Sabtu, 11 Januari 2014

Mesothelioma Treatment Centers US

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Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

Mesothelioma treatment centers provide care and services needed specifically by people diagnosed with this disease. They have specialists - surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and other doctors - who know the intricacies of this complex cancer.
Picking the right mesothelioma treatment centers might be the most important medical decision you can make. Don't take it lightly. Do your homework to find the best fit for you. Or you can lean on us for help, and we'll walk you through it.
Find a Treatment center in Your Area

Picking Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

It is important to be comfortable with your choices: doctor, treatment strategy, location, for example. You may base your decision on what kind of treatment you need - surgery possibly - and then pick from among a short list of surgeons who specialize in mesothelioma. Remember, not every doctor who treats mesothelioma is a surgeon. Some specialize in radiation treatment, others in pulmonology, for example.
"The most important thing is, if a patient trusts me, if they believe in me," said Abraham Lebenthal, M.D., surgeon at the VA Boston Healthcare System and a former Israeli military company commander in an elite infantry unit. "At the end of the day, we’re going to a really big battle together. The stakes are pretty darn high. If you don’t believe in the person you’re going to battle with, if you’re not comfortable with him, then you should go with someone else."
Other factors you should consider are transportation, time requirements and clinical trial opportunities of the mesothelioma treatment centers. There are financial costs and insurance coverage to think about:
  • Do you want to stay close to home for your treatment?
  • Do you mind traveling if you can get more specialized care?
  • Will a VA benefit cover your travel, or will you have to pay your own travel expenses?
  • Do you want a cancer center that has benefits for your family (free or affordable housing, for example)?
These are questions you will want to ask yourself, and also ask of doctors and hospitals you consider.

Prominent Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

  • Brigham and Women’s Hospital
  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
  • UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
  • University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center

More Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

  • Duke Cancer Institute
  • University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
  • H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
  • NYU Langone Cancer Center

Rarity of Mesothelioma Makes a Specialist So Vital

The rarity of mesothelioma - only an estimated 3,000 Americans are diagnosed year - in comparison to many other cancers is what makes a specialist so important. Most doctors rarely see it and don’t understand it fully. A specialist does.
"To understand the subtleties of mesothelioma, you need an expert. This isn’t lung cancer," said Hedy Kindler, M.D., director of the Mesothelioma Program at the University of Chicago Medical Center. "It’s important to have someone who is comfortable with the disease, a quarterback who understands all the options out there."
Too often with mesothelioma, patients are misdiagnosed initially and begin treatment for a problem they really don’t have. Many of the first symptoms of mesothelioma are the same ones that often occur with less-serious illnesses. It’s why an individual’s history of possible asbestos exposure - the cause of mesothelioma - should be communicated early to a physician who understands it.
Surgeries, chemotherapy drugs, radiation treatments - all part of a multimodality approach - can be different for mesothelioma. The best treatments today for this cancer are specialized and no longer a one-size-fits-all regimen. A decade ago, the prognosis for a mesothelioma patient usually meant six to 12 months to live. The specialized mesothelioma treatment centers today are extending lives beyond that grim prognosis.
There are a growing number of people living for five years or more with the disease. Many of the mesothelioma treatment centers  have patients who have lived for 10 years, and still are going strong with specialized proper care. Although no cure has been found, there is a belief that mesothelioma one day will be treated like a chronic illness.
"I still am amazed at the number of people who do not get referred to a specialty center," said Richard Alexander, M.D., surgeon at the Greenbaum Cancer Center at the University of Maryland. "Take the initiative to find out where to go for experienced and expert advice."

Veterans a Special Case

A higher percentage of veterans develop mesothelioma than the general public does, making veterans a group in need of mesothelioma treatment centers. Although their military history makes them eligible for treatment at VA hospitals, that doesn't mean there aren't choices to make. The VA has hospitals that specialize in mesothelioma treatment.
The trick is to know that fact. Once in the VA Healthcare system, a veteran can seek treatment anywhere in the country, needing only a referral to receive specialized care.
Lebenthal specializes in both mesothelioma and veterans issues. His own military background plays a role in that interest. Because veterans are disproportionately affected - approximately one third of all mesothelioma cases in this country - he has encouraged all veterans with the disease to find him.
The mesothelioma program in Boston often can arrange free or discounted housing. The biggest cost is the travel, for many veterans, but there also are charitable organizations that can help.
"This is not a knock on anyone, but mesothelioma is so complex, and its care so specialized, that a patient really needs the best care in the world," Lebenthal said. "We’re in a unique position to offer that."
View Article Sources
  1. Kindler, H. (2012, February.) University of Chicago Medical Center. Phone interview with Hedy Kindler, M.D.
  2. Lebenthal, A. (2011, September.) Brigham and Women.s Hospital. Phone interview with Abraham Lebenthal, M.D.
  3. Alexander, R. (2011, October.) University of Maryland. Phone interview with Richard Alexander, M.D
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Jumat, 10 Januari 2014

