MESOTHELIOMA TREATMENT OPTIONS CAN EXTEND LIVES

Mesothelioma treatment options depend on what stage the patient’s cancer is in

Britain's youngest mesothelioma patient reportedly died this month at the age of 18. Sophie Ellis was only 13 years old when she was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an asbestos-caused cancer that usually strikes much older individuals. At the time of her diagnosis, Ms. Ellis was told she had just three months to live, but with state-of-the-art mesothelioma treatment options that included radiation, chemotherapy and surgery, she survived another five years.

Ms. Ellis' death proves that mesothelioma can strike very young individuals. In the United States, the youngest recorded case also occurred at the age of 13 in the asbestos-plagued town of Libby, Montana, the site of a former asbestos mine.

Mesothelioma doctors' effective treatment options

August 12, 2010 – Known the world over as the signature asbestos-related cancer, malignant mesothelioma is an occupational lung cancer that plagues workers in certain industries, especially those in the construction, automotive and shipping industries, where they must work with products containing asbestos. Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma have several treatment options, depending on what stage the cancer is found.

The earlier mesothelioma is diagnosed, the greater the chances of a recovery, say the mesothelioma doctors our firm works with. But since the mesothelioma latency period is long, and may take decades before symptoms can be properly diagnosed, mesothelioma is most often caught in its later stages, when surgery is no longer a treatment option.

Thus, mesothelioma treatment options most often seek to relieve a patient’s pain and help extend their lives, if only by months.

Mesothelioma treatment options

The most common mesothelioma treatment options are mesothelioma surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Surgery – Surgical treatments for mesothelioma include three main types: diagnostic surgery, curative surgery and palliative surgery. Only curative surgery can potentially remove all cancer from a patient with mesothelioma. For curative surgery to be effective, an early diagnosis is especially important. The problem is mesothelioma is not usually diagnosed until it reaches Stage III or IV, when surgery is no longer an option. Surgery can only be performed during Stages I and II of the disease.

Chemotherapy – Chemotherapy is an effective treatment option, but comes with unpleasant side effects. Most forms of chemotherapy involve the intravenous administration of drugs, such as Alimta and Cisplatin. Though traditional chemotherapy medications seemed to do little to fight mesothelioma, doctors have been encouraged by the results of newer chemotherapy drug treatments.

Radiation therapy – Radiation is often used in conjunction with surgery. In some cases, however, radiation may be used as an independent treatment to relieve pain and other symptoms associated with mesothelioma. In either case, it is rare for radiation therapy to provide more than short-term symptomatic relief.

Weitz & Luxenberg for maximum compensation

Weitz & Luxenberg believes it is important for those undergoing the rigors of mesothelioma treatment options to experience feelings of comfort and trust with their mesothelioma lawyer, and a sense that communication will remain open and clear.

All of the firm's mesothelioma attorneys understands the emotional and financial complexities of asbestos disease in the family – and exactly what is required to secure maximum compensation for the injured worker’s loved ones.

If you decide to move forward with a mesothelioma claim, please know we work on a contingency basis and are paid a percentage of the final settlement. That means there are no upfront legal fees, whatsoever. We are paid based on a percentage of the compensation award we obtain for you.

Protect your family’s future financial well-being today by obtaining a free case review through the form at left.