Cancer is the last diagnosis that anyone wants to receive from their doctor. However, there are thousands of new cases diagnosed in the United States every month. The type of cancer that someone has and the stage to which it progressed will influence what options they have regarding treatment and their chance of making a full recovery.
Mesothelioma is a very aggressive and deadly cancer. It tends to metastasize quite quickly after diagnosis and does not respond well to traditional treatments utilized by oncologists. Neither chemotherapy nor radiation treatments have made much progress in slowing the spread of mesothelioma, let alone helping patients achieve remission. However, a recent, relatively small study is offering hope to mesothelioma patients.
What doctors attempted
Immunotherapy seems to be the most promising option for mesothelioma treatment. This novel approach to cancer treatment involves teaching the immune system to fight cancer without the use of drugs. Despite no actual cure emerging yet, researchers have continued to hone their approach.
Recently, some doctors administered immunotherapy to patients before doing a surgical removal of cancerous tissue. Those patients saw limited and slower cancer regrowth. There was a nearly universal positive reaction among the patients involved in the study, and therefore more research into the administration of immunotherapy prior to mesothelioma tumor excision is likely necessary.
There have also been reports of moderate success when combining certain specialty drugs with traditional cancer treatments. There’s little question that researchers continue to push the envelope and look for an answer for this typically deadly form of cancer, but those new treatments will usually be quite expensive.
Those who worked with asbestos may need support
Anyone who handled asbestos in a professional environment or even lived with someone who did is likely at elevated risk of developing mesothelioma in the future. Not only do workers often get this cancer, but their family members can become ill as well.
Seeking compensation from an employer or an asbestos bankruptcy trust could help someone with mesothelioma pay for cutting-edge care that is not yet available through standard health insurance. Following the advances made in mesothelioma treatment and seeking legal guidance whenever necessary can help people who are battling or are worried about this cancer.