Questions about mesothelioma? Call 1-800-726-1860

Mesothelioma Blog

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Your message to us will be held in strict confidence. All requests for information by mesothelioma patients and their family members will be answered within 24 hours. Mesothelioma Treatment and Care Guides are sent to mesothelioma patients and families by overnight delivery.

Dealing with Anger in Your Mesothelioma Journey

Posted on by

Anger is an emotion that can develop any time during your journey of Mesothelioma. It often is the first reaction that a patient experiences after receiving a Mesothelioma diagnosis. Patient sometimes are angry about what it has done to their lives, or how they contracted this disease. Patients sometimes feel guilty about this emotion and do not know how to express it. These sentiments can be manifested and result in depression which also has to be monitored. Anger can be exhibited in many different expressions. Patients often will verbally lash out at the ones they love. They don’t blame their family and friends for their disease, but these caretakers and family members provide a safe repository for this anger.

We have been following a patient who has exhibited a lot of anger. He feels frustrated about his recovery. He is refusing to have family or friends visit him because his physical appearance has changed as he has lost a significant amount of weight. Every activity is a day’s event. The energy it takes and the fatigue he feels is overwhelming. He does what is expected but it is really hard for him. He also feels frustrated about relying on medicine to help him with the pain. He is angry about his overall situation and his frustration and anger is now having a negative effect on his caregiver.

These emotions are not right or wrong, unfortunately they are a by-product of this and many other diseases. Sometimes patients will express anger when they are actually feeling another emotion. Often anger is actually a reaction to sadness or hopelessness. If it all possible, it is best to avoid taking out anger on others. If you can direct your anger at the cause of the anger itself, rather than a person, there will be no hurt feelings. Sometimes it is hard to manage your feelings and counseling can possibly be helpful.  One on one or group counseling may be available.

Sometimes good can come out of having this emotion. Anger can turn into positive energy. Research has shown that anger can make us push on toward our goals. When used constructively it can make a patient more powerful. Expressing anger is justifiable and can strengthen relationships.

Anger is a strong emotion and sends a clear message that something has to change. Once we analyze the cause of our anger we can identify what changes need to happen and how to proceed to make these changes, which may include physically moving forward, getting counseling, or talking with loved ones about what you are angry about.

Anger can be positive; we just have to figure out the message it is sending us.

– Lisa

Acupuncture Therapy for Mesothelioma

Posted on by

When trying to deal with a diagnosis of mesothelioma patients often combine therapies. In addition to standard therapy, chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, patients often find relief in Complimentary Alternative Therapies –CAM, used together it is called Integrative Therapy. There are many different therapies under this group, one being acupuncture.

According to www.cancer.gov acupressure is defined as, “the application of stimulation such as needling, moxibustion, cupping and acupressure on specific sites of the body known as acupuncture sites.”

Acupuncture is a form of ancient Chinese medicine, which uses fine needles to specific areas of the body or acupoints to stimulate energy flow. This energy is known as chi. The needles are often left in the body for approximately 30 minutes. Usually this causes virtually no pain. It is not known exactly how acupuncture works but it thought to be effective by stimulating healthy energy flow, regaining balance. Acupuncture has been practiced in the United States for a very long time. However the United States Food and Drug Administration first approved acupuncture needles as a medical device in 1996.

Research has indicated that acupuncture is most effective in cancer patients in treating the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, and is also helpful for pain management, fatigue, control of hot-flashes, neuropathy, anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances. In recent years many major medical centers have formed departments of Integrative Therapies and acceptance of these therapies has increased.

To become a licensed acupuncturist in the United States there are approximately 50 schools whose course of study is acupuncture and oriental medicine. It takes from 3-4 years to complete. Every state has its own licensing requirements and some require that the acupuncturist practice under a medical doctor.

If acupuncture is something that you want to learn more about information is available on   www.cancer.gov.   Remember to do your due diligence in researching any practitioner and also ask your mesothelioma care team for any recommendations.

– Ellie

Blood Clots and Mesothelioma

Posted on by

One of the presenting symptoms for mesothelioma can be shortness of breath. Just as mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose because of the many vague symptoms, so are blood clots. Shortness of breath is the common presenting symptom for many conditions – one of them can be blood clots. A blood clot is a gel like mass formed by platelets and fibrin in the blood to stop bleeding. At times patients who have mesothelioma develop blood clots. This can be very harmful because blood flow is interrupted or decreased to its path. Some of the risk factors for blood clots are: atrial fibrillation, prolonged immobility, smoking, birth control pills, and any type of surgery, and clotting disorders.

