Mesothelioma Treatment and Prevention
A precise diagnosis of mesothelioma is essential for successful treatment. Cancer is often misdiagnosed as other benign diseases that make a person receive various unnecessary treatments. Most patients with mesothelioma cancer are already in an advanced stage when the correct diagnosis is made. That is why early mesothelioma treatment is important to avoid death caused by the disease.
source: Research Gate
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers most of the body's internal organs — the mesothelium. It is a rare form of cancer, accounting for less than 1% of diagnosed cancers. Having a good knowledge and understanding of cancer patients' health issues is important, especially to the friends and family members who are always looking out for them. This information will focus on mesothelioma treatment and its importance in easing pain and management of the disease.
According to statistics, it has been revealed that there are as many as 50 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United Kingdom every year. However, the individual count often varies depending on the adverse conditions that may have surrounded the patients during their exposure or working with asbestos or past experiences. Frighteningly, it has also been figured out that this painful disease is known to have a higher mortality rate than even the other forms of cancer. Therefore, it is almost certain that any life could be under threat without Mesothelioma treatment.
Mesothelioma Treatment:
Because mesothelioma can take decades to develop after asbestos exposure, it is still common for people who contracted the disease through work decades ago (or even just through living near buildings containing asbestos) to suffer from it today.
It's clear why treatment is important for people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. But there are many other reasons why this kind of treatment is important:
keep you comfortable and relieve pain.
help you feel more optimistic about your future.
can help you maintain good health despite your diagnosis.
Before you choose a treatment, though, it's important to know what options are available for mesothelioma patients and how each one works.
Surgery:
If detected early enough, surgery may be an option to remove as much of the tumor as possible, followed by adjuvant treatment to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Pleurectomy with decortication:
This involves removing part of the lung lining and some tissue around it (the pleura) while leaving the lungs intact.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also be used to shrink tumors and slow tumor growth.
Other Mesothelioma Treatment:
Other treatments such as immunotherapy, gene therapy, and photodynamic therapy are being studied in clinical trials as possible methods for mesothelioma treatment.
All three have risks and side effects that should be weighed against the potential benefits before deciding. It's important to remember that while mesothelioma is serious, modern medical treatments have come a long way in treating this type of cancer.
Mesothelioma Prevention:
Mesothelioma is a challenging disease to prevent because it is often caused by exposure to asbestos in the workplace. However, there are some things that you can do to help prevent mesothelioma, and these include:
Getting regular checkups
Wearing protective gear at work
Keeping your home free of asbestos
Conclusion:
The best way to avoid developing mesothelioma is to avoid contact with asbestos. This can be done by working in an industry that does not use asbestos, maintaining proper ventilation when working around asbestos, and wearing protective clothing when working around asbestos. If you are exposed to asbestos, you must notify your doctor immediately so they can monitor you more closely and run tests if they are needed.
Also, read the Symptoms of Mesothelioma to know more about this disease.