Mesothelioma and Asbestos Blog

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, there are several treatment options that may be recommended to you including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of these treatments to help fight the cancer. However, keep in mind that your treatment options will vary depending on your age, overall health, and the advancement of the disease.

Once you have been diagnosed and given a prognosis for the disease, it is essential that you become fully informed of all the treatment options available for your individual case. This is so you can make the best decision that would comply with your personal and emotional health. Keep in mind that some doctors may recommend you enroll in clinical trials that are testing new mesothelioma treatments or may introduce new approaches such as immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and gene therapy. Any of these treatments may be the right one for you. Just be sure to talk openly with your doctor and get all the information you need to make the right decision for you. Below are some questions you should ask your doctor about mesothelioma treatment options:

• Why is this treatment the best one for my particular case?
• What exactly does this treatment entail?
• What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this treatment option?
• What are potential risks and side effects of this treatment?
• How do you predict I’ll respond to this treatment?
• What is the rate of survival for this treatment?
• What is the mortality rate associated with this treatment?

Sadly, the family members of workers who handle asbestos are often unknowingly exposed to the hazardous chemical as a result of poor safety measures. Many workers inadvertently bring asbestos particles into their home on their work clothes, tools, bodies, hair, and other items that were exposed. In some cases, the workplace and home are not separated (like on farms) putting everyone in the household at risk of ingesting or inhaling the cancer-causing substance. While the use of asbestos has dramatically declined in the U.S., there is still a great chance that workers—particularly in the construction industry—will come into contact with the deadly fibers, which cause serious illnesses such as mesothelioma.

The following is a “How To” to help prevent asbestos contamination in your home:

• Ensure you follow the correct safety protocol to reduce exposure at work and in the home
• Change all work clothing that came into contact with the toxic fibers before going home
• Leave work clothes at work and make sure to keep them separate from non-work clothes
• All asbestos workers should take a shower before leaving work
• No tools, packaging, or other items that could have come into contact with asbestos should be taken home
• Wash all work clothes separately from non-work clothes
• Don’t allow family members into the work area