determining a mesothelioma treatment plan include what stage the cancer is in, the affected site, the age of the patient and the cell type.
Often, mesothelioma specialists will recommend a multimodal approach to treatment, which uses a combination of treatments. These combinations typically consist of a neoadjuvant therapy (radiation to shrink the tumor size), a primary treatment (surgery to remove the tumor), and an adjuvant therapy like chemo to kill any remaining cancer cells.
A study from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Database with information from almost 14,000 malignant pleural mesothelioma cases from 1979-2009 revealed that black patients were more likely to be younger, female, and have an advanced stage of cancer, limiting their ability to undergo surgery. The study went on to suggest that surgical intervention for black patients with early-stage diagnoses could help improve their survival rate.
The study also revealed that the incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma is significantly lower in black patients than white ones. SEER researchers believe this may be due to the lower number of black workers in occupations where asbestos is or has been used. Additionally, fewer blacks served in the U.S. Navy compared to their white counterparts — a historically common source of asbestos exposure for men.
Are you at risk?
If you or a loved one worked in an industry involving asbestos use or have any concern that asbestos exposure has occurred, seek preventative medical attention immediately. Early detection through regular monitoring could significantly increase the rate of survival.