Palliative Care: A Compassionate Approach for Mesothelioma Patients

Palliative Care: A Compassionate Approach for Mesothelioma Patients

ByHolly Zink

Palliative care is a specialized medical approach focused on improving the quality of life for patients with serious illnesses. Palliative care plays a crucial role in supporting individuals with mesothelioma. Living with Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer linked to asbestos exposure. It poses significant challenges to those diagnosed and their loved ones. The disease affects the lining of the lungs (pleura). But it can also occur in the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum) and other organs. Mesothelioma has an average survival rate ranging from 8 to 14 months post-diagnosis. Managing the physical, emotional, and practical aspects of this condition is important. Unlike hospice care, palliative care can be initiated at any point after diagnosis. It usually takes…

Stories from Wives and Caregivers of People with Mesothelioma
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Stories from Wives and Caregivers of People with Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

A new Australian study looked at people who took care of mesothelioma patients.  The study found that caretakers needed different types of support. Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Patients with mesothelioma, and their caregivers, are known to have some of the highest unmet needs of all cancer populations. Researchers talked to fourteen caregivers recruited from the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia (ADFA). Of those interviewed, 13 were wives, and one was a daughter. Seven were retired at the time of the patients’ mesothelioma diagnosis, and 4 stopped work to provide care. Researchers used the feedback to assess best practices for follow-up care for mesothelioma. They now plan to share these best practices with clinicians across the…

Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Palliative CRS/HIPEC Surgery
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Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Palliative CRS/HIPEC Surgery

ByHolly Zink

Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second most common form of asbestos cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the membrane around the abdominal organs. It can spread throughout the abdomen. Some peritoneal mesothelioma patients get good results with cytoreductive surgery. But success depends on many different factors. Surgical oncologists at the Medical College of Wisconsin are studying this question. Considering Surgery for Palliative Intent? Malignant mesothelioma is an especially aggressive cancer. The two primary types are pleural and peritoneal. Peritoneal mesothelioma used to be considered just as lethal as the more common pleural mesothelioma. But cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) have changed that. CRS involves removing as many of the cancer cells as possible. After surgery, the abdomen is cleaned with heated…

Some Mesothelioma Patients Have Unrealistic View of Palliative Chemotherapy
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Some Mesothelioma Patients Have Unrealistic View of Palliative Chemotherapy

ByAlex Strauss

A new Danish study suggests that, when it comes to palliative chemotherapy for mesothelioma, patients, families, and doctors may have very different expectations.  Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos. It is not curable but chemotherapy can sometimes slow it down. Palliative chemotherapy is chemotherapy aimed at relieving mesothelioma symptoms.  But researchers at Odense University and University of Southern Denmark say nearly a third of families expect palliative chemotherapy to cure their cancer. This was especially true of patients younger than 70.  Palliative Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma Chemotherapy has been the main treatment for mesothelioma since the early 2000s. Pemetrexed (Alimta) and a platinum drug like cisplatin is the standard drug combination. But this treatment is rarely a cure….

Palliative Radiotherapy for Mesothelioma Faster with New Technology
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Palliative Radiotherapy for Mesothelioma Faster with New Technology

ByAlex Strauss

A new type of linear accelerator could make palliative radiotherapy for mesothelioma faster and safer.  That news comes from researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Perelman is the site of some of the world’s foremost mesothelioma research.  Their new report on palliative radiotherapy for mesothelioma focuses on the Halcyon multileaf collimator. This machine delivers radiotherapy to relieve mesothelioma symptoms.  The report shows patients were in and out of treatment within minutes. This could make Halcyon an option for fragile mesothelioma patients who could not tolerate a longer treatment. What is Palliative Radiotherapy for Mesothelioma? Palliative medicine is a branch of medicine focused on symptom management. Many mesothelioma patients have no symptoms for many years….

Multidisciplinary Care for Mesothelioma
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Multidisciplinary Care for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Italian doctors say patients are more likely to enter clinical trials when they have multidisciplinary care for mesothelioma.  Inclusion in clinical trials is one of the best ways for mesothelioma patients to access cutting edge treatments.  The study shows multidisciplinary care for mesothelioma helps funnel patients into trials. It  also provides better monitoring of treatment response and better access to palliative care.  What is the Multidisciplinary Approach? In most hospitals, mesothelioma patients receive diagnosis from a cancer doctor or oncologist. The oncologist orders the appropriate diagnostic tests and helps craft the treatment plan. Diagnostic imaging or radiotherapy for mesothelioma is usually overseen by radiology specialists. But multidisciplinary care for mesothelioma involves a bigger team of people. The team consists of…

Five New Year’s Resolutions All Mesothelioma Patients Should Make
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Five New Year’s Resolutions All Mesothelioma Patients Should Make

ByAlex Strauss

For people who received a mesothelioma diagnosis in recent years, making new year’s resolutions can seem like a futile thing to do.  But mental health experts say healthy resolutions can help us focus on the future and stay positive. Positive mesothelioma patients may experience less pain and enjoy a higher quality of life. In light of that, here are five new year’s resolutions for mesothelioma patients to consider. New Year’s Resolution #1 – Look for clinical trials There is no cure for malignant mesothelioma. Even the best standard treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are often only minimally effective.  One of the best ways for mesothelioma patients to connect with new and emerging treatments is to participate in a mesothelioma clinical…

Palliative Radiotherapy for Mesothelioma Produces “Substantial Treatment Response”
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Palliative Radiotherapy for Mesothelioma Produces “Substantial Treatment Response”

ByAlex Strauss

Doctors in Pennsylvania may have found a way to boost the effectiveness of palliative radiotherapy for pleural mesothelioma. Palliative radiotherapy is used to help with mesothelioma symptoms. It uses lower doses of radiation. Doctors do not expect to treat mesothelioma with palliative radiotherapy. But researchers at the University of Pennsylvania think it could also be a treatment. They combined palliative radiotherapy with a special kind of gene therapy. The gene therapy affects the immune system. They say the combination produced a “substantial treatment response” in a man with mesothelioma. Immuno-gene Therapy and Palliative Radiotherapy Immuno-gene therapy uses genes to stimulate the immune system against cancer. In the new Pennsylvania case study, a 67-year-old man with mesothelioma received immuno-gene therapy. Doctors…

Cancer Centers May Not Manage Mesothelioma Symptoms Adequately, Study Finds
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Cancer Centers May Not Manage Mesothelioma Symptoms Adequately, Study Finds

ByAlex Strauss

UK researchers say the number of patients receiving palliative care to manage mesothelioma symptoms may be lagging behind the need. Nottingham University conducted a needs assessment of more than 700 patients over two years. Seventy percent of patients with pleural mesothelioma or another thoracic cancer completed a questionnaire shortly after diagnosis. Their results revealed a high unmet need for palliation to manage mesothelioma symptoms and those of other thoracic malignancies. How Does Palliative Care Help Manage Mesothelioma Symptoms? Palliative care is any kind of care that helps patients manage mesothelioma symptoms. These can be physical symptoms like breathing difficulty or fatigue. Or they can be psychological symptoms like fear and worry. Palliative care to manage mesothelioma symptoms can include things…