Symptoms of blood clots in the leg also known as DVT (deep vein thrombosis), can cause pain, redness and swelling. Blood clots in the lung are much more serious and symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath and fast breathing. Serious complications can arise if you have a blood clot and it is recommended that you get medical care immediately. A thrombus is the medical terminology for clot. Many times a thrombus forms as the natural way to repair a process that has occurred. Blood clots form when the lining of the blood vessel has been damaged either to an artery or vein. The blood can become stagnant and form small clots which can occlude or block the vein from blood flow from returning to the heart.

A pulmonary embolus is a dvt that has broken off and flows toward the heart and becomes lodged in the pulmonary artery. This inhibits the lung from functioning and can cause serious illness or death. An embolus is the medical term for a blood clot that has moved within the bloodstream to a different location. A couple of things happen to the lung if this happens, the lung becomes compromised because of lack of blood flow and the blood supply is compromised therefore the lung cannot provide oxygen to the body.

The treatment for blood clots whether it be a DVT or pulmonary embolus is to stop the clot from getting bigger and keep new clots from forming. Blood thinners or anticoagulants are used to decrease the formation of clots and help blood clots from getting larger and prevent clots from forming. If you have a DVT, treatment with blood thinners is usually prescribed for 3 to 6 months. If you have had clots previously, the treatment may be longer. The most common side effect of blood thinners is bleeding. Depending on the anticoagulation medication you are prescribed, you may have blood drawn so your physician can titrate the dose of the blood thinner to your needs. If the clot is a pulmonary embolus it can be life threatening. The treatment can be a medicine call thrombolytic. This is a drug that can quickly dissolve a clot. It is used to treat large clots that cause severe symptoms. These thrombolytic are only used during life threatening situations. Another solution is that a filter can be inserted inside a large vein called the inferior vena cava. The filter catches the clots before they can travel to the lung but will not stop the formation of clots.

In caring for mesothelioma patients we often are dealing with clots. They are always a concern. Even with preventative care some patients are still susceptible. When clots are suspected an immediate ultrasound is ordered. Post-surgery, many professionals are anxious to get the patient up and walking for many reasons. One of the reasons is that moving can help prevent clots. So the next time your healthcare provider suggests you get moving remember it could save your life. It is important to also recognize that if you suddenly become short of breath, don’t ignore it- seek medical attention.

– Lisa

Mesothelioma Clinical Trial Review – A Phase 1 Study of Concurrent Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy for Patients with Inoperable Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Posted on by

c-trialsWe encourage participation in clinical trials for research leading to a cure for mesothelioma. It is known that nationally the statistics for participation in adult cancer trials is between 3-5% of adults who have a cancer diagnosis.

For mesothelioma patients and families that are interested in clinical trials, researching clinical trials and eligibility can be a time consuming barrier to participation. The information about clinical trials is available on www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Our goal is to feature one mesothelioma clinical trial monthly and break it down to understandable terms, to decipher the eligibility requirements, and to possibly encourage participation in these trials.

Listing: ClinicalTrial.gov – NCT02639767

Official Title: Concurrent Pemetrexted/ Cisplatin With Pleural Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Patients With Unrespectable Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Principle Investigator: Marjorie Zauderer MD Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Contact: Marjorie Zauderer M.D. 646 888 4656
Andreas Rimner M.D. 212 639 6025

Purpose:  The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of combining chemotherapy at different doses with a specific type of radiation therapy delivered to the entire lining of the lung to find out what effects, if any, it has on people.  This radiation technique is called pleural intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).  IMRT specifically targets the lining of the lung (pleura) where the cancer is and reduces the risk of damaging the lung itself.  When given after chemotherapy, pleural IMRT has demonstrated promising results with respect to keeping mesothelioma under control longer.  However, the investigators want to determine if giving pleural IMRT at the same time is safe.  If safe, further studies will be done to see if chemotherapy and pleural IMRT given at the same time keeps the tumor under control for a longer period of time than chemotherapy followed by pleural IMRT.

