Mesothelioma Treatment

Surviving Mesothelioma – What Are Your Options?

Surviving Mesothelioma - 01In considering any type of cancer, patients and their doctors no doubt will want to talk about survival rate. For some varieties of cancer, the survival rate is quite high and victims are reassured by numbers that indicate a good chance that – after some treatment – the individual can live cancer-free. For mesothelioma patients, historically, the picture hasn’t been so rosy. A diagnosis of mesothelioma some fifty, twenty, or even ten years ago carried with it a certain death sentence. Lately, however, the odds have improved a bit and some are making it past that all-important five-year mark, surviving mesothelioma.

Early Detection Key

Any oncologist will tell you that the key to beating cancer is to catch it at an early stage. Decades – and even years ago – if was nearly impossible to diagnose mesothelioma in Stage 1 or even Stage 2, when the disease was still largely contained and hadn’t spread from the pleura (or other primary location) to other parts of the body. Most victims of mesothelioma were (and still are) diagnosed at Stage 3 or 4, when the most obvious symptoms have begun to appear, prompting a trip to the doctor.

These days, however, researchers have been experimenting with locating
biomarkers that indicate the early presence of mesothelioma. Blood tests such as the MesoMark Assay© can be easily performed on someone who is a likely candidate for the disease. Positive results that appear before any symptoms are obvious mean a much higher chance of survival or a more positive prognosis for a longer life, far beyond the weeks or months usually suggested when a Stage 3 or 4 patient is diagnosed.

Surgery

Search the internet for mesothelioma survivors and you’ll find that many who are still living 5, 10, or 15 years after their diagnosis were able to opt for radical surgical procedures, such as the extrapleural pneumonectomy. This surgery involves the removal of the diseased lung as well as the pleura of that lung and often the diaphragm and the lining of the heart. (The linings of the organs are often replaced with a goretex-type material.) For a patient to survive this surgery, they must be in good health prior to the operation. Younger meso patients are often the best candidates for this surgery.

Clinical Trials

Patients who are willing to “take a chance” on a clinical trial are often awarded with some extra time, though there hasn’t yet been a drug or other therapy that has presented a cure for this dreaded disease. The downside is that, because these drugs or therapies are in the testing stage, the risks are not always apparent. Your doctor can direct you to the options for participating in such trials and he/she and the trial coordinators will be honest about the risks and advantages connected with the testing.

New, Approved Therapies

Oncologists are finding that stepping outside of the box sometimes helps when treating mesothelioma. Newer therapies such as immunotherapy and gene therapy might be the answer to slowing the progress of the disease, for example, and maybe even eventually offering a cure. Be open to trying something less well-tested (but still FDA approved) as treatment options for your disease.

Most of all, you’ll want to make sure you’re using an oncologist who is extremely well-versed in the treatment of mesothelioma. This may not mean the doctor at the hospital around the corner from your home. Research those who are making the most strides in treating asbestos-caused cancer and be open to perhaps visiting a doctor elsewhere who can provide the best consultation available and offer the treatments that will best increase your chance for survival.

Mesothelioma Insurance Claims

mesothelioma insurance claims - 01Health insurance. It’s one of those issues that have people perplexed these days, especially with new healthcare laws in place and so many choices to make when it comes to coverage. In mesothelioma insurance claims, Americans can only hope they’re carrying the right policy, especially when a catastrophic illness comes into the picture.

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, no doubt your thoughts will eventually turn to expenses and the cost of treating the disease. Like any form of cancer, mesothelioma can be quite costly to treat, and there’s certainly more than meets the eye when it comes to considering all the expenses associated with the disease, not only direct medical costs but also costs that include transportation to appointments, in-home nursing care, and more. Indeed, cancer care costs can soar to hundreds of thousands of dollars in no time at all.

