Mesothelioma is an aggressive type of cancer that many individuals only learn about years (and often decades) after an initial asbestos exposure. Many patients who come to discover that they’re suffering from mesothelioma have a dismal prognosis once doctors diagnose their condition.
Those patients who discover that they’re suffering from mesothelioma are much like any other patient in that they often want to know if there are treatments to make them feel better or reverse fate if their condition appears to be terminal. Many of the available treatment options depend on the type of mesothelioma you have.
What is the best-case mesothelioma treatment scenario?
The best-case scenario is if your mesothelioma is resectable, meaning visible tumors or affected tissue can be removed. A patient in this instance may be able to have the cancerous mass removed before it spreads, thus resulting in a far more positive prognosis than if it is discovered once it’s metastasized when surgery may not be an option.
Unlike some cancers, mesothelioma is often not treatable, even if it’s caught at its earliest stages and doctors operate on a patient.
Doctors often order that a patient receives chemotherapy to treat unresectable cancer or an advanced stage. It’s unlikely that this treatment option will keep cancer at bay long-term. It may shrink the tumors but not completely eradicate them.
Research conducted by the American Cancer Society shows that patients who suffer from an unresectable version of mesothelioma can reap more significant benefits from receiving chemo in conjunction with other treatment options, including:
- The creation of electrical fields within the tumor.
- Targeted therapy drugs.
Many of the above-referenced treatment options may slow the progression of cancer but not completely eradicate it.
Deciding what treatment is best for your mesothelioma
Medical care is expensive, especially if it involves doctors taking a more aggressive stance in treating you. While your health insurance may cover some of your expenses, there may be co-pays or costs beyond your policy limits that insurance may not cover. The compensation that you may be able to recover from your former employer or anyone else responsible for your exposure to cancer-causing asbestos fibers may help you receive the best care possible.