When you are focused on something for a period of time sometimes you can lose perspective. For the past 10 to 15 years’ experts have been recommending that when diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma that you seek out an experienced medical team at a center for excellence- a team that is involved with research, and can give you your best options. Since this message has been around for the past 15 years or so, it was surprising to read a recent study on what the treatment patterns of patients diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma actually are. The study is a reminder of the difficulty in diagnosing malignant pleural mesothelioma. In addition to the diagnosing challenge, the importance of encouraging patients to seek further treatment needs to be re-enforced.

A recent retrospective study concentrated on the treatment patterns of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Led by Dr. Marjorie G. Zauderer, MD, MS, Co-Director of the Mesothelioma Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, the abstract was presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting:” Patterns of comorbidity, treatment, resource utilization, and referral in malignant pleural mesothelioma patients in the U.S.” The study used the Market Scan insurance claims database of patients diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma between January 2004 and December 2015.

The patients were 65.4 percent male and 34.6 were females. The average age was 71 years old. The conditions that they had before diagnosis were chronic pulmonary disease 20.7%, metastatic solid tumor- 17.5%, and diabetes 15.4%.

For treatment, the study found that 51.2% had no chemotherapy, radical surgery was utilized only 4.1% of the time.

The most common diagnosis that patients received at the beginning was pleural effusion-16.6%, chest pain 10.7%, shortness of breath 9.6%. and cough 8.5%.

The time that a patient presented to his MD with lung related symptoms and a diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma was a median time of 77 days. Times ranged from 23 days to 258 days.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer, although there is no cure currently, there are treatment options, that can improve a patient’s quality of life. When there is a delay in diagnosis, treatment options can be limited.

This is a very interesting study and shows there is still much work to be done, and education in order for patients to have the most updated treatment options, in a timely manner.

– Ellie

When someone is diagnosed with mesothelioma or any serious illness, it is not unusual that family and friends do not know what to say or how to acknowledge what is going on. Once diagnosed with mesothelioma, hopefully the patient’s friends and family will rally around them.

Some people, with the best intentions, will tell you it will be Ok. Some will offer their opinion on chemotherapy, and how they feel it is just “poison”. The intentions are good, the delivery and message can be distressing to the patient and family to hear. There are also the group of people upon hearing the news, that disappear and you do not hear from them. It can be surprising that some that you thought would be with you are not. For your own health, try not to dwell on the ones that cannot handle your diagnosis.

To be helpful, according to www.cancer.org , take your cues from the person with cancer, some will want to talk about their illness, others prefer privacy. Let them know you care. Respect their treatment decisions. Listen without always feeling that you need to respond. Offer to help in concrete, specific ways. The advice continues about what not to say. Don’t offer advice they don’t ask for, or be judgmental. Avoid being patronizing, or telling the person with cancer “I can imagine how you feel.”

During you or your loved one’s journey with mesothelioma, you might discover that you have formed new relationships. Sometimes the people who surround you at your darkest moments may be not the ones you expected to be there. We have seen bonds form between people that they were even surprised about. Two women from totally different walks of life and completely opposite interests had formed a tight bond, so much so, that they made their husbands appointments on the same day so they could support each other. For these patients and families this was the positive that they were taking from the diagnosis of mesothelioma. For some, these are reassuring positive relationships, for others it might be too much to handle.

If someone you know is diagnosed with a serious illness, reach out. Listen instead of talking. Expect the person to have good days as well as bad days. Cancer is an equalizer. It reminds us all that our time on this earth is limited, make the most of it, and reach out to others who are having a rough time.

– Ellie