Screening: Screening Tests- Pre- treatment MRI before chemo and radiation therapy and will be used for target delineation. Three-month post treatment MRI will be acquired to assess the response from the treatment

Eligibility: Must be pathologically confirmed diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

  • No plans for surgery
  • Stage T1-4, NO-3, M0
  • No prior radiation therapy to the chest, breast or supraclavicular fossa that would limit radiation delivery to the full prescription dose
  • Prior chemotherapy < 1 • Age >18
  • Karnofsky performance status >80%
  • Pulmonary function tests as follows: DLCO>50% predicted
  • Adequate hematologic, hepatic, and renal function as indicated by the following laboratory values
  • Absolute neutrophil count > 1,500/mcl
  • Platelets > 100,000/mcl
  • Calculated creatine clearance (CrCl) > 45ml/min
  • Serum total bilirubin < 1.5 x upper limit of normal
  • ASt (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) < 3.0 x upper limits normal

Exclusion:

  • Pregnant or lactating women, or men or women not using effective contraception
  • Patients with an active infection that requires systemic antibiotics, antiviral, or antifungal treatments
  • Patients with a concurrent active malignancy (with the exception of skin cancer)
  • Patients with serious unstable medical illness
  • Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
  • Patients with NYHA heart failure class >2
  • Patients with only one kidney that is ipsilateral to the mesothelioma
  • Implanted pacemaker and/or defibrillator ipsilateral to the mesothelioma if it cannot be removed
  • Patients meeting the following exclusion criteria will be excluded from the MRI portion only
  • Metallic implant, e.g. pacemaker, defibrillator
  • Unmanageable claustrophobia
  • High risk nephrogenic systemic fibrosis

How the Research Study is Designed to Work- IMRT is a very targeted treatment It is thought that using the two treatments together will improve survival

Sources:

www.ClinicalTrials.gov

With any clinical trial all participation is voluntary. Before enrollment a detailed consent form will be reviewed with the participant and signed. The participant can withdraw from a clinical trial at any point in time. Think about participating if able, the only way to progress to a cure for mesothelioma is through clinical trials.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.

What is IMRT? Intensity modulated radiation therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy. Before IMRT patients were radiated in specific areas such as the chest, the radiation was directed at tumors but unfortunately would include healthy tissue. The way it works is that by using computer controlled linear accelerators precise doses of radiation are able to be delivered to a tumor. It targets a specific area within the tumor, by controlling the intensity of the radiation beam to the volume of the tumor. It concentrates the beam in the region within the tumor while minimizing the dose to the surrounding area. This is done by using a CT. Scan or MRI image of the tumor, by doing some computer calculations and 3-D imaging to figure out what dose will conform to the tumor depth and shape. The treatment is usually multiple beams coming from different directions, the dose is customized while minimizing the dose to the adjacent normal tissue.

Pemetrexed/ Cisplatin is the only FDA approved first line chemotherapy for mesothelioma. By combining these therapies within the same time frame the researches are planning to study if working together they improve response and keep the mesothelioma under control for a longer period than if administered seperalty.
This study is being conducted at Memorial Sloan Kettering only. Patients have to be deemed not a candidate for surgery.

Mesothelioma Specialist Spotlight: Dr. Valerie Rusch, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer

Posted on by

dr. valerie ruschValerie Rusch is one of the first women to become board certified as a thoracic surgeon. Dr. Rusch currently has many positions which include vice chair of clinical research within the department of surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer. She is also chair for the Miner Family Chair in Intrathoracic Cancers. Dr. Rusch also is professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. As a thoracic surgeon she specializes in the treatment of mesothelioma as well as other cancers of the lung, airway, esophagus, and mediastinum. Dr. Rusch obtained her medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Her residency was done at the University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals. Her fellowship was done at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Dr. Rusch has had many accomplishments throughout her career. She serves as the chair of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, a regent member of the Board of Directors of the American College of Surgeons. She also is the chair of the Lung and Esophagus Task Force of the American Joint Commission on Cancer. Dr. Rusch also sits as chair of the mesothelioma subcommittee of IASLC (International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer) Staging Committee. She has also written many chapters on mesothelioma and lung cancers.

Dr. Rusch has been a prominent leader in the clinical trial field for treatment of mesothelioma. In 2007 she received the Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education Socrates Award. Dr. Rusch has also been a recipient of The Nina Starr Braunwald Award. This award is for the lifetime contributions to the advancement of women in surgery. Dr. Valerie Rusch has also held 25 visiting professorships and has had over 300 speaking engagements at medical conferences. Her accomplishments are numerous and well deserved. A few other accomplishments would be chair of the American Board of Thoracic surgery, chair of the Lung and Esophagus Task Force of the American Joint Commission on Cancer and is currently the chair of the Mesothelioma subcommittee of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Staging Committee.

