Being diagnosed with mesothelioma is some of the worst news that you can receive. Mesothelioma is a very rare disease, but it’s also a very deadly one. People diagnosed with mesothelioma are usually told they have months to years to live, depending on the circumstances, and treatments aren’t very effective.
Is there any way for you to improve your mesothelioma prognosis?
Mesothelioma Basics
Let’s start by talking about the basics of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is rare, in part because it almost exclusively emerges as a byproduct of being exposed to a hazardous material known as asbestos. Asbestos was once very common, but is now heavily regulated; still, some people are routinely exposed to asbestos without even knowing it.
Asbestos is full of tiny, jagged fibers that can lodge themselves into the mesothelial lining of certain organs in your body. With enough exposure, these fibers can spur the development of cancer in the mesothelial lining. This can affect a few different areas of your body. For example, the most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lungs, as it’s common for people to breathe these fibers in. However, mesothelioma can also affect the stomach, the heart, or the testicles.
Mesothelioma is particularly aggressive, meaning it spreads quickly to other areas of the body. It’s also very hard to treat, as it’s resilient to many forms of conventional cancer treatment. However, there are some treatments that can slow the spread of mesothelioma, control its development, and manage symptoms associated with it.
How to Improve Your Mesothelioma Prognosis
Fortunately, there are some strategies that you can use to improve your mesothelioma prognosis, and hopefully live for many more years with fewer symptoms.
· Get financial support. First, make sure you have adequate financial support. If you were exposed to asbestos as a workplace hazard, or because of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Additionally, if you’re a veteran, there are extra resources available to you through veteran benefits. If you have more financial flexibility, you can pursue more options.
· Get in touch with the best doctors. Make sure you get in touch with the best mesothelioma specialists you can afford. Even cancer specialists sometimes struggle to deal with mesothelioma, because it’s so rare, so aggressive, and so poorly understood. You can greatly increase your chances of improving your prognosis by working with the best.
· Consider available treatments. Many conventional forms of cancer treatment are ineffective against mesothelioma, but there are some treatments that can work for some people. Depending on your individual circumstances, you may qualify for surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy, or some combination of these. Treatments are unlikely to cure your mesothelioma, but they can shrink the tumors, control the growth, and improve some of your symptoms.
· Review available clinical trials. It’s also a good idea to look into available clinical trials. Scientists and researchers around the country are constantly looking for new ways to combat cancers like mesothelioma. If you volunteer for one of these programs, you may be eligible for certain experimental treatments that can potentially improve your prognosis. Just be aware that there are extra risks associated with this as well.
You can also improve your prognosis by adjusting your lifestyle habits.
· Stay positive. Believe it or not, your attitudes and feelings can have an impact on your prognosis. Upon learning that you have mesothelioma, it’s natural to feel sad, defeated, or depressed. However, you’ll have a much better prognosis if you find a way to stay positive. Be optimistic about your future and commit to fighting.
· Eat healthy, nutritious meals. Make sure you get plenty of healthy, nutritious meals. Cut back on junk food and unhealthy substances and try to eat more fruits and vegetables. If nothing else, it will help you feel more energized.
· Get plenty of sleep. Similarly, it’s important to get enough sleep. Some of your symptoms may make this difficult, but do what you can to get a solid 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.
· Exercise regularly. Physically exercising isn’t magically going to cure your mesothelioma, but the benefits of exercise are so numerous and powerful that it’s worth incorporating more exercise into your routine anyway. To the extent you’re able, try to exercise every day. Even if all you do is go for a brisk walk around the neighborhood, it can help you relieve stress and feel better.
· Stay social and lean on others for support. Finally, stay actively social with as many people as possible, especially your closest friends and family members. Communicate with them and lean on them for support.
Mesothelioma is almost always fatal, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to extend your lifespan and improve your quality of life. If you work proactively with strategies like these, you can greatly improve your prognosis and hopefully live several more years.