelioma lawyer with experience in asbestos litigation. There are limits on the time in which you can file, so immediate action is important to secure compensation.

This article was submitted by Deirdre Reedy on behalf of Belluck & Fox, LLP

Belluck & Fox, LLP

The attorneys of Belluck & Fox, LLP help victims of asbestos -- including mesothelioma, unsafe products, toxic chemicals, medical malpractice, construction accidents, and serious injuries. Asbestos-related illnesses are a special focus of the firm -- they have filed mesothelioma cases across the state of New York and are dedicated to representing those affected by the disease.

For more information about mesothelioma or to discuss your case, call Belluck & Fox toll-free at 1-877-LAW-NY07 or visit the website at