Mesothelioma Doctors and Centers

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Mesothelioma Doctors

Mesothelioma Doctors

Anyone diagnosed with mesothelioma today is strongly encouraged to find mesothelioma doctors who understand the intricacies of the rare cancer. Because the disease is so uncommon – representing only .3 percent of all diagnosed cancers – only a select number of doctors have experience treating mesothelioma. Finding one of those mesothelioma doctors might be the most important thing a patient and their family can do.

Find a Treatment center in Your Area

These specialists are skilled at putting together an innovative treatment plan that fits your individual case. Mesothelioma treatment is not a one-size-fits-all approach anymore, requiring personalized care for the best possible outcome.
“We need to focus on getting these patients to the specialty centers. It could make all the difference for them,” said Joseph Friedberg, M.D., chief of thoracic surgery at the Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
The Mesothelioma Centers have a Doctor Match program to help you find and get appointments with mesothelioma experts at leading facilities across the country. Patient Advocates strive to find the leading specialists with the most resources to offer mesothelioma patients. Connect with a Patient Advocate or call (800) 615-2270 to take advantage of this free program.

How to Choose Your Mesothelioma Doctors

One of the most important concerns is finding a doctor who you can trust completely with your care. You will want to evaluate the doctor's expertise while also getting comfortable with the head of a team charged with trying to save your life. Here are some questions to ask:
  • How many cases of mesothelioma has this doctor treated in his or her career? Have any of these cases been recent?
  • What types of mesothelioma does this doctor treat? Has he or she managed any cases of my particular subtype?
  • What treatments does this doctor typically use to treat mesothelioma?
  • Is this doctor prepared to treat my cancer if it spreads to other parts of my body?
  • Does this doctor support any supplemental types of therapy in addition to direct medical intervention?
  • Does the facility this doctor is associated with offer access to any clinical trials? Can the doctor help me sign up for any that I might qualify for?
There are also some broad considerations that you should discuss with mesothelioma doctors to make sure that the physician will be a good fit for you. These questions include:
  • How many years has this doctor been practicing?
  • Do I want this doctor to make decisions for me or simply offer me options?
  • Will this doctor respect my choices and address all of my concerns?
  • Can I openly communicate with this doctor?
  • Does this doctor accept my insurance?
  • Is it easy to travel to this facility for all of my appointments?

World-Renowned Mesothelioma Doctors

Several mesothelioma doctors across the nation have emerged as leaders in the field, utilizing the most advanced treatment methods to give patients a longer life expectancy. These mesothelioma doctors often work at prestigious hospitals equipped with cutting-edge technology, and many are involved with ongoing clinical trials. Some of the nation’s most renowned mesothelioma doctors include:

For assistance making an appointment with one of these mesothelioma doctors or another nationally respected oncologist, please call the Mesothelioma Center at (800)549-0544.

Mesothelioma Experts at Top Treatment Centers

The International Mesothelioma Program (IMP) at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston is one of the most renowned centers in the world. It pushes to develop advancements in multimodal therapy, which utilizes a mix of radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. Doctors there include David Sugarbaker, founder of the IMP and the most well-known mesothelioma expert; Scott Swanson, professor of surgery at Brigham & Women’s and pioneer in the development of video-assisted thoracic surgeries; and Raphael Bueno, assistant chief of the IMP and heavily involved in developing novel therapies.
The Mesothelioma Program at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston offers a premier radiation therapy center and is a leader in mesothelioma research with an extensive list of clinical trials. Doctors there include Anne Tsao, program director and well-known leader in thoracic oncology; David Rice, who has helped pioneer developments with radiation therapy; and Stephen Swisher, chairman of the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Department and gene therapy specialist.
The Pacific Meso Center (PMC) in Los Angeles is a part of the Pacific Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and is the West Coast leader in the treatment of mesothelioma. Heading that program is renowned surgeon Robert Cameron, M.D., who first developed the lung-sparing pleurectomy/decortication surgical therapy. Also in Los Angeles is surgeon Jay Lee, director of the Thoracic Oncology Program at UCLA.
The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York has treated more than 1,000 patients with pleural mesothelioma, using a patient-focused approach. The team has developed novel treatments that include intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Heading the cast at Sloan-Kettering are Lee Krug, mesothelioma doctors; Valerie Rusch, the chief of thoracic surgery; and David Illson, oncologist whose specialty is creating new multimodal therapies.

