Asbestos-Related Disorders Center - Westfield, MA
Westfield Pulmonologist Doctors for Asbestos-Related DisordersType of Physician: Pulmonologist What is a Pulmonologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on diseases of the lungs and airways. The pulmonologist diagnoses and treats pneumonia, cancer, asthma, occupational diseases, sleep disorders, emphysema, and other complex disorders of the lungs. Pulmonologists evaluate lung function, examine the bronchial airways, and prescribe and monitor mechanical ventilation. Many pulmonary disease experts are also expert in critical care. Specialty: Pulmonary Disease Common Name: Lung Doctor Pulmonologist Doctors in Westfield * Springfield Medical Associates  Springfield Medical Associates  Springfield Medical Associates  Hampden County Physician Associates LLC  Clifford I Prestia MD  Valley Pulmonary & Medical Associates  Mercy Medical Center ICU/CCU  Valley Pulmonary & Medical Associates  Valley Pulmonary & Medical Associates  Westfield Medical Corporation  RiverBend Medical Group Chicopee Office  Mohammad S Bajwa MD  Baystate Pulmonary  Baystate Pulmonary  Baystate Pulmonary  South Hadley Adult Medicine  David Alpern MD  Vladas Litani MD  Athol Clinic  Berkshire Medical Center Pulmonary Dept  Berkshire Medical Center Pulmonary Dept  Berkshire Medical Center Pulmonary Dept  Berkshire Medical Center Pulmonary Dept  Berkshire Medical Center Pulmonary Dept  UMass Memorial Pulmonary Center  UMass Memorial Pulmonary Center  UMass Memorial Pulmonary Center  UMass Memorial Pulmonary Center  Ronald Dorris MD  Fallon Clinic Pulmonary  Fallon Clinic Pulmonary  Fallon Clinic Pulmonary  Fallon Clinic Pulmonary  Fallon Clinic Pulmonary  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  UMass Memorial Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine  HealthAlliance Hospital Leominster Pulmonary Medicine  HealthAlliance Hospital Leominster Pulmonary Medicine  Inna Ketsler MD  HealthAlliance Hospital Leominster Pulmonary Medicine  Lung Allergy & Sleep Specialists  Lung Allergy & Sleep Specialists  Lung Allergy & Sleep Specialists  Lung Allergy & Sleep Specialists  Anthony M DeMarco MD  Clifford G Risk MD  Framingham Union Hospital Pulmonology  Framingham Union Hospital Pulmonology  MetroWest Medical Center Pulmonology  Charles River Medical Associates  Peter M Barkin MD  Peter M Barkin MD  Raul Laguarda MD  Mark B Bown MD  Hesameddin Karimeddiny MD  Emory Medical Associates  Caritas Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine  Lung Specialists of The Merrimack Valley  Lung Specialists of The Merrimack Valley  Lung Specialists of The Merrimack Valley  Lung Specialists of The Merrimack Valley  Beer & Vernovsky MDs  Beer & Vernovsky MDs  Beth Israel Deaconess Needham Emergency Medicine  Peter A Ostrow MD  Internists Associated PC Westfield, MassachusettsUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
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AsbestosWhat is asbestos?Asbestos is a family of naturally occurring silica compounds (similar to, but not the same as, the silica of window glass and computer chips). These substances form fibers with varying shapes and sizes and are found throughout the earth. There are three commonly available types of asbestos; chrysotile (white asbestos), amosite (brown asbestos), and crocidolite (blue asbestos). All three have been associated with cancerous and non-cancerous lung disease. Asbestos has been used frequently in a variety of building materials for insulation and as a fire retardant. Today, it is found most commonly in older homes - in pipes, furnaces, roof shingles, millboard, textured paints, coating materials, and floor tiles.
What are the types of asbestos-related lung disease?Lung disease from exposure to asbestos can be divided into three main types: 1) asbestosis, 2) disease of the lining of the lung (pleura), and 3) lung cancer.
All of the commonly available commercial forms of asbestos have been linked to cancerous and non-cancerous lung disease. Asbestos-related lung disease occurred at very high rates toward the middle of the 20th century, when patients who were exposed decades earlier to asbestos eventually developed disease. British asbestos workers were among the first who were observed to have lung cancer related to asbestos. Most current patients were once exposed to asbestos in:
Recommended Reading Related to AsbestosWhat is pleural effusion?A pleural effusion is a collection of fluid in the space between the two linings (pleura) of the lung. When we breathe, it is like a bellows. We inhale air into our lungs and the ribs move out and the diaphragm moves down. For the lung to expand, its lining has to slide along with the chest wall movement. For this to happen, both the lungs and the ribs are covered with a slippery lining called the pleura. A small amount of fluid acts as a lubricant for these two surfaces to slide easily against each other. Too much fluid impairs the ability of the lung to expand and move.