Reviewing Your Policy

One of the first things you or a family member will need to do is to be in touch with your insurance character to learn what will be covered and what will not, what your coverage limits are, and what might fall into the gray area, so to speak. Depending on your age and other circumstances, you may have a primary insurer (companies like Aetna, Blue Cross, Travelers, etc.) and a supplemental insurer (Medicare/Medicaid) as well. You’ll need to have conversations with both if that is the case. Others might only be covered by one or the other.

You may be able to find answers to some of your questions by going through your policy-related materials, but in many cases it’s a good idea to call your benefits representative to clarify your coverage. You’ll want to ask questions about issues such as:
 Co-pays
 Need for pre-authorization for specialists, etc.
 Ability to choose own doctors (or need to choose from a network)
 Ability to change doctors if unsatisfied

Do not be afraid to ask questions again and again, especially if something isn’t clear. It is necessary for you to be certain what expenses are covered and for what you may wind up being responsible. If the representative to whom you are speaking is not clear, ask to speak to someone else until you’re satisfied.

Veterans Benefits

Many mesothelioma patients are veterans. That means that their benefits may come from a different direction and that the Veterans Administration will most likely be involved. For example, the veteran may opt to go to veteran-specific hospitals for treatment. The 150+ VA hospitals in the United States offer a wide range of services, including oncology care, and there may be one in your area or one that’s a right fit for you and your disease challenges.

Remember, however, veterans needn’t limit themselves to treatment at VA hospitals. As a matter of fact, the VA may suggest a facility outside their system that is better suited for your care. However, some prescriptions may be available from the VA for little or no cost, even if you’re not using one of their hospitals.

A good place to look for Veterans-related resources is the website for the Disabled Veterans National Foundation. Check out their page entitled “BaRN” or Benefits and Resources Navigation. It offers a growing database of resources for Vets. Can’t find the answers? Call (202) 737-0522 or email the Disabled Veterans Foundation at resources@dvnf.org

Immunotherapy Shows Promise in Treatment of Mesothelioma

Immunotherapy Shows Promise in Treatment of MesotheliomaFor oncologists, mesothelioma can be one of the most frustrating cancers. It’s easy to understand why. Often, because of its long latency period, the disease is not detected until it has reached Stages 3 or 4. That means the cancer is already quite advanced and has usually spread to other parts of the body, making treatment quite tricky.

Quite honestly, treatments – including chemo and radiation – often do little to halt the growth of mesothelioma tumors and may only be used for palliative reasons. Doctors who treat mesothelioma regularly know that the prognosis isn’t good for their patients; a large percentage of mesothelioma victims die within a year of diagnosis.

That’s not to say, however, that there isn’t something better on the horizon. And right now, that something better just might be immunotherapy.

What is Immunotherapy?

According to the American Cancer Society, immunotherapy is “treatment that uses certain parts of a person’s immune system to fight diseases such as cancer.” This can be done by “stimulating your own immune system to work harder or smarter to attack cancer cells or giving you immune system components, such as man-made immune system proteins.”

Experiments with immunotherapy have been conducted for more than a century but it’s only been in the last decade or so that many strides have been made with this kind of cancer treatment. Many oncologists see it as a bright spot on the horizon, even in the treatment of mesothelioma, which has traditionally responded little to any type of conventional treatment.

Mesothelioma and Immunotherapy

Studies using a cancer immunotherapy drug known as pembrolizumab, something researchers call a PD-1 inhibitor, show much promise in regards to the shrinking of tumors associated with mesothelioma. As a matter of fact, results released in April 2015 from a study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia show that the drug either shrank or halted the growth of tumors in about 76 percent of pleural mesothelioma patients who participated in the trial.

“The 76 percent disease control rate in this set of patients previously treated for malignant pleural mesothelioma is very promising and represents a signal of efficacy in the treatment of this disease,” said Evan W. Alley, MD, PhD and head of Penn Medicine’s Mesothelioma and Pleural Program. “Our team was also gratified that none of our patients had unexpected side effects, there were no patient deaths related to the treatment, and we managed all adverse events without discontinuing treatment.”