Sources:
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Mesothelioma life expectancy after diagnosis

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Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

The mesothelioma life expectancy of any patients is the projected number of months or years they are expected to live after they are diagnosed. Generally, a person with mesothelioma can expect to live for one year -- but this is only an average.
A number of factors affect the mesothelioma life expectancy. Overall health, age, stage at diagnosis and the type of mesothelioma all play a role.

Find a Treatment center in Your Area

The impact of these factors differs for everyone, which helps to explain why people live well beyond the average.
The life expectancy of an American in 2009 was 78.5 years. On average, mesothelioma cancer shortens life expectancy by 13 years, according to data collected between 1999 and 2005 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The good news is that researchers and doctors have worked for decades to improve mesothelioma life expectancy. Survival rates increased steadily over the past several decades, and with more expected treatment advancements, more gains are anticipated.
While there is no definitive cure for mesothelioma, patients can try to gain more time with loved ones by participating in specialized treatment and implementing lifestyle changes like exercise and diet. These therapies and clinical trials can often improve not only someone's quality of life, but also the duration of it.

Factors Affecting Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

What influences how long you can live after being diagnosed with mesothelioma? Tumor-related factors like stage at diagnosis and the tumor’s cell type are among the most influential on mesothelioma life expectancy. Other non-tumor factors such as gender and age also play a role.

Top 6 Mesothelioma Life Expectancy Factors

  • Stage at diagnosis
  • Primary tumor location
  • Tumor cell type/histology
  • Performance status
  • Gender
  • Blood characteristics

      Tumor-Related Factors

      The stage of your cancer at the time of diagnosis, tumor cell type, and the location of the tumor, have substantial influence on mesothelioma life expectancy. These are known as tumor-related factors. These factors influence the types of treatment options your doctor has available for developing a treatment strategy.
      Staging: The exact stage of your cancer at the time of diagnosis - how far it has progressed - has the most impact on life span. The late onset of mesothelioma symptoms is largely responsible for the typical late-stage diagnosis seen in most patients. Symptoms don’t usually arise until stage III or IV, which results in patients visiting the doctor once the cancer has already progressed well beyond where it developed. The earlier you are diagnosed, the more likely the cancer will be caught in an early stage and the better the prognosis.
      Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
      Tumor Location: Mesothelioma is identified by where it first forms in the body. That location is important because some forms of the disease are more researched, more easily understood and more treatable than others. Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs, makes up about 75 percent of mesothelioma cases and therefore receives the most research and treatment attention. That translates into more and better treatment options.
      Cell Type: Certain types of cells that make up a mesothelioma tumor respond better to treatment than others. For instance, tumors made up primarily of epithelial cells respond best to treatment. Because tumors made up primarily of epithelial cells are easier to treat they have a better associated life expectancy. In contrast, tumors made up primarily of the sarcomatoid cell type or the biphasic (mixed) cell type are more difficult to treat and are associated with a shorter life expectancy.

      Non-Tumor Factors

      In addition to the tumor-related factors, some non-tumor factors can also influence your mesothelioma life expectancy. Traits like overall health, age, gender and even characteristics of your blood are all indicative of how well your body will respond to treatment and how difficult it might be for you to recover from that treatment.

      Other Factors

      Mesothelioma life expectancy may also be affected by demographic and lifestyle factors of the patients, such as:
      Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
      Performance Status: A more technical expression for “overall health,” performance status aims to quantify the activity level and general fitness of a patient. Nearly all studies that examined performance status in pleural mesothelioma patients showed a significant effect on survival. The more active and fit you are, the more likely your body will be able to withstand and recover from aggressive treatments.
      Age: As we age, our bodies lose the ability to recover from aggressive therapies and procedures. And as we get older, we are more likely to have other health conditions that could preclude us from certain types of treatment. These facts are significant because most people diagnosed with mesothelioma are between 50 and 70 years old, with about 75 percent of patients in their mid-60s. That means younger, healthier patients can find themselves with more options for treatment than an older, less-healthy cancer patient.
      Gender: Historically, men experienced more occupational exposure to asbestos than women. Because of their increased exposure, men are four times more likely to develop mesothelioma than women. Studies show that women with epithelial mesothelioma tend to live longer than men do. Researchers are not sure why women have better mesothelioma life expectancy.
      Blood Characteristics: Some cells and biomarkers found in the blood appear to have an impact on mesothelioma life expectancy. For example, several studies report that thrombocytosis (high blood platelet count) and leukocytosis (high white blood cell count) prior to surgery is associated with shorter mesothelioma life expectancy. Biomarkers such as COX-2, antigen p27, MIB-1, VEGF and glycoprotein 90K have all shown prognostic value in scientific studies on mesothelioma and may have an effect on mesothelioma life expectancy.

