Mesothelioma Law Blog

Reading Your Hands For Mesothelioma

Researchers came to this conclusion after studying the palms of a woman tested positive for ovarian cancer.

74-year-old woman who was otherwise healthy sought medical help for hard lumps that had developed on her palms.

Doctors could not find anything obviously wrong, but she was tested for - and diagnosed with - ovarian cancer after they read medical literature and found that the lumps (called palmar fasciitis) were a rare sign of the disease.

If the tips of your fingers are dome-shaped or look like small clubs, it could be a warning sign of serious diseases such as lung cancer, TB or mesothelioma - a deadly lung disease linked to asbestos. It is due to the build-up of a substance called PGE2 which helps dampen down inflammation in the lungs. It is thought lung tumours send production of PGE2 into overdrive, churning out 10 times the amount the body needs. It builds up in the finger tips and causes swelling.
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Flood Cleanup Tips

Household Chemicals: Recent flooding has left behind numerous types of debris, including common household chemicals. Though these items may seem harmless, extreme caution should be used when cleaning up damaged containers and chemicals.

Wear rubber gloves, avoid breathing fumes or dust and only work in a well-ventilated area. Do not combine products. Household hazardous wastes should be separated from other wastes before disposal. Never dump chemicals down drains, storm sewers or toilets. Also, never burn these products. If no collection program is available, household hazardous waste may be taken to a permitted sanitary landfill.

Tanks, Drums and Barrels: Recent flooding may have scattered sealed tanks, drums and barrels onto neighboring properties.

These items should only be handled by trained professionals, as they may contain dangerous materials. Contact the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Environmental Emergency Response (EER) at 573-634-2436 or your local fire department for assistance.

If a propane tank is found in disaster debris, a gas distribution company may be able to identify the tank and return it to its place of origin. Propane tanks have serial numbers to help identify owners. Unknown propane tanks and cylinders can be associated with methamphetamine drug production and could be dangerous. If a propane tank or above-ground storage tank is believed to be dangerous, call the department's EER.

Avoiding Asbestos Exposure: Those cleaning up damage caused by recent flooding should take precautions to avoid exposure to asbestos, which can cause scarring of the lungs, mesothelioma and lung cancer. Asbestos was used in a variety of building materials but structures built since 1980 should not contain significant amounts of asbestos.

Institutional, public, industrial or residential structures, excluding residential structures that contain four or fewer dwelling units, must be inspected by a Missouri-certified asbestos inspector for the presence of asbestos prior to being cleaned up, renovated or demolished. Debris should be kept wet to minimize asbestos emissions.
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