Mesothelioma Center Review – Memorial Sloan Kettering

Posted on by

mskIt is recommended that when you or your family member is diagnosed with mesothelioma that you be evaluated at an academic, multi-disciplinary, mesothelioma center. In order to become familiar with what a center can offer, we feature one center a month.

 

MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING Cancer Center

1275 York Avenue

(Between 67th and 68th streets)

New York, NY 10065

212-639-5875

Mission: “Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center composed of Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases and the Sloan Kettering Institute, is dedicated to excellence in the prevention, treatment, and cure of cancer through patient care, research and education.”

History: Founded in 1884 it was first known as new York Cancer Hospital located at 106 Street and Central Park West. New York Cancer Hospital was the first institution in the U.S. devoted exclusively to the treatment of cancer.

In 1948 the building adjacent to Memorial Hospital was the Sloan Kettering Institute-SKI-was established by former General Motors executives Alfred P Sloan and Charles F Kettering- now one of the leading biomedical research institutes.

In 1980 Memorial Hospital and Sloan Kettering Institute came together as one institute. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is dedicated to exceptional cancer care, innovative research, forward thinking education.

Support Services: Memorial Sloan Kettering is rich with services that include integrative therapy, and educational therapy. Counseling is available to help deal with your diagnosis. MSKCC also has a recreation center, and offer many other options such as art and music therapy and a writing program. Canine therapy is available to patients and Look Good Feel Better is also for patients. This option is to help with your physical appearance to help give you an emotional lift.

Affiliations: 24 satelite campuses of Memorial Sloan Kettering. For more definitive help and guidance call 1 800 525 2225

Research: Currently there are 12 clinical trials listed on the MSKCC web site. Overall there are 900 clinical trials being conducted at the Center. They are designed to improve treatment strategies for both adult and pediatric patients.

Team: The team of mesothelioma experts include many professionals including Surgeons (Dr. Valerie Rusch and Dr. Prasad S Adusumilli MD), Medical Oncololgists (Dr. Azadeh Namakydoust and Dr. Marjorie G.Zauder) and Radiation Specialists (Dr. Andreas Rimner and Dr. Abraham J. Wu). Dr. Garrett Nash is the peritoneal surgical oncologist. Linda Blackler and Linda Mathew are the social workers.

Contact new patient appointment: 1-800-525-2225

Drug Development and Clinical Trials: Importance to Mesothelioma Patients

Posted on by

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a conference regarding drug development from basic research through clinical trials held in Boston. The objective of the conference was to cover the entire drug development process, and to increase awareness of the challenges, and the trends, facing drug research, and development.

One of the conference topics was rare diseases. The working definition of a rare disease in the United States is, “a disease that effects fewer than 200,000 Americans at any given time.” www.fda.org . Mesothelioma can be classified as a rare disease. Some of the other benchmarks of a rare disease also fit a mesothelioma diagnosis. A rare disease can be difficult to diagnose, often leading to a delay in treatment. There is no existing cure- again mesothelioma has no cure. Information is limited on the disease and treatment. There are approximately 7,000 rare diseases, only 5% have active treatments. Patients and their families that have rare diseases, are often searching for clinical trials and in the process become experts on their disease.

The challenges that exist regarding clinical trial information and getting this information to the public’s attention was also discussed. One of the initiatives that will soon be in place is from the Cancer Moon Shot Initiative which involves an improvement at the web site www.clinicaltrials.gov . Plans are being finalized to have the web site become more user friendly for both patient and doctors. There are bio-tech firms working on a way to integrate a clinical trial opportunity into the medical record, alerting both the patient and the MD that they might qualify for a clinical trial.

Support for both patients and families was also discussed. The patient and the family can use the knowledge that they have to spread awareness about the disease. They can use their resources, ask questions, and empower themselves to advance their loved one’s cause.

The mesothelioma community, although small, is a good example for others that suffer from rare diseases. They have raised awareness, are fighting for funding, and help support each other.

