g scans
- Thoracoscopy (a type of tissue biopsy)
Even after a multitude of tests, it’s not unusual for an oncologist still to confuse it with lung cancer, which is treated differently.
“This isn’t lung cancer,” said Dr. Abraham Lebenthal, thoracic surgeon and mesothelioma specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “To understand the subtleties of mesothelioma, you need an expert.”
Pleural Mesothelioma in Indiana
The state of Indiana ranks 21st in the country when it comes to mesothelioma deaths. Many of the cases were attributed to Indiana’s numerous manufacturing industries that once used an abundance of asbestos-containing materials.
Pleural mesothelioma is best treated — and also best diagnosed — at a specialty center that deals with it regularly.
The most effective treatment approach is multimodal treatment, which combines two or more of the traditional treatments such as chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Patients also benefit from a multidisciplinary approach, involving a team of experienced specialists.
While aggressive surgery has proven effective, less than half of those diagnosed are surgical candidates. If the cancer already has metastasized, which is often the case, the best treatment is palliative care.
There also are complementary therapies that include an integrative approach, which attempts to treat the whole person beyond the disease. The goal with integrative medicine is improving the quality of life.
The Pleural Mesothelioma Center is available to provide information and support for anyone needing help with this disease. The free services include locating mesothelioma specialists, providing financial help and answering any questions you might have.
Indiana Department of Environmental Management. (n.d.). Asbestos.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1985). HHE Report No. HETA-84-151-1544, Nuturn Corporation, New Castle, Indiana.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2015, January). Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC WONDER Online Database.