Over the next several weeks, we’ll explore some of the key topics of interest for veterans of the military regarding exposure to asbestos and the possible consequences to their health and finances that can result from the exposure.
Veterans at risk for potentially fatal levels of asbestos exposure typically are those who served between the years of the First World War and Vietnam. Those individuals were not made aware of the risks to their well being at their time of service, and some may not even be aware of them now. The purpose of these next several articles is to educate and inform those who may have been affected by toxic levels of asbestos about their medical, legal and financial options in the years following exposure.
More information about the risks and consequences of asbestos exposure for veterans of the U.S. Military, including a free consultation of your possible case against those responsible for exposing you to a known dangerous carcinogen, you can contact Shrader Law and Associates, LLP directly anytime of the day TOLL-FREE at 1-877-637-6347.
PART III: THE BASICS OF MALIGNANT MESOTHELIOMA TREATMENT
After suffering negligent and often illegal asbestos exposure decades ago, thousands of military veterans found themselves diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma; treatment for this aggressive and terminal form of cancer, because of the near-inevitability of a late-stage diagnosis, is generally limited in its efficacy. Conventional treatment options fall into three basic types: surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. More often than not, two or more of these modalities are used simultaneously.
Surgery
Many patients undergo surgery to remove tumors and surrounding affected tissue. In fact surgical intervention, particularly when followed by either chemo or radiation therapy (or both), is generally considered to be the most promising option for mesothelioma cancer patients. The location, size and stage of the cancer all factor into determining what specific type of mesothelioma surgery a patient will undergo.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a type of drug therapy used for all different types of cancer, besides malignant mesothelioma, and is most commonly administered intravenously in a hospital or other medical facility setting. Chemo administered after surgery has been has been shown in clinical studies as the most promising type of multimodality malignant mesothelioma treatment. The downside of chemo includes a list of considerably distressing side effects-including nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and significant, rapid weight loss.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is another modality used in many various types of cancer, using targeted high-energy x-rays to stop tumor growth and sometimes even shrink malignancies. Like chemo, radiation therapy is commonly used as part of a multimodality treatment approach-before, after or during surgery. A special type of radiation, called “intraoperative”, is administered simultaneously as surgical procedures are being formed to help prevent the seeding or spread of cancer cells in the affected region on the body.