Did you know that an estimated 10,000 people in the United States pass away from asbestos-related illnesses every year?
For decades, the naturally occurring mineral was revered for its heat resistance, strength, versatility and insulating properties. Because it was added to a variety of products in the home and at workplaces, millions of people were exposed to the deadly substance.
Years later, the lethal nature of asbestos came to light, but it was too late. The deadly effects of the mineral were already affecting people around the world.
Seniors at Highest Risk for Asbestos-Related Diseases
Asbestos-related diseases have exceptionally long latency periods, which mean victims were exposed to the toxic substance decades earlier. Mesothelioma, one of the deadliest asbestos-related diseases, is an aggressive cancer that has a 20-50 year latency period.
As a result, most mesothelioma cancer patients are more than 60 years of age. In fact, the risk of developing mesothelioma is 10 times higher in people older than 60 compared to people younger than 40.
Symptoms Can Cause Confusion
The most common symptoms of mesothelioma include difficulty breathing, chest pains, pleural effusions, coughing, and fever.
Unfortunately, most of these symptoms are similar to less aggressive conditions such as COPD and pulmonary fibrosis. As a result, many older patients may put off going to the doctor until it is too late. In some cases, people may not think something is wrong medically, but rather they are combating a cold or living with the side effects of old age.
The key to successfully treating and surviving this type of cancer is an early diagnosis. Since researchers and specialists have yet to find a cure for the asbestos cancer, it is important to detect cancer at an early stage. Patients diagnosed at stage I typically have a greater number of treatment options than people diagnosed at stage III or IV.
Mesothelioma Treatments Save Lives
After any type of cancer diagnosis, patients are typically given a variety of treatment options.
For mesothelioma, the current standard of care includes chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. When two or more of these treatment types are used in combination, it is referred to as a multimodal treatment.
These traditional treatment options are sometimes accompanied by several complementary and alternative therapies such as nutrition therapy, yoga, and herbal medicine.
Recent clinical trials have been focusing on the possible efficacy of immunotherapy for treating mesothelioma. These types of drugs are designed to enhance a patient’s immune system to better combat the cancer cells. When combined with other anti-cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy can improve survival rates and reduce symptoms for people with cancer.
Given the rarity of this type of cancer, patients recently diagnosed and general physicians may be unaware of the current treatments available. This is why it is so important for a patient to be seen by a mesothelioma specialist as that it is the only type of doctor specifically trained in treating this disease.
Finding a specialist or specialty cancer center can be difficult, which is why organizations such as the Pleural Mesothelioma Center exist.
Patient Advocates at the Pleural Mesothelioma Center help patients connect with the best physicians and clinical trials for their diagnosis. They can also help patients find the resources they need, including financial assistance, support groups and so much more.
This is a guest blog written by Cara Tompot. Cara Tomport is a Social Media Specialist for the Pleural Mesothelioma Center. She communicates with survivors, caregivers, and their loved ones, as well as offers, support to the online Mesothelioma community.
