Improving the Health and Lifestyle of Mesothelioma Patients
|

Improving the Health and Lifestyle of Mesothelioma Patients

ByHolly Zink

Mesothelioma patients often have bad health outcomes and poor health-related quality of life. Common symptoms reported by mesothelioma patients are appetite loss and weight loss. Poor nutrition and low body mass index are also common. Most mesothelioma patients would welcome exercise and nutrition advice. This advice might help them cope with their cancer, and its symptoms, better. But there are barriers to getting this kind of information into the hands of people who need it. A clinical team from North Tyneside Hospital in the United Kingdom is looking into this. They have a new study called Help-Meso: Health and Lifestyle of Patients with Mesothelioma. Patients, caregivers, and health professionals will take part in the study. Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma and…

Mesothelioma Surveillance Protocols, Quality of Life, and Patient Hope
| | |

Mesothelioma Surveillance Protocols, Quality of Life, and Patient Hope

ByHolly Zink

Mesothelioma surveillance protocols are a series of medical tests. Surveillance is designed to detect and track cancer progression. Surveillance protocols also check treatment effectiveness. And they provide patients with reassurance and hope. A new study identified the effectiveness of mesothelioma surveillance protocols. This study focused on patients who have noncurative treatment intent. Importance of Reassurance and Hope Findings from nine different studies identified the need for reassurance and hope as part of surveillance. They also highlighted the importance of trust and relationships. Follow-up and surveillance models provide patients with continuity, reassurance, and updates on condition. Continuity ensured patients knew who to contact if they had a new symptom or concern. Patient hopes for follow-up were for management of pain and…

Quality of Life Similar Regardless of Pleural Mesothelioma Surgery Type
| | |

Quality of Life Similar Regardless of Pleural Mesothelioma Surgery Type

ByAlex Strauss

New research suggests that the two major types of pleural mesothelioma surgery have about the same impact on patients’ quality of life afterward.  Thoracic surgeons at Switzerland’s University Hospital Zurich compared the results of 42 mesothelioma patients. Patients had either extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) or lung-sparing PD surgery between 2013 and 2017.  Patients answered questions about their health in the weeks and months after pleural mesothelioma surgery. Their answers show that, where post-surgical quality of life is concerned, it may not matter which procedure a person has.  Two Approaches to Pleural Mesothelioma Surgery Pleural mesothelioma tumors start on the membranous tissue (pleura) that surrounds the lungs. A healthy pleura is thin and flexible and expands to accommodate the lungs during respiration….

P/D Surgery for Mesothelioma Improves Quality of Life Regardless of Lung Function
| | |

P/D Surgery for Mesothelioma Improves Quality of Life Regardless of Lung Function

ByAlex Strauss

Japanese researchers say P/D surgery for mesothelioma improves quality of life for most patients, even if their lung function gets worse.  Doctors at the Hyogo College of Medicine tracked the cases of forty-five patients who had P/D surgery for mesothelioma between 2014 and 2018.  Lung function tests showed most pleural mesothelioma patients could not breathe as well after surgery as they did before. Their energy, vitality, and social functioning also decreased. But patients reported better mental health after surgery and significantly less pain.  The researchers conclude that quality of life after P/D surgery for mesothelioma may have less to do with breathing than previously thought.  What is P/D Surgery for Mesothelioma? Pleural mesothelioma tumors grow on the pleura, a thin…

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

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….

Quality of Life with Mesothelioma: Too Many Symptoms, Not Enough Support
| | | |

Quality of Life with Mesothelioma: Too Many Symptoms, Not Enough Support

ByAlex Strauss

A new study suggests that even the healthiest patients have a lower quality of life with mesothelioma than they should. That is because they tend to have many symptoms and needs that are not being met.  Researchers at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Western Australia ran the study. They used data from the RESPECT-Meso trial. RESPECT-Meso was a multicenter, randomized study to measure the impact of early palliative care on quality of life with mesothelioma. Australia has one of the highest per capita rates of malignant mesothelioma in the world.  Researchers found that the high symptom burden of this cancer is a big problem for patients. Many also said they were not getting the information they need from their doctors. …

Financial Stress Could Impact Mesothelioma Quality of Life
|

Financial Stress Could Impact Mesothelioma Quality of Life

ByAlex Strauss

Financial stress during treatment is likely to have an impact on both quality of life and outcomes for pleural mesothelioma patients.  That finding comes from a recent Johns Hopkins study of patients with newly-diagnosed lung cancer.  The study found that cancer patients who were under financial strain had decreased quality of life. The report appears in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology. It includes a list of guidelines to help identify patients at risk for “financial toxicity”.  The Financial Burden of Mesothelioma Treatment Cancer treatment is rarely inexpensive. Thanks to advances in mesothelioma therapies, patient outcomes are improving. But the costs of these cutting-edge mesothelioma treatments can be even higher than standard therapies.  John Hopkins researchers wanted to see if…

Depression After Mesothelioma Diagnosis: Women Are at Highest Risk
| | |

Depression After Mesothelioma Diagnosis: Women Are at Highest Risk

ByAlex Strauss

White women are more likely than other patients to experience depression after mesothelioma diagnosis.  That word comes from researchers at the University of Florida. The team analyzed the cases of more than 120,000 patients with late-stage cancer.  Although all patients face a risk of depression with an advanced cancer diagnosis, the problem appears to be worse among white women.  The research team says understanding how cancer news affects patients can help doctors avoid diagnosis bias.   Cancer Records from the SEER Database The Florida study provides important insights into who is likely to get depression after mesothelioma diagnosis.  The study included 123,066 advanced cancer cases from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. All study subjects received their diagnosis between…

Mesothelioma Quality of Life Improves After Surgery
| | |

Mesothelioma Quality of Life Improves After Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

New research confirms that surgery followed by HIPEC improves mesothelioma quality of life for people with peritoneal disease. Every mesothelioma surgery carries risks and can cause serious side effects. These problems often have a negative impact on mesothelioma quality of life in the short term. But researchers at Wake Forest University say cytoreductive surgery followed by intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) boosts life quality for most mesothelioma patients over time. Evolving Management of Peritoneal Mesothelioma Malignant mesothelioma is a fast-growing cancer with a very low cure rate. Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for about a fifth of all mesothelioma cases. With peritoneal mesothelioma, tumors start on the membrane that surrounds the abdominal organs and can spread to other parts of the body. Fatigue, pain,…

Quality of Life for Mesothelioma Patients Hinges on Activity and Nutrition
| | | | | |

Quality of Life for Mesothelioma Patients Hinges on Activity and Nutrition

ByAlex Strauss

Muscle mass and nutrition can have a direct impact on quality of life for mesothelioma patients. That’s the finding of an Australian study of sixty-one men and women with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Researchers say the quality of life for mesothelioma patients was compromised by lower muscle mass or malnutrition. It is a wake-up call for mesothelioma patients to stay active and eat well for the best outcomes. Impacts on Quality of Life for Mesothelioma Patients Pleural mesothelioma is an incurable cancer. Even with the best mesothelioma treatments, most patients still face a grim prognosis. But there is evidence that good self-care may help. Previous studies have shown that patients with the best nutritional status often have longer mesothelioma survival. Nutritional…