Mesothelioma Expert Hosts Lecture on Palliative Care Options for Patients

Dr. Charles F. von Gunten, an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Institute of Palliative Medicine at San Diego, California will be conducting a lecture on Palliative Care Options for Mesothelioma Patients on Tuesday, December 8.

Hosted at the Town & Country Resort and Convention Center in San Diego, California, the conference will provide family members, health care providers and patients with up-to-date information on the array of treatments, medicines and procedures available to those affected by asbestos-related illnesses.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare, but highly aggressive cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. When asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested, they can accumulate and cause inflammation and DNA damage. Asbestos exposure has also been linked to many other diseases, such as colon and gastrointestinal cancer.

Though a cure for mesothelioma does not exist, treatment options such as radiation, chemotherapy and surgery are available to patients to combat the disease. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year, accounting for approximately 3 percent of cancer diagnoses in the United States.

Dr. von Gunten has gained a reputation as one of the foremost experts in palliative care and cancer research for his extensive experience as an established investigator of the National Cancer Institute, former President of the American Association for Cancer Education, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Palliative Medicine.

The word “palliative” refers to treatment methods that help to keep the cancer patient more comfortable during the remainder of their life span. Also known as supportive care, this type of treatment may also include chemotherapy, radiation and procedures such as thoracentesis, which drains fluid from the lungs for easier breathing, or pleurodesis, a surgery that introduces talc into the pleural area to halt the buildup of fluids.

Alternative treatments such as massage, meditation, acupuncture and hypnosis can also be an aspect of palliative care. These types of treatments may not be recommended by the oncologists but many patients with cancer have found them to be extremely helpful in easing symptoms and pain.

Additional information about mesothelioma and treatment options may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 11:32 am and is filed under Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Research, Mesothelioma Treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.