Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly cancer caused by exposure to fibrous silicate minerals called asbestos. It is 4.6 times more likely to occur in men than women, as men tend to dominate the industries with frequent exposure to asbestos.
Every year, roughly 3000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in the US. Patients with mesothelioma usually do not realize cancer due to symptoms appearing 20 to 50 years after exposure. Most patients have a low survival rate as they are often older and experience tumors forming in the thin tissue linings of their lungs, abdomen, heart, or testes.
While there is no cure for mesothelioma, treatment is available, and the earlier the stage, the more likely is the chance to achieve a happier and prolonged life. The following article contains some of the things a patient should do before starting treatment for mesothelioma.
Pursuing Legal Action
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After being diagnosed with mesothelioma, a patient’s priority should be to focus on their health as much as they can. While this is necessary, patients with mesothelioma and their families deserve compensation for their lives being put at such risk. Companies that exposed their workers to asbestos knew the adverse effects yet stayed silent about it.
The usage of asbestos has been illegal for many decades and has serious consequences. By hiring a mesothelioma lawyer, these companies can grant their victims the rightful compensation and assets they deserve. Patients can also help aware the population against such products and provide justice to the community. Asbestos trust funds that have been set up by companies who have willingly used asbestos in their products can help compensate victims that have developed mesothelioma.
Today, billions of dollars are available within these trust funds for victims of all ages.
Consulting For A Medical Prognosis:
A mesothelioma prognosis is a general medical outlook for each patient. Most mesothelioma patients have a poor prognosis as it has no cure, but with more modern and new treatments being discovered daily, the prognosis can be significantly improved.
The prognosis can be described as good, bad, and favorable according to how cancer has developed. By asking for a mesothelioma prognosis from an oncologist, patients know about their life expectancy, average survival rates, death rate, and possible treatments with which they can improve prognosis. They can also see if they are fit for surgery.
Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma are usually in its later stages, which results in a poor prognosis. However, patients who detect cancer in its early stages can enjoy a longer lifespan with an average of around 22.2 months long.
Improving Your General Fitness
A patient’s mesothelioma prognosis can be improved by methods independent of treatments, surgery, and medication. While there are irreversible factors such as age and the stage of cancer, the general fitness level of a patient does wonders in expanding the life expectancy and leads to having a better experience during treatment. Tips for Getting The Most Out Of Your Addiction Treatment
People suffering from mesothelioma usually experience a lot of fatigue and difficulty breathing, which worsens with inactivity. Oncologists recommend patients do low-impact exercise daily to improve their health and experience with cancer.
Exercise will create major improvements in the patient’s life, such as better mental health, increased muscle mass, and reduced chemotherapy-related issues. Before treatment has started, the patient must make an effort to change their diet and improve their fitness to have a better prognosis and expanded lifespan.
Ask Your Doctors For The Risks Of Treatment And Prepare Yourself For Any Possible Outcomes:
Every patient needs to discuss the risks of treatment with their doctors in detail. After treatment, patients will suffer from multiple issues such as emotional changes, physical changes, and other health problems.
Difficulty in breathing, fatigue, and constant pain are common side effects for most patients. Other than that, frequent mood swings and strong emotions occur, which often lead to many problems in the patient’s relationships. There is also significant change within their sex lives.
Patients need to understand these side effects and discuss them with their friends and family. They also need to mentally prepare themselves and see if they are ready to take such a step. If there is an issue that the patient is not comfortable with, they can discuss it with their doctors, and they might be able to change the type of treatment being considered to something more suitable.
Mesothelioma Support Groups
While family and friends will make an effort to be there for the patient, they will often feel isolated as they won’t understand how they are truly feeling.
Talking to other mesothelioma patients before treatment will give a helping hand during the process. They will discuss the emotional issues they went through during the treatment and give some advice. They will also have a greater emotional understanding of each other that other people may not understand. In times of distress, finding someone else who is going through the same situation will create massive changes in the patient’s mental health and help them ease any anxiety.
Support groups are also widely available for patients to connect with other patients of all ages, backgrounds, and mindsets to discuss their individual experiences. Talking to mesothelioma survivors is also a great idea, as patients will feel inspired that they will make it and be less lonely in their experiences.
Final Thoughts
Suffering from an aggressive and deadly cancer like mesothelioma may create many problems. There are also many stigmas around cancer, which will create many emotional drawbacks in the patient’s mental health. However, with a good social circle, healthy lifestyle, and skilled doctors, the prognosis can be improved immensely and lead to a smooth process.
It is important to create conversations about mesothelioma to normalize its consequences and create awareness against asbestos products. These precautions help raise awareness about this cancer and help people stay safe and protected.