      Mesothelioma Life Expectancy, Treatment  and  Survivors

      The types of treatment options that your doctor will discuss with you are directly related to both tumor and non-tumor factors unique to you. In developing a treatment strategy, your doctor will choose treatments that he or she believes will have the most positive impact with the least physical side effects. He or she will take into account all the factors and develop a treatment strategy that will balance risk versus reward.
      Medical studies show mesothelioma life expectancy is affected most positively by a multimodal treatment strategy, where two or more treatments are combined to magnify the therapeutic effects. However, this type of treatment strategy is usually considered aggressive. Because it is an aggressive strategy, it places a tremendous strain on the body. As a result, you may not qualify for this type of treatment.
      Generally, to qualify for multimodal therapy the cancer must be in stage I or stage II. Some stage III patients qualify, too, if they are in otherwise good health, are relatively younger in age and have an epithelial or biphasic tumor type.
      Common multimodal combinations are traditional treatments of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Other combinations can include experimental therapies such as immunotherapy, gene therapy and photodynamic therapy.

      Prolonging Your Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

      Clearly, many aspects of your body and your life impact how long you will live with mesothelioma. Of all of them, catching mesothelioma in its earliest stages of development is considered by some to be the most important factor for longer life expectancy. If you were exposed to asbestos at any point in your life, you should tell your doctor and also schedule regular screenings for asbestos-related diseases.
      New technology is being developed that could allow doctors soon to detect mesothelioma with a simple, noninvasive blood test, which should lead to earlier diagnoses and more effective management of the disease.
      The test involves Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) technology that can uncover newly identified, protein-derived biomarkers being released into the circulatory system by mesothelioma tumor cells.
      By identifying a panel of protein biomarkers exclusive to mesothelioma, researchers believe they can produce a much more accurate indicator of the disease at a much earlier stage. And almost everyone agrees that treatment options expand greatly at earlier stages.
      Doctors in Italy also have conducted a study showing impressive results from a new high-dose radiation system following aggressive pleurectomy/decortication surgery. The two-year survival rate was 70 percent.
      Studies also show that mesothelioma patients have benefitted from alternative or complementary therapies such as acupuncture, meditation, massage and yoga. These alternative therapies may reduce stress, pain and improve quality of life. In addition, a number of dietary changes can affect mesothelioma life expectancy. Considering nutrition in the treatment plan could have positive impacts on side effects, stress levels and response to treatment.
      In fact, many long-term mesothelioma survivors seem to have a unifying link: they integrate holistic and natural medicine into their traditional treatment plan. Nutritional regimens, supplementation and alternative therapies like acupuncture are among the holistic approaches mesothelioma survivors have used to their advantage. A number of mesothelioma patients have survived five years or longer because of their treatment, exercise and nutritional regimens.
      Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

      Impact of Experimental Treatments on Mesothelioma life expectancy

      There is a chance that someone's best opportunity at a longer life with mesothelioma comes from experimental treatment - clinical trials. Mesothelioma researchers constantly test new medications and treatment approaches, and clinical trials allow patients to take advantage of new treatments that may extend survival, but may also come with a higher element of risk.
      There are several experimental therapies being investigated to slow the progress of mesothelioma. Some show promise in extending mesothelioma life expectancy, including immunotherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Newer, targeted drugs that are effective in killing cancer cells - such as gene therapy, which attempts to replace or repair the defective genes in cancerous tumors - may soon extend life expectancy.

      There are promising, mesothelioma-specific drugs currently being testing in clinical trials. Among them:

      • CRS-207, a genetically-altered bacteria (Listeria) vaccine, is being combined with a standard chemotherapy regimen in a Phase I trial. The vaccine has been modified to reduce its capacity to cause disease while maintaining an ability to stimulate immune responses. Researchers believe it has the potential to fight off mesothelioma tumor cells without harming healthy ones.
      • Tremelimumab, an immunotherapy drug that has shown potential with other cancers, is part of a Phase II trial. Researchers believe this drug also will better alert the body's own immune system to the tumors, and accelerate its attack on the bad cells.
      • SS1P is an experimental drug designed to specifically attack the mesothelin protein, which is elevated in mesothelioma and other cancers. The trial also includes pentostatin and cyclosphosphamide, drugs that help suppress the body's immune system and could make SS1P more effective. This trial is being done at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD.
      Medical advancements continue to refine methods of detecting and managing the disease. As a result, mesothelioma life expectancy is gradually improving. As more research is done and more alternative treatment options are explored, mesothelioma patients are being offered a wider range of choices that may ultimately modify their prognosis and significantly extend mesothelioma life expectancy.

