Mesothelioma Treatment Options
Although they have not been scientifically proved to cure mesothelioma certain CAM treatments may alleviate symptoms or reduce treatment adverse effects. These therapies should be incorporated with a primary mesothelioma treatment and used under a doctor's supervision.
It is important to always communicate with your medical team before attempting a new therapy. Certain CAM techniques can interfere with conventional treatment or trigger complications.
Chemotherapy
The treatment of a patient's mesothelioma is contingent on a variety of aspects such as their general health and the stage of their disease. Doctors generally suggest standard treatments for cancer like chemotherapy and surgery. Some patients may also receive targeted treatments or immunotherapy, which are emerging treatments that have gained traction in recent years. The treatment of mesothelioma is a long process as doctors have to make sure that the cancer doesn't develop a recurrence. Chemotherapy is usually performed in a hospital setting or at home. Patients suffering from mesothelioma can suffer from severe side-effects after chemo, including nausea and fatigue, hair loss, and itchy skin. These symptoms can disrupt a person's daily routine and can cause fatigue, which can lead to stress levels rising. Mesothelioma patients often seek complementary and alternative treatments to alleviate these side effects.
Mesothelioma patients can get relief from their symptoms by incorporating a variety of holistic techniques in their treatment. These supplemental mesothelioma treatments are referred to as integrative or alternative. These CAMs do not cure mesothelioma, but can improve the quality of life for those suffering from this cancer and its treatment.
Alternative and complementary treatments include acupuncture and yoga, meditation, music, and massages for cancer. These therapies have been known to ease the mesothelioma pain. Konopka is one example. He has experienced pain in his ribs since when he was diagnosed with Pleural mesothelioma. The acupuncture program at the clinic where he receives cancer treatment has helped him to reduce his rib-cage pain.
These treatments can be utilized by patients suffering from mesothelioma to treat specific side effects of conventional cancer treatments, like nausea and fatigue. They can also use these treatments to ease depression and anxiety - two common symptoms of mesothelioma and cancer. Patients with mesothelioma receive support through individual counseling, group counseling, therapy, aromatherapy, and hypnotherapy. A mesothelioma expert can suggest these options, and give patients information on how to safely mix complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with conventional cancer treatment. For more information, call mesothelioma specialists in a cancer center.
Surgery
Exposure to asbestos fibers is the reason mesothelioma. These fibers are entangled in the thin lining of the lungs or abdomen, where they can grow into tumors. Doctors treat mesothelioma with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Palliative care can be offered to patients. These treatments can help relieve symptoms and make patients more comfortable. However, mesothelioma is still an extremely dangerous disease. Therefore, patients suffering from mesothelioma should only seek out alternative treatments from certified mesothelioma specialists.
Alternative cancer treatments have been used by many mesothelioma sufferers to complement their standard treatment strategies. Alternative methods include yoga, acupuncture and massage therapy. Some of these techniques are not scientifically proven or claim to cure disease. Certain of these methods could even harm the patient.
Many mesothelioma patients are concerned about these treatment methods. A mesothelioma expert can explain the benefits of these alternative cancer treatments and how they can be used in conjunction with other types of mesothelioma treatment.
The main objective of alternative treatments for mesothelioma is to lessen the patient's anxiety and stress. These treatments also aid patients to deal with the adverse effects of their conventional mesothelioma treatment. These symptoms include fatigue, weakness, nausea, pain and depression. Alternative therapies for mesothelioma could be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with other treatments.
Mesothelioma surgeries are typically performed in specially-designed hospitals or surgical centers. These centers have doctors and nurses who specialize in mesothelioma, along with medical tools and equipment.
When patients undergo surgery, they are typically put under general anesthesia. They may feel feeling confused, groggy or nauseated when they wake up. However, mesothelioma doctors and nurses can reduce these symptoms by prescribing painkillers.
After surgery, patients need to eat a balanced diet to maintain energy and strength. Patients must also remain hydrated. A healthy diet can lower the chance of getting infections after surgery. Furthermore, mesothelioma researchers have been continuing to study new treatments for the disease. These experimental treatments could someday help extend a patient's life after mesothelioma surgery.