What causes pleural effusion?A pleural effusion is not normal. It is not a disease but rather a complication of an underlying illness. Extra fluid (effusion) can occur for a variety of reasons. Common classification systems divide pleural effusions based on the chemistry composition of the fluid and w... Other Related Asbestos-Related Disorders ArticlesEmergency Contact for Westfield
Nearby Westfield Hospitals *Western Massachusetts Hospital Baystate Medical Center Mercy Medical Center Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital Shriners Hospital for Children Noble Hospital Providence Hospital Kindred Hospital Park View Holyoke Medical Center HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts Cooley Dickinson Hospital Northampton VA Medical Center Wing Memorial Hospital & Medical Center Johnson Memorial Hospital Rockville General Hospital St Francis Care Hospital Mount Sinai Campus The Hospital at Hebrew Healthcare Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital St Francis Hospital & Medical Center Manchester Memorial Hospital Baystate Mary Lane Hospital Hungerford Emergency & Medical Care Connecticut Children's Medical Center Hartford Hospital Institute of Living Hartford Hospital University of Connecticut Health Center John Dempsey VA Connecticut Healthcare System Newington Campus Cedarcrest Hospital Hospital for Special Care The Hospital of Central Connecticut New Britain Campus Veterans Home & Hospital Rocky Hill Harrington Memorial Hospital Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Bristol Hospital Franklin Medical Center Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Asbestos by Our Doctors
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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Lung Cancer
- Lung cancer kills more men and women than any other form of cancer. Eight out of 10 lung cancers are due to tobacco smoke. Lung cancers are classified as either small cell or non-small cell cancers.
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Kidney Cancer
- There are several types of kidney cancer, including renal cell cancer (renal adenocarcinoma or hypernephroma), transitional cell carcinoma, and Wilms tumor. Symptoms of kidney cancer include blood in the urine, an abdominal lump or mass, chronic pain in the side, and tiredness. Treatment of kidney cancer--which may include surgery, arterial embolization, radiation therapy, biological therapy or chemotherapy--depends upon the stage of the disease and the patient's overall health.
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Esophageal Cancer
- Esophageal cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the esophagus. Risk factors of cancer of the esophagus include smoking, heavy alcohol use, Barrett's esophagus, being male and being over age 60. Severe weight loss, vomiting, hoarseness, coughing up blood, painful swallowing, and pain in the throat or back are symptoms. Treatment depends upon the size, location and staging of the cancer and the health of the patient.
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Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Pulmonary fibrosis is scarring throughout the lungs. Pulmonary fibrosis can be caused by many conditions including chronic inflammatory processes, infections, environmental agents, exposure to ionizing radiation, chronic conditions, and certain medications. Symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, and diminished exercise tolerance. Treatment options are dependent on the type of pulmonary fibrosis; lung transplant and/or medications are optons.
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Cancer
- Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
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Pleurisy (Pleuritis)
- Pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining around the lungs, is associated with sharp chest pain upon breathing in. Cough, chest tenderness, and shortness of breath are other symptoms associated with pleurisy. Pleurisy pain can be managed with pain medication and by external splinting of the chest wall.
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Larynx Cancer
- Symptoms of cancer of the larynx, the organ at the front of the neck, include hoarseness, a lump in the neck, sore throat, cough, problems breathing, bad breath, earache, and weight loss. Treatment for larynx cancer depends on the stage (the extent) of the disease. Radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy are all forms of treatment for laryngeal cancer.
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Pleural Effusion
- Pleural effusion is an excess fluid between the two membranes that envelop the lungs. There are two classifications of causes of pleural effusion; transudate and exudate. The treatment of pleural effusion depends on the cause.
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Interstitial Lung Disease
- Interstitial lung disease, is a term to describe a certain lung condition. Causes of interstitial lung disease include lung infection, exposure to toxins in the environment (asbestos for example), medications (chemotherapy), radiation therapy, and chronic autoimmune disorders. Common symptoms of interstitial lung disease include a dry cough and shortness of breath. Diagnosis and treatment depend upon the cause of the condition.
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Head and Neck Cancer
- Head and neck cancer is cancer of the oral cavity, salivary glands, paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, or lymph nodes in the upper part of the neck. These cancers account for 3% to 5% of cancers in the U.S. Tobacco and alcohol use are important risk factors. Treatment may involve surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy.
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Cancer Risk Factors
- Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
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Mesothelioma
- Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that forms in the chest lining (pleural mesothelioma), abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), and the heart sac (pericardial mesothelioma) in rare cases. Chest pain, shortness of breath, weight loss, and night sweats are symptoms and signs of mesothelioma. Treatment depends upon the stage and type of mesothelioma.
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Lung Anatomy
- The lungs are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood. Eliminating carbon dioxide from the blood is important, because as it builds up in the blood, headaches, drowsiness, coma, and eventually death may occur. The air we breathe in (inhalation) is warmed, humidified, and cleaned by the nose and the lungs.
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Lung Cancer
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