Epithelioid Mesothelioma Cancer: Prognosis, Symptoms & Treatments

Epithelioid mesothelioma is said to be the most common form of mesothelioma. This type of cancer is responsible for over half of all diagnosed cases. Epithelioid mesothelioma develops in the mesothelium that surrounds certain organs. Epithelium provides many important functions such as filtration, secretion, protection, and absorption.

Prognosis for patients with epithelioid mesothelioma is very bleak. The average survival time after diagnosis is approximately six months.

Symptoms can occur after 20 to 40 years of being exposed to asbestos. It is very difficult to diagnose because doctors may not consider mesothelioma as the illness due to the similarities in symptoms from common illnesses, like pneumonia or bronchitis. Symptoms include:

Severe chest painFatigue and weaknessWeight lossLoss of appetitePersistent dry cough

Treatments vary depending on the stage of the cancer in addition to the overall health and age of the patient. There are also differences in the way each type of cancer responds to treatment. Aggressive treatment is sometimes appropriate depending on the stage of the cancer. In general, patients diagnosed with malignant epithelioid mesothelioma have a better prognosis than patients with sarcomatoid mesothelioma.

If you or a loved one has had a diagnosis of epithelioid mesothelioma, it may be in your best interest to get a second opinion from an oncology specialist so that an accurate diagnosis can be confirmed. Appropriate treatment is based on the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Also, if you or a loved one has received a diagnosis of epithelioid mesothelioma, you should enlist the service of an experienced mesothelioma attorney or law firm. In most cases, asbestos exposure victims are entitled to receive compensation for their many losses, which may include:

Medical costsLoss of employabilityLoss of incomeEmotional sufferingPain and sufferingAnd future losses due to mesothelioma

Contact a mesothelioma lawyer today to give you the help you deserve.

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Individualizing Mesothelioma Treatments

Treatment for mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos, exposure, has been making headway. Experts predict that in the next five to ten years treatments will become increasingly personalized.

The occurrence of mesothelioma in the U.S. is rare with about 3,000 cases per year, but the number of cases worldwide is rising. The disease is extremely aggressive and has a long latency period that can last up to 20 years. Once diagnosed it is difficult to treat so many patients succumb within a year of diagnoses, so researchers have been working to help predict which treatments will work for which patients.

Individualizing the treatment of mesothelioma can help doctors decide which treatments will have greater effectiveness on which patients. Doctors can individualize the treatments by molecular or genetic tumor profiling and/or genetic biomarkers. These can help decide which chemotherapeutic agent will work best for which patients and whether or not they need to combine the agent with a cytoreductive surgery. Patients, who may be too sick for surgery, would use chemotherapy as a primary treatment alone.

To learn more about mesothelioma and your legal options contact LegalView for a free mesothelioma law consultation at 866-9LAW-NOW. Our operators are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. 1-866-952-9669. Visit LegalView for more information about finding a potential mesothelioma lawyer and other information about environmental toxins, including asbestos.

Tags: Asbestos, Mesothelioma

This entry was posted on Friday, December 10th, 2010 at 9:20 am and is filed under Asbestos & Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Malignant Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma: Prognosis, Symptoms, & Treatments

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is not very common. It only accounts for about 6 to 19 percent of mesothelioma cases and cancer cells. There are three cellular mesothelioma types; biphasic, epithelial and sarcomatoid. Malignant sarcomatoid mesothelioma is not as common as biphasic and epithelial. Scarcomatoid cells are detected by its shape which is oval shaped with a little irregularity. However, the irregular oval shape is also common among other cancer cells like sarcomatoid carcinoma and sarcoma and can create confusion if not diagnosed correctly.

Malignant sarcomatoid mesothelioma is often times very difficult to diagnose because the cells look almost alike to another type of cancer called pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma. So if you have been diagnosed with cancer due to asbestos exposure on the job or elsewhere, make sure you get the proper diagnosis and treatment. It is recommended to get a second opinion by a different doctor.

The type of mesothelioma a patient is diagnosed with and the stage of the cancer can sometimes affect a patient’s treatment options. If a patient is misdiagnosed they will not receive the correct treatment for their illness. Treatment for sarcomatoid mesothelioma is often based on where the tumor is located and the stage of the cancer. Patients are given the option to take aggressive treatment if other treatments are not effective. Unfortunately, the prognosis for sarcomatoid mesothelioma is poor and death usually occurs within six months of diagnosis.

Patients suffering from malignant mesothelioma will undergo many procedures which will determine the location and nature of the cancer. For example, a patient will undergo a biopsy of cells if the cells are suspected to be cancer cells. Immunohistochemistry can be used to detect sarcomatoid mesothelioma and is often used to distinguish epithelial mesothelioma from other types.

Although sarcomatoid mesothelioma is not as common as other types, it is the most serious form of mesothelioma. It is aggressive and rarely responds to treatment. But, fortunately, it is one of the least common forms of mesothelioma and only strikes approximately 6 to 19 percent of patients.

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Traveling for Mesothelioma Treatments

Mesothelioma is a rare, incurable cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.  Standard treatments are surgery, when possible, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.  Combination therapy, using more than one mode of treatment, has the highest success with prolonging survival times and improving quality of life.  Even in combination, standard frontline treatments are often not effective so participating in clinical trials that are investigating new therapies is highly recommended.

To participate in a mesothelioma clinical trial or alternative treatment sometimes means that the patient diagnosed with mesothelioma may need to travel, not an easy or inexpensive thing to do when there is advanced stage cancer.  The first step is to talk with your treating oncologist to make sure that dates of travel do not interrupt on-going, already scheduled treatments.  Discuss the best trip dates, mode of transportation, and risks with your medical team before making any decisions.

If you decide to pursue traveling for treatment, prepare by having all necessary medicines, directions regarding medication use, physicians and family members’ phone number and FAX, information about medical care facilities along the route and at the place of destination, photocopies of recent treatments, and locations for prescription refills.  Take extra precautions to protect your health by washing hands, wearing a mask, and avoiding contact with those that are ill before, during or after travel.

Several organizations have been formed to help assist cancer patients, including those with mesothelioma, to travel for treatments.  These include:

Helps anyone who can independently walk without assistance or life/emergency care support  provide travel for treatment or bone marrow donations  by providing private jet transportation with a travel companion.

(914) 328-1313          info@corpangelnetwork.org.

Specialized service also available for veterans with mesothelioma and/or active military personnel and their family members through Angel Flight Veterans.

Provides free air transportation to people in need of specialized health care at distant locations

1-800-549-9980          www.aircharitynetwork.org

Provides charitable, long-distance medical air transportation to patients in need of specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis or treatment who cannot afford the cost of travel

1-800-296-1217          info@nationalpatienttravelcenter.org

Patient transport provided by volunteer pilot organizations to help those in need of medical treatment

1-888-260-9707                      mail@aircareall.org

If flying on a public airline, patients seeking treatment should be as prepared as possible and allow plenty of time before departure.  Certain steps can help alleviate the stress and toll of travel, such as early boarding, assistance getting to gate and with luggage, pre-investigation as to what medical and medicine equipment is allowed on-board, and if it’s necessary to get pre-authorization from an Airline Medical Officer (AMO) to fly.

In addition to travel, free, or greatly discounted, accommodations throughout the United States while traveling for cancer treatment are also provided through:

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos related cancer and are in need of transportation or lodging, hopefully the above information will prove useful and provide the support and services you need.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 1st, 2010 at 4:49 pm and is filed under Mesothelioma Treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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