ADVANCE CARE PLANNING
Mesothelioma patients can make early decisions about their care

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma, you should take the time to understand "advance are planning." Advance care planning involves making decisions about the care you would want to receive if you were to become unable to speak for yourself.

These are your decisions to make, regardless of what you choose for your care, and the decisions are based on your personal preferences and discussions with your loved ones.

Advance care planning also involves communicating your wishes with your loved ones and healthcare professionals to give guidance and comfort to them if something should happen to you.

Advance care planning includes:

• Acquiring information on the types of life-sustaining treatments that are available.
• Deciding what types of treatment you would or would not want relating to lung cancer or mesothelioma.
• Acquiring information on how your disease will progress.
• Discussing with your doctor what your treatments are expected to accomplish and what the risks of these treatments are.
• Discussing your personal values with your loved ones.
• Using advance directives to put into writing what types of treatments you would want if you are no longer able to speak for yourself.