Asbestos News

Some people who develop mesothelioma are unsure of whether they were exposed to asbestos, but 69-year-old George Harris of Beacon Park recently told ThisIsPlymouth.com that he remembers particles of the substance falling around him like snow when he worked as a pipefitter for 37 years.

The news provider reported that Harris was diagnosed with mesothelioma in his right lung in May 2010 after experiencing recurring chest infections.

"I suspected I had mesothelioma, knowing what I know about asbestos. But to actually hear it from the doctor was traumatic, to say the least," Harris said, quoted by the news source.

Now that he is nearly finished with his second round of chemotherapy, Harris said he hopes that his cancer will be stabilized.

The Mayo Clinic reports that mesothelioma is often an aggressive disease that cannot be cured. Some methods of treating the condition may include a combination of surgery to remove fluid buildup or tissues, and chemotherapy or radiation therapy, the organization explains.

According to the World Health Organization, 107,000 people die each year from asbestos-related illnesses.