On Sunday September 25th on Good Morning America, consumer advocate Erin Brockovich, announced that she was taking mesothelioma on as a cause. She is intent on raising social awareness, to help to wipe out mesothelioma. Mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases, are a threat to our health and safety. She challenged all of us to get active, empower ourselves, let our voices be heard.

The mesothelioma community is now being joined by a famous consumer advocate. We look forward to her energizing the community!

We recognize the importance of clinical trials to mesothelioma patients. This is why we have created, and updated every three months, the Mesothelioma Clinical Trial Digest, which contains user-friendly information for all clinical trials for pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma in the United States. Let us know if you would like this book or if you need help.

– Lisa

Mesothelioma and “Quality of Life”

Posted on by

One of the terms used commonly in many areas these days is “quality of life.” What does that mean? What is the definition?   According to the World Health Organization: “Quality of Life” is “- an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. It is a broad ranging concept affected in a complex way by the person’s physical health, psychological state, level of independence, social relationships, personal beliefs and their relationship to salient features of their environment.”

When diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other serious illness, a major concern is how will the disease and treatment impact the person’s quality of life. As progress has been made in healthcare choices that were never before options are being offered to patients. Are these choices what the person wants?

Quality of life is affected by several factors when dealing with mesothelioma. The factors would include stage of the disease and treatment side effects. The average life expectancy for patients with mesothelioma range from 12 to 21 months depending on when the patient was diagnosed, type of mesothelioma, treatment option they might decide on. The scenarios are many and as individual as the patient, family and mesothelioma tumor. Many patients after receiving treatment go on to lead very active lives including travel, working and enjoying children and grandchildren. Some patients elect not to receive treatment based on their wishes and circumstances.

There are sites on the internet that imply that surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can improve your quality of life. This can be true for some people but for others is not.   Often the symptoms you experience help you make the decision to opt for treatment. Often shortness of breath, pain or fatigue are catalysts for determining what treatment options are best for you.

There are many patients who opt for quality of life versus pursing all possible options for example author Randy Pausch in his book, “The Last Lecture”, describes how he had a terminal illness and was given months to live. He accepted his diagnosis and he chose how he would live his final days. His advice is to “break down the brick wall and fight for what you want”   During his journey he never gave up on hope and love.

In a study presented at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology by Dr. Benjamin Movsas, chairman of the Radiation Oncology Department at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit he presented data that showed how important quality of life indicator is for predicting survival of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. “We conducted two different statistical analysis including all the usual prognostic factors and either way, quality of life remained the strongest predictor of overall survival. What’s more, if a patient’s quality of life increased over time, we saw a corresponding increase in survival.”

How is your quality of life? Are you living the best possible life that you can? Are you happy? These questions and answers play an important role in the treatment of your disease.

Mesothelioma Awareness Day: A Nurses’ Perspective

Posted on by

“Asbestos exposure is the main cause of pleural mesothelioma. When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they travel to the ends of small air passages and reach the pleura, where they can cause inflammation and scarring. This may damage cells’ DNA and cause changes that result in uncontrolled cell growth. If swallowed, these fibers can reach the abdominal lining, where they can have a role in causing peritoneal mesothelioma.”   www.cancer.org

  • Asbestos exposure has been scientifically linked to causing malignant mesothelioma
  • Asbestos is not banned in the United States in 2016.
  • Asbestos is still imported and used in products
  • Asbestos can still be found in many, many homes, commercial buildings, and schools
  • Asbestos was used in the military on Naval ships and boiler rooms, leading to one third of all mesothelioma victims being Veterans
  • The incubation period from asbestos exposure to developing mesothelioma is estimated to be 15-50 years.

All these facts are commonly known about asbestos role in a person developing malignant mesothelioma by those in the mesothelioma community.

Although not banned, asbestos and asbestos exposure are regulated. Removal of asbestos from a building requires permits, inspections and trained qualified personnel.   It is imperative to remove asbestos in the right way for the health of all involved.

There is nothing new about any of the above information for people in the mesothelioma community. Recently in the newspaper it was reported about a local landlord who owns multiple properties, and was renovating them. Not only did he not obtain the correct permits, he allowed contractors to perform illegal asbestos work on four homes he was renovating. He was brought to court by the Attorney General of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and was fined. The reason for the $100,000.00 fine was putting workers and the public at risk for asbestos exposure. The suit was filed in 2012 and settled in 2016.