Alley and his colleagues, including doctors from the UK, indicate that trials will be ongoing with this and other immunotherapy drugs.

Getting the Latest in Treatment

If you or a loved one has been the victim of mesothelioma, getting the best treatment as soon as possible is paramount. You’ll want to research the top hospitals where the best comprehensive work with the disease is being carried out, such as the above-mentioned University of Pennsylvania Hospital.

Take time to locate the doctors that are the most well-versed in the treatment of the disease and look for facilities that might be conducting clinical trials with pembrolizumab or other similar immunotherapy drugs. It might mean leaving your home base for treatment but – in the long run – the extra time and expense may be worth it.

Remember, you may be eligible for compensation for treatment, travel, and the host of other expenses associated with a mesothelioma diagnosis. Check with an experienced attorney for details on obtaining funds that would assist you with these costs.

 

 

Dealing with a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

It’s those three words everyone fears: “You have cancer.” For some, just reading those words sends shivers down the spine and evokes pictures of frightening treatments and even more frightening outcomes.

A cancer diagnosis is all too common in the U.S. The American Cancer Society says that some 1,600 Americans die each day of some form of the disease, accounting for one of every four deaths in the United States. That same research indicated some 224,000 new cases of lung cancer would be diagnosed in the U.S. for the year 2014, with about 3,000 cases of those lung-related cancers thought to be caused by exposure to asbestos.

Reacting

So what happens when those fateful words are presented to you or to your loved one? How do you handle it? What do you do?

Just like those experiencing grief in regards to a death, the newly-diagnosed mesothelioma patient will manifest a variety of feelings. The first is usually disbelief. “This can’t be happening to me,” says the cancer victim. “I don’t deserve this.”

Another common feeling is denial. It’s not unusual for the new cancer patient to refuse to believe his/her diagnosis, demanding test after test to disprove the diagnosis. Denial will eventually fade, but – at the beginning – it provides the patient with the last modicum of defense against the diagnosis. “If I don’t believe it, it can’t be so,” thinks the patient.

Anger is also a normal feeling when someone is told they have cancer. In some cases, specifically with a mesothelioma diagnosis, that anger is accompanied by another common reaction – blame. The victim of asbestos-related cancer has every right to be angry and to point fingers because, quite often, their exposure to asbestos – the cause of their cancer – is due to someone else’s negligence. Angry mesothelioma victims can usually track their exposure to a former workplace where no one took time to be sure that employees were protected from airborne asbestos fibers that can later cause cancer. Undoubtedly, that negligence causes irate feelings.

Getting Help

Obviously, the first thing a newly-diagnosed meso patient will want to do is to find out how best to treat their illness and how to find an oncologist who can help suggest ways to extend their lives. But most cancer patients, even if surrounded by loving and supportive family and friends, may need to find professional help for issues like disbelief, denial, anger, and blame. In general, help may be needed to reduce the anxiety surrounding such a diagnosis and to learn to accept what is most likely the inevitable.

The kind of counselor chosen depends on preference. Some patients prefer a clergy person or other spiritual counselor to answer questions like “Why did God let this happen to me?” Others are searching for a medical professional they don’t yet know, feeling they can speak more freely to that person without fear of judgment. Whichever you choose, remember to take some time to talk about issues such as:

  • Settling unsolved relationships or family problems
  • Dealing with end-of-life issues, both physical and emotional
  • Spiritual issues
  • Dealing with guilt in regards to leaving other’s behind after death
  • Forgiving or confronting those who are to blame for the mesothelioma diagnosis

Many patients find counseling to be a godsend, so consider partaking of this option, whether you’re the patient or the caregiver. Ask your care team to recommend a counselor or psychologist if you can’t find one on your own and check with your insurance company to determine coverage for this service.

 

 

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