Mesothelioma Treatment Options
CAM treatments have not been proved to cure mesothelioma. However, they may lessen the effects or symptoms of treatment. These therapies should be incorporated with a mesothelioma therapy and used under a doctor's supervision.
It is essential to talk to your medical team before attempting a new therapy. Some CAM techniques may interfere with conventional treatment or create complications.
Chemotherapy
A patient's mesothelioma treatment is contingent on a variety of aspects, including their general health and stage of their disease. Typically, doctors recommend standard cancer treatments like chemotherapy and surgery. Certain patients may also be offered targeted therapies or immunotherapy which are emerging treatments that have gained popularity in recent years. The treatment for mesothelioma is lengthy as doctors have to make sure that the cancer doesn't recur. Often, chemotherapy is administered in a hospital or from the comfort of home. Patients suffering from mesothelioma can suffer from severe side-effects after chemotherapy, such as nausea and hair loss, fatigue and eruptions. These side effects can affect the daily routine of a person and lead to fatigue, which can increase stress levels. Mesothelioma patients frequently look for alternative and complementary therapies to ease these adverse effects.
Mesothelioma patients can find relief from their symptoms by incorporating a variety holistic approaches into their treatment plan. Mesothelioma-specific treatments are referred to as integrative or alternative medicine. These CAMs are not able to cure mesothelioma, but they can improve the quality of life for those suffering from this cancer and its treatment.
Alternative and complementary treatments could include acupuncture, meditation music therapy, yoga, and oncology massages. These modalities are tested to decrease the pain associated with mesothelioma. For instance, Konopka has experienced discomfort in his rib cage since receiving his diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma in 2017. The acupuncture program in the clinic where he receives his cancer treatment has helped him to reduce the pain in his ribs.
These treatments can be utilized by patients with mesothelioma to treat specific side effects of conventional treatment for cancer, including nausea and fatigue. They can also use these therapies to relieve depression and anxiety, which are both typical symptoms of mesothelioma and cancer. Patients with mesothelioma can also get help through one-on-one or group counseling, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy and exercise. A mesothelioma specialist will recommend these options and provide patients information on how to safely combine alternative and complementary therapies (CAM) with conventional cancer treatment. For more information, contact mesothelioma specialists at a cancer center.
Surgery
Mesothelioma can be caused by exposure to asbestos fibers that are microscopic. The asbestos fibers are caught in the thin lining that surrounds the abdomen or lungs where they can develop into tumors. Doctors treat mesothelioma by using chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Patients can also receive palliative care. These treatments alleviate symptoms and increase patient well-being. However, mesothelioma is still an extremely dangerous disease. Therefore, patients suffering from mesothelioma should only seek out alternative treatments from certified mesothelioma specialists.
Many patients with mesothelioma have utilized alternative cancer treatments in addition to their standard treatment plans. These alternative methods may include acupuncture, yoga, and massage therapy. Some of these methods aren't scientifically validated or claim to cure the disease. Some of these methods could even harm patients.
Many mesothelioma patients are concerned about these treatment methods. A mesothelioma expert will explain how these alternative cancer treatments work and explain how they can be used in conjunction with other types of mesothelioma treatments.
The primary goal of mesothelioma alternative therapies is to decrease the patient's stress and anxiety. These treatments can help patients deal better with the side consequences of their standard mesothelioma therapy. These side effects include fatigue, weakness, nausea, pain and depression. Alternative treatments for mesothelioma may be used alone or in combination with other treatments.
Mesothelioma surgeries often take place in hospitals that are specialized or surgical centers. In addition to having medical equipment and tools for performing procedures, these facilities have nurses and doctors who specialize in mesothelioma.
Patients are generally placed under general anesthesia whenever they undergo surgery. This can cause them to be groggy, confused or sick to their stomachs when they wake up. However, mesothelioma doctors and nurses can reduce these symptoms by prescribing pain relief.