Knowing the potentially deadly consequences of exposure to asbestos, how does the mesothelioma community raise awareness? Educate the public? Put a face to this fatal disease? On Monday September 26 the Mesothelioma community will join to help educate people about the real dangers of asbestos, the potentially lethal ways asbestos kills, and the human suffering that involves all mesothelioma victims and their families. Since 2010, September 26 has been the Mesothelioma Awareness Day, as proclaimed by the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.

This year we encourage you to get involved, raise awareness and educate the public to the dangers of asbestos all around us.

– Ellie

Mesothelioma Center Review – MD Anderson Cancer Center

Posted on by

md-anderson-mesotheliomaWe recommend that when you or your family member is diagnosed with mesothelioma that you be evaluated at an academic, multi-disciplinary, mesothelioma center. In order to help you become familiar with what a center can offer, we feature one center per month.

 

 

MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas Medical Center

1515 Holcombe Boulevard

Houston, Texas 77030

1-877-632-6789

 

Mission- “It is our mission to ensure that patients have the best possible life after cancer, with advanced treatment techniques to preserve lung function.”

History- MD Anderson was created in 1941 as part of the University of Texas Health System. In 1971 when the National Cancer Act was passed MD Anderson was one of the three comprehensive cancer centers designated. Today it is one of 45 National Cancer Institutes (NCI) designated comprehensive cancer centers. For the past 11 years MD Anderson has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the number one cancer center.

Director- Anne S Tsao M.D.- Mesothelioma Program Director   – 713-792-6363

Team-   30 Medical Oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, pulmonologists, pathologists- all experts in their fields

Dr Anne S Tsao is the director of the program. She is a medical oncologist, has published extensively and is a noted mesothelioma expert.

Radiation Oncologist-   Dr. Stephen M Hahn is the Division Head of Radiation Oncology. Dr. Hahn is the Department Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology and a Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology. He is a very active member of the mesothelioma community, having served on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.

Dr. David Rice is a professor and surgeon at MD Anderson. His interests are surgery, and clinical trials for mesothelioma. He has been awarded the Surgery Teaching Award, The University of Texas-Houston Medical School Department of Surgery. He also is a member of many professional groups such as the American college of Chest Physicians, American College of Surgeon Oncology Group and American Medical Association.

Research- Areas of study include:

  • more precise ways to diagnose mesothelioma
  • targeted radiation therapy that focuses on cancer cells while causing the least danger to healthy cells
  • novel targeted agents that help your body fight the disease

 

Support Services– MD Anderson offers a Patient Travel Program which can help you navigate your trip to Houston. Often there are reduced rates, non-penalty airfares as well as change fee waivers. Patient Travel services also has access to airline, lodging and ground transportation discounts and rates. For more information: 713 745 2300

As you are spending time at MD Anderson there are many options to go and relax, learn and reflect between appointments. Kim’s Place is a respite for people 15-30 years of age to go and hang out enjoy video games, music computers, and pool table. Phone number if you have any questions is 713-563-3075

There are many spiritual services available. The Freeman- Dunn Chapel host all services. MD Anderson offers many services and offering these services is important to them. Phone 713-792-7184

The Learning Center offers skilled and personalized service to all visitors. If you are looking for more information about a particular subject feel free to request materials online at. Asktlc@mdanerson.org.

There are many parks that surround MD Anderson where you can just sit and soak up the fresh air or enjoy nature.

Phone 713-745-2300 or toll free 888-848-9992

MD Anderson offers a wide variety of support to patients and their families. The institution offers online support as well as support groups, social workers, and spiritual support.

Contact information for support services is 713-792-6195

To schedule an appointment call MD Anderson – Health Information Specialist 1-877-632-6789

If you have any questions, let us know.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Your message to us will be held in strict confidence. All requests for information by mesothelioma patients and their family members will be answered within 24 hours. Mesothelioma Treatment and Care Guides are sent to mesothelioma patients and families by overnight delivery.

Recent Articles

11 Jan

Blogging About Mesothelioma

Lisa
11 Jan

Mesothelioma Recovery

Lisa
11 Jan

Talia’s Journey

Ellie
26 Dec

What do you – the patient – want?

Ellie

Have a question? We can answer it!

Mesothelioma Questions

1-800-726-1860

Our Mission | Financial Assistance | Disclaimer

© 2024 MesotheliomaQuestions.com | All Rights Reserved.

Sponsored by MesoLawyersCare.org