Mesothelioma Treatment
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Treatment for Noncancerous Illnesses
Unfortunately, there are few treatment options for patients diagnosed with noncancerous lung diseases from chronic exposure. No cure exists for asbestosis or other lung diseases caused by chronic exposure to asbestos.
Therefore, treatment involves preventing further complications and treating symptoms. The most important steps are preventing further exposure and ceasing any tobacco smoking activities. Once such measures are taken, these diseases may either remain stable or progress in severity even in the absence of further exposure. The diseases rarely regress.
Treatment for Cancerous Illnesses
If you are diagnosed with cancer, specifically lung cancer or mesothelioma, your primary healthcare provider will refer you to an oncologist for treatment. An oncologist is a doctor who specializes in the treatment of cancer. Oncologists often specialize in certain types of cancer, so you should consider looking for those specializing in mesothelioma or lung cancer.
For a patient with mesothelioma, the treatment options an oncologist will recommend are normally based on both the overall health of the patient and the "stage" of the illness. Identifying stages is a system developed by doctors to evaluate the progression of a disease. In the case of mesothelioma, doctors have developed three different staging systems. The first is the Butchart System, which looks at the extent of the primary tumor mass. The second is the TNM System, which looks at the tumor mass, lymph node involvement, and metastasis. And the third is the Brigham system, which looks at the ability to remove tumors surgically and lymph node involvement.
After assessing overall health and the stage of the disease, the treatment options most often available include surgery, chemotherapy or special clinical trials. However, some oncologists may also recommend immunotherapy or gene therapy in certain cases.
Because there are a variety of treatment options available, patients should not hesitate to ask about the pros and cons of each option. Therapeutic methods are constantly changing so finding the best treatment option for your situation can make all the difference.
Tell us about your situation.