      Survivor Stories

      Paul Kraus is an Australian factory worker who was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in 1997, 35 years after occupational exposure to crocidolite asbestos. Kraus applied several different therapies and lifestyle changes, including shifting to a vegetarian diet, consuming nutritional supplements and employing ozone therapy, which adds a specific form of oxygen to his blood with the intent of creating a cancer-killing oxygenated environment in his body. He still has mesothelioma but is pain-free and alive.
      At the extreme limit of mesothelioma survival is the case of acclaimed American scientist Stephen J. Gould, who lived for 20 years after being diagnosed with the disease. He died of an unrelated condition and authored a popular article about mesothelioma statistics that inspires patients to remain hopeful because each case is unique.

      View Article Sources
      1. CDC. (Oct. 2012). Life Expectancy. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lifexpec.htm
      2. NIOSH. (March 2012). Malignant Mesothelioma: Mortality; Years of potential life lost. Retrieved fromhttp://www2a.cdc.gov/drds/WorldReportData/FigureTableDetails.asp?FigureTableID=2594&GroupRefNumber=T07-03
      3. NIOSH. (March 2009). Malignant Mesothelioma: Mortality; Numbers of deaths. Retrieved fromhttp://www2a.cdc.gov/drds/WorldReportData/FigureTableDetailsArchive.asp?FigureTableID=891&GroupRefNumber=T07-01
      4. Lee, L., Chang, Y. & Wany, J. (2009). Impact of malignant mesothelioma in Taiwan: A 27-year review of population-based cancer registry data. Lung Cancer. Retrieved from http://www.lungcancerjournal.info/article/S0169-5002(09)00314-6/abstract
      5. Burgers, J.A. & J.P. Hegmans. (2006). Clinicopathological prognostic factors and scoring systems in malignant pleural mesothelioma. In O’Byrne, K. and Rusch, V. (Eds.), Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (105-122). Oxford University Press: New York.
      6. Steele, J. & Fennell, D. (2005). Prognostic Factors in Mesothelioma. In Pass, H., Vogelzang, N., & Carbone, M. (Eds.), Malignant Mesothelioma (416-427). New York, NY: Springer.
      7. National Cancer Institute. Overview of Nutrition in Cancer Care. Retrieved from
      8. http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/supportivecare/nutrition
      9. National Cancer Institute. (June 2012). Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment. Retrieved fromhttp://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/malignantmesothelioma/patient/page1/AllPages
      10. ClinicalTrails.gov. (Dec. 2012). Mesothelioma Clinical Trials. Retrieved from http://clinicaltrials.gov/
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      Mesothelioma Prognosis stage

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      Mesothelioma Prognosis

      Mesothelioma Prognosis

      Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Once a patient is diagnosed, a doctor will likely discuss their prognosis -- the probable course of the cancer's influence on the body -- and suggest treatment options. Mesothelioma prognosis and the recommended treatments can vary depending on the patient's age, sex, asbestos exposure history and the specific cells involved.
      The best way to avoid a poor mesothelioma prognosis is through early detection of the cancer.

      Find a Treatment center in Your Area

      When mesothelioma is detected early, the prognosis is generally more favorable, as the cancer may not have spread to other parts of the body and may be more receptive to various treatments and surgery. Following detection, the best way to improve a patient's prognosis is educating oneself about the latest mesothelioma treatments.
      Those who have been exposed to asbestos may wish to alert their doctor, as this may aid in the early detection of mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease.
      Mesothelioma Prognosis
      Type of Mesothelioma: Masothelioma prognosis can be affected depending upon whether they are diagnosed with pleural, peritoneal, pericardial or testicular mesothelioma. Statistics show that approximately 10 percent of patients with pleural mesothelioma will survive for five years following diagnosis. Statistically speaking, pleural mesothelioma patients have the most optimistic prognosis.
      Overall Health: Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma who are otherwise healthy may have an easier time undergoing intensive treatment, such as chemotherapy, than someone with pre-existing health issues. Additionally,non-smokers often have a better mesothelioma prognosis than patients who smoke.
      Stage of Mesothelioma: Doctors typically discuss the severity of a patient's cancer in terms of stages, ranging from stage I to stage IV. Patients with stage III or stage IV mesothelioma will typically have a poorer prognosis than patients with stage I or stage II mesothelioma.
      For example, in a study published in the European Respiratory Journal involving 167 patients with pleural mesothelioma, participants with stage I pleural mesothelioma survived for 359 days, while those with stage III or stage IV (combined) mesothelioma survived approximately 112 days. In general, treatment options are typically more limited and surgery may not be an option once the cancer has progressed beyond stage II.
      Mesothelioma Prognosis