After surgery, patients must consume a balanced diet in order to ensure strength and energy. Additionally, patients should remain well hydrated. A healthy diet can help reduce the chance of infection after surgery. Additionally, mesothelioma researchers are still pursuing new treatments for the disease. These new treatments could one day extend the life span of patients who have received mesothelioma treatment.
Radiation
The use of radiation therapy is to kill cancerous cells that can't be removed through surgery or chemotherapy. The treatment uses high energy radiation that mesothelioma treatment targets tumors. Doctors can alter the dose of radiation so as not to harm healthy cells. Radiation therapy can be utilized in combination with other treatments, such as chemotherapy and surgery. Mesothelioma patients who receive this treatment as part of a multimodal mesothelioma regimen have a higher chance of survival.
In addition to the standard mesothelioma therapies, a physician may prescribe immunotherapy or targeted therapies. These treatments can help patients manage symptoms of mesothelioma such as fatigue, nausea, and pain, as well as improve their quality of life.
Many mesothelioma patients seek alternative cancer treatments like yoga, acupuncture, and meditation, to deal with the negative side consequences of standard treatments. These practices can ease stress and anxiety and can make it easier to endure cancer treatments like chemotherapy. However, these treatments have not proven to increase mesothelioma survival or send the disease into the stage of remission.
Some mesothelioma clinics have integrated cancer programs that combine traditional and complementary therapies. These programs have been proven clinically and incorporate complementary therapies. These programs focus on the entire patient and include body-based treatments such as massage and acupuncture. They also incorporate Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation(TENS) which is a method developed to ease anxiety and pain. These programs also include mind-body techniques such as yoga, tai-chi, and meditation.
Patients suffering from mesothelioma are able to treat their illness by making dietary and lifestyle adjustments. Numerous studies have demonstrated that some food items, supplements and herbs can reduce the adverse effects of chemotherapy and other standard mesothelioma treatments.
These methods can improve the quality of life of patients and increase their confidence in the fight against mesothelioma. Additional mesothelioma treatment will be developed as more research is conducted, including targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and other treatments that have shown promise in extending the duration of survival.
Patients suffering from mesothelioma must discuss their medical needs and preferences in depth with their doctor in order to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for them. Kazan Brown's mesothelioma lawyers have helped people from all backgrounds to find the most appropriate treatment options for their health concerns.
Body-Based Therapies
Patients who have mesothelioma are often faced with different symptoms, such as breathlessness, fatigue and pain. Many cancer centers offer complementary and alternative therapies to help patients cope with these symptoms and side effects of standard mesothelioma treatment. Some of these therapies include yoga, meditation and Acupuncture. These techniques have been researched scientifically in cancer patients and may give mesothelioma patients better quality of life while receiving treatment.
Mesothelioma, a form of cancer, is caused by inhalation or ingestion of microscopic fibers of asbestos. These fibers settle in the lung lining as well as the abdomen, and cause scarring over time. Patients with symptoms can receive various treatments, such as surgery, chemo and radiation. Patients with mesothelioma should consult an expert to determine the most effective treatment plan.
Immunotherapy is a revolutionary mesothelioma treatment which is designed to enhance the body's natural defenses against tumors by targeting cells that cancerous cells make use of to multiply and grow. It can be used as a standalone option, or in combination with surgery and other chemotherapy drugs to increase the odds of a full response to treatment.
Patients who have tried traditional treatment but have not achieved the desired results could benefit from a mesothelioma immunotherapy trial. These trials are testing the effectiveness of drugs like nivolumab, ipilimumab and pembrolizumab when combined with surgery or other chemotherapy drugs.
Researchers are also looking for ways to improve mesothelioma immunotherapy treatments. This includes attempting to identify biomarkers that will tell if patients will respond to the treatment. It is also important to determine why immunotherapy appears to be effective in certain patients, but not all.
As mesothelioma research continues doctors will be able to determine the most effective mesothelioma treatment options. Multimodal treatment is the most popular, and involves a combination surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Other treatments that are innovative, such as the tumor-treating fields device, Optune Lua and two immunotherapy drugs called Opdivo and Yervoy have been approved for mesothelioma patients that are not able to undergo surgery.