ADAO Action Points!
Asbestos Awareness Day
April 1st
Visit the ADAO eLibrary Details »
Support ADAO... Donate!
Help us continue the fight, donate securely today. Click the "PayPal Donate" button.
Medical Resources
Medical Resource Index
Asbestos Exposure and Your Health (Web)
ADAO Early Warning Symptoms (PDF)
ADAO High Risk Occupations (PDF)
NCI-How To Find a Doctor or Treatment Facility If You Have Cancer (Web)
Patient and Care-Giver Support (PDF)
Patient and Caregiver Books (Word)
ADAO Prevention (Web)
National Cancer Institute - Cancer Facts Web Site
— NCI Cancer Facts Web Site Link: "How To Find a Doctor or Treatment Facility If You Have Cancer"
If you have been diagnosed with cancer, finding a doctor and treatment facility for your cancer care is an important step to getting the best treatment possible. Although the health care system is complex, resources are available to guide you in finding a doctor, getting a second opinion, and choosing a treatment facility. Follow the link above to the NCI Cancer Facts Web site for suggestions and information resources to help you with these important decisions.
Asbestos Exposure and Your Health
Contrary to popular belief, the U.S. has not banned asbestos. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated that at least 10,000 people die each year from asbestos-related diseases.
Asbestos exposure is linked to asbestosis, lung & gastrointestinal cancers, and an aggressive cancer called mesothelioma. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause permanent and irreversible damage to vital organs. Disease occurs 10 - 50 years after exposure. The undiagnosed need to STOP AND THINK about possible occupational or environmental asbestos exposure when asked by their doctors.
Early detection is often difficult; asbestos related disease symptoms are generally vague and can be easily confused with other illnesses such as pneumonia. Only a doctor can properly diagnose asbestos related diseases.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), in conjunction with other government agencies, continues to examine the health effects of asbestos. The ATSDR Web site makes available information already produced on the topic and will provide new information as it becomes available.
Cancer Signs and Symptoms
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Persistent pain in the lower back, shoulder, or chest wall
- Shortness of breath
- Appearance of lump or mass on chest wall
- New onset of persistent dry cough
- Coughing up blood
- Persisting loss of energy, fatigue or anemia
- Loosing weight for no apparent reason
- Onset of hoarseness or a change in voice
- Persistent swelling of face and/or arms
- Muscle weakness
- Abdominal pain and or distention
- Nausea and or vomiting
- Fluid in the abdominal cavity or in the chest lining
Important Notice: ADAO does not make medical diagnosis, recommend treatment, or answer specific patient questions. Specific concerns should be addressed directly with your treating physician.
High Risk Occupations
Occupations with a high risk of asbestos exposure include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Workers involved in the manufacture of asbestos products
- Asbestos mining and milling
- Construction trades (including insulators, sheet metal workers, electricians, plumbers, pipe fitters, and carpenters)
- Power plant workers
- Boilermakers
- Shipyard workers
- Firefighters
- Teachers
- Veterans
Knowledge is Power
Email your non-patient specific to our ADAO Medical Advisory Board to discuss treatment options, side effect management and general issues.
Specific concerns should be addressed directly with your treating physician.
Up-To-Date:
Up-To-Date is a website specifically designed to answer clinical medical questions for patients and physicians.
Medical records and diagnostic reports routinely needed for referrals and second opinions include:
- Recent medical records
- Chest X-rays
- CAT scans of the chest and abdomen
- MRIs and bone scans
- Whole body PET scan films and reports
- Pathology slides and reports
- Pulmonary functions tests
- Blood tests
Asbestos-Related Websites
Hospitals and Institutions specializing in Asbestos Related Diseases
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Chicago Hospitals - Mesothelioma Reference
USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital
Federal Agencies, Associations, Institutes and Societies
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Cancer Institute (NCI) - Malignant Mesothelioma
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
National Institutes for Health (NIH)
National Jewish Medical and Research Center
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
World Trade Center (WTC) Health Registry
Federal Safety And Prevention Information
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)
National Support Organizations
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis
Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation - MARF
International
Asbestos Victims Support Group — UK
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization — US
International Ban Asbestos Secretariat — UK
The Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia
Labor Organizations
American Federation of Teachers — AFT
International Association of Fire Fighters
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Federal Agencies, Organizations and Congress
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Social Security Disability Programs
Support U.S. Senator Patty Murray to Ban Asbestos
U.S. Department of Labor - Occupational Safety & Health Administration
FirstGov.gov — The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal
U.S. Senators — Contact Information
Contact ADAO
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
1525 Aviation Boulevard, Suite 318
Redondo Beach, California 90278
info@AsbestosDiseaseAwareness.org
www.AsbestosDiseaseAwareness.org