Mesothelioma Surgery Can Give You A New Lease On Life

Despite all the gloom and doom you might read about the state of public health in the United States, the number of deaths from cancer has steadily decreased over the past several decades, as new treatments and screenings for early detection have become more effective and more widely available.  Long-term remission has become the rule rather than the exception for many types of cancer, and even for types of cancer where the five-year survival rate remains relatively low, it is much higher than it was 30 years ago.  Despite this, a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma still usually means the beginning of the end; the median survival time after a diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma is about 13 months, but it is increasing.  The most widely used treatments are more effective at relieving pain and enabling breathing than at extending patients’ life spans.  Long-term survival after mesothelioma surgery is possible, however, but the prognosis is better the more specialized treatment you receive and the sooner you receive it.  Most cases of mesothelioma are the result of occupational exposure to asbestos, meaning that they are preventable.  A Columbia personal injury lawyer can help you get the money you need to pay for mesothelioma treatment that enables you to go on living your life.

Mesothelioma Survivor Celebrates 17 Years Since Extrapleural Pneumonectomy

Most people think of February 2 as Groundhog Day, the day when everyone fixes their eyes on a certain overgrown rodent in an effort to predict when the spring weather will begin.  For a mesothelioma survivor named Heather, however, February 2 is Lung Leavin’ Day.  On this date in 2006, Heather underwent a surgical procedure called extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) to remove her mesothelioma tumors.

Pleural mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the pleurae, which are the linings of the lungs and the chest wall.  EPP involves the removal of an entire lung, plus parts of the diaphragm and the pericardium.  It is a very major surgery, but it is the only option for long-term survival unless you received the mesothelioma diagnosis when the disease was at a very early stage.  EPP reduces the need for systemic chemotherapy because doctors apply chemotherapy drugs directly to the chest wall while the patient is still under anesthesia.

As for Heather, she has been cancer-free for 17 years.  As access to mesothelioma screening and treatment advances, more patients will be in a similar situation to hers, namely, long-term survivors of mesothelioma.  Do not assume that your situation is hopeless and that there is no point in pursuing the best treatment.  The law is on your side if your diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is related to occupational exposure to asbestos.

Let Us Help You Today

The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you if money is the only thing standing between you and life-saving treatment for malignant mesothelioma.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Source:

mesothelioma.com/blog/lung-leavin-day-2023/