A diagnosis of cancer is disheartening for thousands of veterans with mesothelioma. People who risked their lives for our country are also devastated to find out that while doing so they were exposed to asbestos which has led to this deadly diagnosis. This is certainly tough to swallow but regardless of how the cancer developed, receiving the correct medical treatment for your individual circumstance is paramount for fighting the disease.
Many times, veterans with mesothelioma are not diagnosed until the late stages of the disease. Quickly finding an appropriate medical facility with experienced staff is essential. There are many hospitals that now provide the appropriate and aggressive mesothelioma treatment options necessary to combat the disease. Because mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, patients want to search for a thoracic oncologist who will guide them to the proper treatment and also recommend participation in clinical trials that will help their form of the cancer.
Make sure you involve family and get second and third opinions about what should be the best medical treatment and support for your disease. Veterans with mesothelioma do not have to limit themselves to only VA medical facilities. Using the veteran’s networks is a smart way to find the hospitals and care facilities that have the most successful mesothelioma medical approaches. With over 3000 cases of mesothelioma diagnoses a year, there are plenty of facilities and programs to choose from. Specialists are located throughout the country and generally the specialists in urban regions and areas have shown to historically be the most affected by these types of ailments, especially towns with navy shipyard locations in their past.
There is a latency period with asbestos exposure, unfortunately. Not only that, but because the symptoms mimic those of the common cold or flu through the years, early detection is hard to nail down. Mesothelioma cancer is often diagnosed only after it has already caused the most damage to internal organs. This limits treatment options. Many victims of asbestos exposure and a mesothelioma diagnosis are being prescribed a multi-modality therapy regimen. This can include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy or a combination of the three. There are also alternative therapies that offer to keep the patient comfortable and may prolong life.
There are also organizations run by veterans that can assist U.S. Armed Forces members with how and where to seek treatment for veterans with mesothelioma putting the benefits they risked their lives for to very good use. They have set up discussion boards and chat rooms for veterans fighting this disease and others in order to help them learn more about what’s ahead. They will have all of the claim information necessary to file for your benefits and this will also help family members if the patient is too ill to file on their own.