       Cell Type: Mesothelioma histology impacts a patient's prognosis, as those with epithelial mesothelioma have a greater life expectancy than those with sarcomatoid or biphasic mesothelioma.
      Size and Location of the Tumor: The size and location of a patient's tumor can impact their mesothelioma prognosis. Patients with tumors that have progressed or spread to other parts of the body generally have a poorer mesothelioma prognosis. Patients with tumors that may be surgically removed often have a better mesothelioma prognosis.
      Progression of Symptoms: Patients who are experiencing serious symptoms of mesothelioma, such as chest pain or shortness of breath, may have a weakened prognosis, because the prevalence of mesothelioma symptoms often indicates the cancer has progressed to a later stage of development.
      Additional factors, such as age and a patient's response to surgery may also affect mesothelioma prognosis.
      FAVORABLE PROGNOSTIC FACTORS
      POOR PROGNOSTIC FACTORS
      Stage I or stage II Mesothelioma
      Stage III or stage IV Mesothelioma
      Tumor Located in One Area of the Body
      Tumor Progressed to Other Parts of the Body
      Good Overall Health
      Preexisting Health Conditions, Poor Overall Health
      Epithelial Mesothelioma
      Sarcomatoid, Biphasic Mesothelioma
      Age 55 or Below
      Over Age 55
      Non-Smoker
      Smoker
      Female
      Male

      Current Mesothelioma Prognosis Studies

      The ability to provide patients with a more accurate mesothelioma prognosis increases as results from ongoing studies continue to surface. According to a January 2011 study conducted by the University of South Wales, females may have a more positive mesothelioma prognosis, as the expression of the estrogen gene may lead to tumor suppression.
      Additionally, a February 2011 study involving 636 patients with pleural mesothelioma conducted by the Division of Thoracic Surgery and Department of Pathology of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Massachusetts notes that patients with pleural mesothelioma who underwent an aggressive surgery known as an extrapleural pneumonectomy experienced extended survival.

      Typical Mesothelioma Prognosis

      Mesothelioma Prognosis
      Though mesothelioma prognosis varies greatly depending on the factors mentioned above, patients under the age of 45 appear to have a more optimistic prognosis. A study conducted by the American Cancer Society (ACS) involving 2,959 patients noted that nearly 37 percent of mesothelioma patients who were less than 45 years old survived for more than five years after diagnosis. Approximately 20 percent of patients aged 45 to 54 survived for longer than five years.
      According to a study published by the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the survival rate for mesothelioma patients is generally considered to be one year.

      Improving Prognosis

      Following a mesothelioma diagnosis, patients may wish to learn more about how they can improve their prognosis. Many patients will elect to undergo treatment to fight the cancer.

      Common treatment options include:

      • Surgery
      • Chemotherapy
      • Radiation Therapy

      Mesothelioma patients may also wish to enroll in a clinical trial, as the clinical trial process tests up-and-coming medications and may provide access to new treatments that could extend life expectancy.
      View Article Sources
      1. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/MalignantMesothelioma/DetailedGuide/malignant-mesothelioma-key-statistics
      2. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003062-pdf.pdf
      3. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/malignantmesothelioma/patient#Keypoint5
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      Mesothelioma Treatments 2014

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      Mesothelioma Treatments

      Mesothelioma Treatments

      Advances in the Mesothelioma Treatments offer hope for anyone affected by this rare cancer.
      Today, some survivors live five to 10 years or more after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis -- a life expectancy that once was measured by months. Learn about your body and this disease, and take control of your mesothelioma treatments.

