Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of cancer primarily caused by exposure to asbestos, often taking decades to reveal symptoms. Raising awareness about mesothelioma is crucial because early detection is challenging. The disease is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage, limiting treatment options.
By spreading awareness, we can promote preventive measures, support research for better treatments, and provide crucial information to those at risk, potentially saving lives.
Mesothelioma & Seniors
Source: Nathan Bateman
Gori Law Firm
Asbestos.com
Our resources provide information on various financial assistance options available to cancer patients such as …
Housing assistance
Food assistance
Resources for women and those with children
Resources for low-income families
https://www.asbestos.com/
https://www.asbestos.com/
Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
A non-profit collaboration of patients and families, physicians, advocates, and researchers dedicated to eradicating mesothelioma. Services provided include a dedicated nurse practitioner who works with patients to provide current information on mesothelioma and to connect patients with mesothelioma treatment specialists. The practitioner also offers emotional support and access to community forums available through their website. An annual symposium offers patients, family members, and caretakers the opportunity to learn from and interact directly with the world’s top experts on mesothelioma.
Financial aid for medical travel is available to newly-diagnosed patients to consult with a mesothelioma expert. Contact the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation to obtain a free book titled 100 Questions & Answers About Mesothelioma. The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation also funds research projects around the world.
This program provides a one-time grant of up to $1,000 to cover expenses incurred by a patient (exceptions made for recurring clinical trial visits) to cover the costs of travel, lodging, and meals. To receive a grant, patients are required to complete an application and document significant financial need. The grant is paid by check directly to the patient.
Mesothelioma Fund
We help patients and their families with financial assistance through our many programs.
Mesothelioma Hope
We are committed to providing hopeful information and resources about mesothelioma treatments, specialists, financial options, and more.
The 2022 Mesothelioma Guide is packed with 90+ pages of information on diagnosis and survival rates along with sections on treatment, top doctors, veterans’ benefits, financial support through VA benefits, asbestos trust funds, and legal claims, and more.
https://www.mesotheliomahope.com/mesothelioma-guide/
Mesothelioma Hub
Our mission is to educate and provide resources to people who are affected by mesothelioma, whether it is directly or indirectly. About 3,300 individuals are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, with symptoms appearing anywhere from 20-40 years after exposure to asbestos! We offer up-to-date information about treatments, holistic therapies, and how mesothelioma can affect caregivers/families.
Mesothelioma Treatment
Source: The Lanier Law Firm
Malignant mesothelioma treatment is individualized for each patient. The treatment plan may be focused on extending life through treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy. Although the cancer is currently considered incurable, this multimodality treatment can significantly extend life for some patients. Some patients are treated with palliative care, which focuses on quality of life rather than length of life.
Life-Extending Treatment
Tumor-removing Surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation Therapy
Immunotherapy
Tumor-Treating Fields
Complementary and Alternative Treatments
Pleural Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is cancer in the membrane of various organs. Pleural mesothelioma, also called malignant pleural mesothelioma or MPM, is found in the membrane between the lungs and chest wall, called the pleura. Asbestos is the only known risk factor for this cancer. Without treatment, the average life expectancy of pleural mesothelioma is six months following diagnosis. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other treatments can extend life expectancy by a limited amount.
Pleural mesothelioma, also known as malignant pleural mesothelioma or MPM, is a relatively rare and aggressive type of cancer. It forms in a membrane called the pleura, which is located between the lungs and the chest wall. Asbestos exposure is the only known risk factor for this disease. Life expectancy after diagnosis is generally less than two years, and long-term survival is uncommon, although the medical community hopes that emerging treatments will lead to better outcomes.
Pleural Mesothelioma Risk Factors
The only known risk factor for malignant pleural mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. This is a mineral that was commonly used for many years in various industrial and military applications because it’s extremely stable and highly heat-resistant. More than 80% of mesothelioma patients have a known history of asbestos exposure.
When a person inhales small particles of asbestos, these become embedded in the lungs. The tiny particles can then migrate through the lung tissue into the surrounding pleura. A strong inflammatory response is triggered by the presence of asbestos. Because asbestos is too stable to be broken down, this response is sustained for years.
Over time, this inflammation can cause scarring in the lungs, which is known as asbestosis. It can also cause damage to the DNA of cells, which may eventually lead to cancer. It can take 20 to 40 years or longer for mesothelioma to develop. While asbestos exposure is most strongly associated with the development of mesothelioma, it also increases the risk of other types of cancer, including lung cancer, which forms in the lung tissue itself rather than in the pleura around the lungs.
People who worked in certain industries where asbestos use was historically common are at the greatest risk for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Unfortunately, companies did not always choose to provide their workers with adequate protection, even after the dangers of asbestos were known.
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