There are treatments for people who catch the disease in its early stages, typically those who have the disease noticed inadvertently through a problem noted in a physical or other standard exam stand to benefit from these treatments. You can opt for surgery to remove the affected tissue if the tumors are not widespread and have that coupled with other therapies to reduce the possibility of tumors recurring.
You can also choose radiation and chemotherapy treatments at various levels of mesothelioma. If you have large tumors (or some that are causing problems like breathing troubles or obstruction), these treatments can relieve the symptoms even if they do little to slow the progress of the tumor formation.
Doctors’ Perspectives
There are a number of doctors who will treat you for mesothelioma. They typically work as a team that has specialists for each major area and a group that works with each specialist to provide you with the most thorough care available for your type of mesothelioma.
Diagnosing the disease is just the first step; this is usually done by your primary physician after a long battery of tests and extended discussions. You may not see every member of the following team but you will likely deal with most of them. Here are some of the other medical professionals you will regularly deal with during the course of your mesothelioma treatment, with a description of their jobs from their perspectives:
Primary Care Physician – I am your regular doctor who you may have been seeing for check ups and visits for years, or who you may just be getting to know. I handle all of your general health needs in my office and refer you to specialists should any problems arise that need attention. I am most likely the person who ran the tests that pointed us in the direction of mesothelioma. I will guide you through your treatment as a familiar face, point of contact and knowledgeable resource about the disease. I will direct you to the people in the cancer facility who will handle your particular case and be a member of the team that cares for you.
Medical Oncologist – I am trained in the medical treatment of cancer. I will discuss with you the details of your case and treatments that may work to improve your prognosis and quality of life. As your oncologist, I will specialize in the specific type of mesothelioma that you have. I will have an understanding of the latest research and techniques. I can refer you to clinical trials for drugs and treatments that may improve your chances of survival beyond what traditional treatments offer. Typically I specialize in one type of cancer treatment (radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery) and I may be joined by other oncologists to decide if a combination of treatments will best improve your health.
Pulmonologist – I have specialized training in lung disease and disorders. My training allows me to quickly assess symptoms and diagnose problems in the lungs which allow me to suggest treatments to improve the chances of a mesothelioma patient. I will discuss the effects of different treatments with the oncologists to decide the best way to handle your case.
Thoracic or Abdominal Surgeon – I am a physician who specializes in heart, lung, chest and esophageal or abdominal surgery. When dealing with mesothelioma, I can determine whether a candidate should have surgery to remove the affected tissue and if that surgery has high odds of success. I am able to assess the conditions of the mesothelium in the lung cavity and the heart cavity. Since the disease tends to spread rapidly, I can monitor the growth and do multiple assessments of the patient’s worthiness for surgery.
Pathologist – I am a disease specialist. It is my job to evaluate the way cells change and grow in the presence of mesothelioma. I am well versed in cancer information and treatment. I have an in depth understanding of the inner workings of the disease and can offer insight into the value of treatments. I examine your body cavities and assess the damage done by testing the fluid that builds up in the area. In many cases, you will never even see my face. I work in a lab in the cancer center, sometimes even off site. A large portion of my job is doing post mortems to document the mesothelioma case.
Respiratory Therapist – I handle the monitoring of any breathing related problems you might experience. I handle the machinery that you may be hooked up to and keep track of changes in your breathing habits. Since most forms of mesothelioma affect the lungs (even if the problem is not located in the lungs), it is important that I maintain regular contact with patients to make regular assessments of their conditions.
Non-Medical Team Members of mesothelioma
In addition to caring for the physical needs of the patient, there are also members of the team who handle your psychological well being. These members of the team discuss your emotional issues and the trauma of being suddenly thrust into the world of serious illness. Some team members include:
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