      Find a Treatment center in Your Area

      While there is no absolute cure for this asbestos-related cancer, potentially curative treatment plans exist so long as the disease is diagnosed early enough and medical care is specialized. Because mesothelioma is such a complicated disease, treatment should be tailored to exactly what your body needs. That means factoring in the stage and type of your cancer as well as your age, general health and how aggressive you want your mesothelioma treatments to be.
      Finding the right specialist -- one with experience in treating your exact form of this rare cancer -- is critical in your treatment strategy. Find a specialist now

      Types of Mesothelioma Treatments

      The types of mesothelioma treatments you can receive depend on your diagnosis. Mesothelioma treatments are typically broken down into two categories: curative and palliative. Curative treatments like surgery aim to get cancer out of your body. If your tumors do not metastasize, you should have surgical options. In addition, different chemotherapy regimens and diverse radiation treatments can help. Palliative treatments aim to make you more comfortable as you live with cancer. Doctors will address your symptoms with the goal of improving the quality of your life.
      In both cases, mesothelioma patients should ask about options other than the standards of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Experimental mesothelioma treatments do exist, mostly through clinical trials. They include rapidly developing gene therapy and immunotherapy, along with photodynamic therapies, all of which can be discussed with an experienced specialist.
      Mesothelioma Treatments

      Mesothelioma Surgery

      Cutting out tumors, along with chemotherapy, is considered the most effective way to eliminate cancer from your body. This is particularly true with pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma. An increasing number of surgeons are performing surgery to remove cancer from the lining of the lungs or from the lining of the abdominal cavity.Surgeries can have different objectives, depending upon the stage of the cancer and your overall health. Some can be highly invasive and lengthy, but potentially curative and life changing. Others can be less traumatic and more palliative in nature. Surgery often is accompanied by some type of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, with the goal of killing any cancer cells that might have been left behind.
      Mesothelioma Treatments

      Chemotherapy

      Chemotherapy is inevitably associated with the treatment of any cancer, including mesothelioma. The most common - and most successful - chemotherapy regimen for someone with mesothelioma is a combination of the drugs cisplatin and pemetrexed. A milder chemotherapy cocktail that uses pemetrexed with carboplatin often achieves the same results but with fewer side effects.Chemotherapy drugs, delivered by intravenous drip, are among the least invasive forms of treatment. They are designed to kill cancer cells, and a combination of agents has proven especially effective. Although they target cancer cells, healthy cells also can be affected adversely, leading to a host of side effects that can make the patient feel worse after treatment than before it. This explains why some patients opt against chemotherapy. A good specialist can advise you on the options.The common chemotherapy drugs that your oncologist may discuss with you are: cisplatin, carboplatin, Alimta (pemetrexed), gemcitabine, Navelbine, Onconase.
      Mesothelioma Treatments

      Radiation Therapy

      Radiation therapy is typically paired with other treatment options to help shrink tumors. It doesn't deliver the strong side effects that chemotherapy does, and it often helps reduce the physical pain of mesothelioma cancer. It is also used to manage a tumor's growth among people living with mesothelioma.However, radiation can be toxic to various organs, and damages DNA while killing cancer cells, so it is used sparingly and only with certain types of mesothelioma. Radiation also can be used in a palliative situation where surgery is no longer an option.
      Mesothelioma Treatments

      Multimodal Therapy

      While each cancer treatment option has benefits by itself, cancer specialists opt for a more effective multimodal approach - a mix of surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation. This strategy involves specialists in each field putting together a plan that is right for you.Some cancer patients who tried this multi-faceted approach were able to put mesothelioma on the shelf and go back to an active lifestyle. The key is involving specialists in each of the fields working together.

      Emerging and Experimental Mesothelioma Treatments

      Because of the low rate of successful treatments today, the future of mesothelioma treatments almost certainly involves therapies still in development. Do not be afraid to bring this up for discussion with your specialists. The potential of immunotherapy, gene therapy and photodynamic therapy is enormous, and research on these new treatments is considered cutting edge. 
      Mesothelioma Treatments

      Immunotherapy

      This involves manipulating your own immune system to help fight off the cancer growth. This is a specific treatment that involves your own cells being altered in the laboratory and returned to your body to fight the cancer without the use of toxic drugs.
      Mesothelioma Treatments

      Gene Therapy

      This involves repairing the defective genes by injecting the patient with a modified virus to do the work. Regardless of the location of the cancer, gene therapy can introduce genetic material that targets the cancer cells.
      Mesothelioma Treatments

      Photodynamic Therapy

      This uses light energy to kill the mesothelioma cells. A drug makes the cancer cells sensitive to a particular light wavelength, and then the tumor cells are exposed to the light through a laser. It is an outpatient procedure with few harmful side effects.