Radiation
Mesothelioma patients may undergo radiation therapy to kill cancer cells that cannot be removed through surgery or chemotherapy. The treatment uses high energy radiation that targets tumors. Doctors can alter the radiation dose so that it does not harm healthy cells. Radiation can be used in conjunction with other treatments, including chemotherapy and surgery. Patients who have mesothelioma that receive this treatment as part a multimodal treatment regimen for mesothelioma experience improved survival rates.
A doctor may also prescribe immunotherapy or targeted therapy in addition to traditional mesothelioma treatment options. These therapies can assist patients manage mesothelioma-related symptoms such as nausea, fatigue and pain, and improve their quality of living.
Alternative cancer treatments such as meditation, acupuncture, or yoga are often sought by mesothelioma sufferers to cope with the negative side effects of standard treatment. These techniques can ease anxiety and stress, and make it easier for cancer patients to undergo chemotherapy. However, these treatments are not shown to increase mesothelioma survival or send the disease into remission.
Certain mesothelioma treatment centers have integrated cancer care programs that combine clinically-proven alternative therapies with conventional medical treatment. These programs focus on treating the whole patient, and include body-based therapies like acupuncture, massage and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), that are designed to relieve pain and relieve anxiety. These programs include mind-body techniques like yoga, tai chi, and meditation.
Mesothelioma patients might also consider lifestyle and dietary changes to control their mesothelioma. Different studies have proven that some foods, herbs and supplements may reduce the side effects of chemotherapy as well as other standard mesothelioma treatments.
While these treatments aren't able of curing mesothelioma, or even put it into remission, they can improve the quality of life of patients and give them more confidence in their fight against the disease. As more research is conducted, more mesothelioma treatments will likely be developed and discovered which include targeted therapy and immunotherapy, both of which have proven effective in extending the duration of survival.
In this way, mesothelioma patients should discuss their specific medical requirements and preferences with their physician in order to determine the best option for treatment. Kazan Brown's mesothelioma lawyers have helped people of all backgrounds find the best treatment options for their health issues.
Body-Based Therapies
Mesothelioma patients often experience a number of different symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue and pain. Many cancer centers offer alternative and complementary therapies to help patients deal with these symptoms and the side effects of standard mesothelioma treatment. Some of these therapies include yoga meditation and acupuncture. These methods rare mesothelioma treatment have been studied scientifically in cancer patients, and may offer mesothelioma sufferers a better quality of life during treatment.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer caused by the inhalation or ingestion of asbestos fibers in the form of microscopic. These asbestos fibers accumulate within the thin lung lining and abdomen, and can cause scarring over time. Patients with symptoms can receive different treatments, including surgery, chemo and radiation. Mesothelioma patients should consult with an expert on mesothelioma in order to determine the best treatment plan for their situation.
Immunotherapy, which is a novel treatment for mesothelioma works to strengthen the body's natural defenses against cancer by targeting the cells that cancerous cell use to multiply and grow. Immunotherapy can be used as a stand-alone option or in combination with surgery and other chemotherapy drugs to increase the chance of a complete response to treatment.
Patients who have tried conventional treatment but were unable to achieve the desired results could benefit from a mesothelioma immunetherapy trial. These trials are testing the efficacy of drugs such as ipilimumab and nivolumab and pembrolizumab in combination with surgery or other chemotherapy drugs.
Researchers are also looking at ways to improve immunotherapy treatments for mesothelioma. This includes attempting to identify biomarkers that indicate whether the patient will benefit from the drug. It is also crucial to study why immunotherapy appears to work in some patients, but not others.
As research into mesothelioma develops doctors will be better positioned to identify what treatment options are the most efficient. Multimodal treatment is the most commonly used one, and consists of a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Other innovative treatments like the tumor-treating fields device, Optune Lua and two immunotherapy drugs known as Opdivo and Yervoy have been approved for mesothelioma patients that cannot undergo surgery.