Mesothelioma website provides three new tips to combat disease

Mesothelioma.us, a free online resource that features comprehensive resources for people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, has just unveiled three new tips for beating the disease.

As a spokesperson for http://mesothelioma.us/ noted, the three tips are: do not ignore seemingly innocent symptoms like a nagging cough; arrange for medical treatments like surgery as soon as possible after being diagnosed with mesothelioma; and do not be afraid to try alternative treatments such as acupuncture, herbs and other forms of Eastern medicine.

Unfortunately, the spokesperson said, the incubation for mesothelioma can be so long that people may forget that they were ever exposed to asbestos. As a result, common symptoms of mesothelioma like a persistent cough, a hoarse voice and/or recurrent bouts of pneumonia or bronchitis might be chalked up to a rough flu season.

People who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma should also ask their oncologists numerous questions about their treatment options. While the most common treatments involve surgery to remove selected tissues from the affected areas of the body, radiation and chemotherapy are often appropriate responses. Other treatments include a pneumonectomy, which removes the affected lung; this procedure is typically reserved for patients with pleural mesothelioma.

Patients can also ask their oncologist about palliative therapies, noted the spokesperson for Mesothelioma.us.

"This method entails the draining of excess fluids through the use of a needle and suction," the spokesperson said, adding that the procedure may be followed-up with drugs administered through a tube in the chest to prevent further accumulation of fluids.

In most cases, people with mesothelioma are treated with a cocktail of drugs and a combination of treatments. The type of treatment the doctor uses will depend on the person's age, health, location of the mesothelioma and if the cancer has spread.

"New mesothelioma treatments are always being tested through medical research studies in hopes that an effective treatment will soon be discovered," the spokesperson said.