What is a medical oncologist?
A medical oncologist is a doctor who specializes in the use of medications such as chemotherapy, hormones and analgesics (medications given to clinical oncologistreduce pain) in the treatment of a specific cancer, in this case the mesothelioma.
Since mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer, it is possible that the medical oncologist has not treated many patients with mesothelioma. This does not mean you are not qualified to treat the patient but their knowledge of this particular cancer may be limited. It is recommended that the patient and family visit to an oncologist who specializes in the areas of pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma.
These oncologists are with the patient during all steps from diagnosis to treatment. Educate the patient about the type of cancer you have and its stage, and discuss with the patient about treatment options giving educational recommendations. Monitored care and treatment in the course of the disease and work with patients to improve their quality of life and alleviate painful symptoms.
Many clinical oncologists have participated in clinical trials to investigate new forms of treatment for stage I and II malignant mesothelioma. The results of these studies have shown that for both stages the intrapleural immunotherapy and systemic chemo-immunotherapy are successful. The most encouraging results in systemic chemotherapy trials were found to treatment with cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin C and etoposide, providing a mean positive results reaching 38% and an average life expectancy of 16 months.
In another clinical study, Dr. Hedy Kindler, associate Mesothelioma Medicine Program at the University of Chicago Professor, also found compromising results. She and her team found that patients treated with ALIMTA and cisplatin improved their quality of life, for not only fatigue, appetite and activity level was improved but the limitation is in improved breathing and lung function. With these findings the FDA approved Alimta as a drug to treat mesothelioma in 2003.
So how can the medical field to make progress against the disease? If physicians understand the biology of mesothelioma, they may find greatest scientific discoveries in the hope of a brighter future. Further, since the latency period is 20 to 50 years, early detection is key. Learn how to use new and develop new biomarkers may help oncologists to fight this disease in its early stages.
Get involved, ask!
As with any doctor's good to know that the medical oncologist will be there for the patient and his family and is willing to resolve all questions that may arise regarding treatment, chemotherapy or any other questions regarding mesothelioma. Being diagnosed with mesothelioma can be scary so have the best information possible to help in this process which is to help oncologist.
References:
Kindler, Hedy. "The Present and Future of Mesothelioma Treatment: Medical Oncologist and Researcher Perspective." Lecture. Retrieved April 7, 2011 from Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
U.S. National Library of Medicine
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