Mesothelioma Cure
Mesothelioma has no cure, but medical science has made advances over the past few years in palliative treatments that can prolong life expectancy significantly.
Early Detection
One of the barriers to a cure is that mesothelioma isn't diagnosed until 20 to 50 years after the initial asbestos exposure has taken place. Typically a patient's disease is far advanced before he or she sees a medical professional. For that reason, many new advances in mesothelioma treatment focus on early detection. If mesothelioma is diagnosed early enough, medical, surgical and behavioral interventions are far more effective.
Annual chest x-rays are indicated for individuals who have been exposed to asbestos in the workplace. Yearly chest x-rays enable primary health care providers to track suspicious changes in the lungs.
The Mesomark test, developed in Japan, detects early mesothelioma by measuring blood levels of a protein marker linked to the disease. The Mesomark test was approved for use by the FDA in 2007, but is still not widely available. It's an excellent idea for individuals whose history is positive for sustained occupational asbestos exposure to ask their physicians about the Mesomark test.
Medical Interventions
Researchers at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands have developed a vaccine that may be able to prevent or eliminate mesothelioma tumors in patients with workplace asbestos exposure. The vaccine is highly experimental and trials are still in the earliest stages, but preliminary results show success. The vaccine "trains" the patient's own immune cells to attack proteins taken from mesothelioma tumors within the patient's body; the trained cells are then reintroduced into the body.
An American physician named Dr. Stephen Cantrell has developed a procedure called Neo-Plas that utilizes interferon and a cholesterol-lowering medication to fight all types of cancer, including mesothelioma. Anecdotal results seem positive but no controlled clinical trials of the regimen have taken place yet.
Surgical Interventions: Extrapleural Pneumonectomy (EPP)
At Boston's International Mesothelioma Program, Dr. David Sugarbaker has been performing an aggressive surgery called Extrapleural Pneumonectomy (EPP) on mesothelioma patients that has greatly improved five-year survival rates.
An EPP consists of the surgical removal of the affected lung and the pleural lining of the lungs in conjunction with the surgical replacement of the pericardium and the diaphragm with prosthetics made from synthetic materials. During the operation, Dr. Sugarbaker may infuse the pleural cavity with a chemotherapeutic agent. After the surgery, radiation therapy is often indicated.
By removing the physical sources of debilitating symptoms associated with mesothelioma, the EPP procedure improves quality of life.
Behavioral Interventions
When Paul Kraus was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 1997, he was given only a few months to live. Fourteen years later, Mr. Kraus is not only alive but enjoying a good quality of life. He attributes his longevity to an antioxidant-rich, vegetarian diet.
If you or a loved one was exposed to workplace asbestos, you need to see a physician right away. The earlier mesothelioma is detected, the better it responds to treatment.
The information provided by Mesothelioma-doctors.com is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.