      Clinical Trials

      Anyone with a rare cancer like mesothelioma should know to explore clinical trials as a treatment option. While there are never any guarantees, this is where future successful mesothelioma treatments will be developed. If you decide that participating in a clinical trial is the way to go, your participation at the very least will help shape advances for future patients. If you're lucky, you might find something that really works for your situation.
      Clinical trials are being conducted now that will advance both gene therapy and immunotherapy, along with new chemotherapy drugs and other experimental treatment options. These are options that haven't been approved yet by the FDA, but that doesn't mean they don't work.
      Fast Fact: Surgical mortality has drastically improved in recent years. For example, in a 1984 study on the efficacy of pleurectomy/decortication surgeries, a mortality rate of 11 percent was reported. Today's mortality rate for pleurectomy/decortication is 4 percent, with a median survival time of nine to 19 months.

      Complementary and Alternative Medicine

      Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) options are considered unconventional and are often dismissed by medical professionals. But they can be used alongside more traditional approaches to cancer treatment. Alternative mesothelioma treatments don't always treat the disease itself but concentrate on the patient mentally, emotionally and physically.
      Things like massage, acupuncture, yoga, naturopathy and aromatherapy all are considered complementary therapy that can be used to relieve the pain from mesothelioma or reduce stress that comes from traditional mesothelioma treatments. Meditation also helps some patients. More and more patients are also pushing for access to medical marijuana, which is helps control cancer pain.

      The Cost of Mesothelioma Treatments

      Health care costs involving mesothelioma treatments can be prohibitive without medical insurance or other financial help. There are options available, though, through the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs, other governmental programs or through clinical trials.
      Patients and their families must factor the expense of care into their treatment plans. Costs of these mesothelioma treatments often do not cover palliative care options or medical equipment. Mesothelioma treatments often preclude you from working, which could cut significantly into the ability to pay for care.
      There can be travel costs, too, in finding the right specialist, or enrolling in the clinical trial that might fit you. Some facilities offer travel grants that include temporary housing while undergoing treatment.
      If you can afford the expense of travel, it is worth finding specialized care. If you can't afford it, ask for assistance. Some of the top mesothelioma treatments centers have resources to help with expenses. Others are willing to work with your local oncologist in formulating a treatment strategy that best fits your needs.

      Doctors and Treatment Facilities

      If you have mesothelioma and live near a cancer center that specializes in treating the disease, consider yourself fortunate. This will make your medical care easier for you.
      Mesothelioma is not something to be treated at your local hospital. There are an estimated 3,000 cases annually diagnosed in America, and most doctors around the country never treat it - or even see it.
      A number of mesothelioma treatments facilities are clustered in the Northeast, near New York, Boston and Philadelphia. Other top centers reside in higher U.S. population areas: Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Seattle and Tampa.
      The same is true for the best mesothelioma doctors. The top specialists work at recognized mesothelioma centers. Some of the best known mesothelioma specialists, like David Sugarbaker, M.D., at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, trained young surgeons who have moved on to other cities and treatment centers. Younger surgeons like Jacques Fontaine, M.D., at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa or Alexander Farivar, M.D., at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, took Sugarbaker's expertise to others around the country.

      History of Mesothelioma Treatments

      Although asbestos has been used for thousands of years, the first documented case of an asbestos-related disease didn't come until 1899. The disease was not given the name mesothelioma until 1931, and since then treatment of it has improved slowly but steadily.
      For decades, doctors struggled to understand mesothelioma and how it progressed. It wasn't until the 1960s that the disease was found to originate in the mesothelial cells surrounding the lungs. It is this complexity of the disease, combined with its rarity and its aggressive nature, that complicates the quest to find a cure.

      Recent Mesothelioma Treatments News

      Researchers are excited about the study of a cancer stem-cell inhibitor called defactinib (VS-6063), which is designed to stop a particular protein within mesothelioma cells. Although stem cells are only a small percentage of cells within a tumor, they are considered the driver of tumor growth. It’s the stem cells that are resistant to chemotherapy and cause the cancer recurrence.
      There is an ongoing, international study of defactinib involving almost 400 mesothelioma patients that is showing considerable promise.
      “It could become the next drug to be used,” said James Stevenson, M.D., Cleveland Clinic investigator and renowned oncologist. “The potential is there. If this trial turns out positive, it would be a big step forward for mesothelioma patients."
      Doctors are hoping that defactinib could become an effective maintenance therapy that will follow traditional chemotherapy. Defactinib could be used for extended periods because it is considerably less toxic than Alimta (Pemetrexed), still the only FDA-approved drug for the mesothelioma treatments. Previous research has shown that while standard chemotherapy can shrink the size of tumors, it actually helps the stem cells grow, which leads to metastasis.

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      5. Munkholm-Larsen, S., Cao, C. Q., & Yan, T. D. (2009). Malignant pleural mesothelioma. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2999110/?tool=pubmed
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      7. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. (2012). National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Malignant pleural mesothelioma. Version 2.2012.
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