When Brandon Benoit suffered a football injury last year, he never dreamed that getting treated for that injury could change his life—and perhaps save it.

When Benoit was treated for his injuries at White River Medical Center, doctors discovered a build-up of fluid in his abdomen. Doctors made a preliminary diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma, which was confirmed by doctors at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas. “If I hadn’t have gotten hurt, then I wouldn’t have known [about the cancer], he said.

Brandon Benoit and wife Nancy hope that by telling their story, they can encourage awareness of mesothelioma and highlight the importance of early detection of the cancer, which is caused by exposure to asbestos.

The Benoits say that it’s important for people to ask about mesothelioma testing in particular because the symptoms are not specific to mesothelioma, and it is easy for the cancer to be misdiagnosed. Symptoms of mesothelioma may include chest pain, difficulty when breathing, fever, cough, and sudden weight loss or gain.

One reason that symptoms are often overlooked is because mesothelioma has a long latency period. After exposure to asbestos the cancer may not develop for twenty to forty years, or even longer.

Brandon Benoit is just 35 years old—and mesothelioma is much more commonly seen in adults aged between 50 and 70, due to the long latency period and the fact that asbestos use has been largely discontinued in most industries. Brandon believes he may have been exposed to asbestos before he was five years old.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare form of a cancer that is itself very rare. Around three thousand cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in America each year, and of those somewhere between 10% and 20% are peritoneal. Very few specialists have significant knowledge of this rare type of mesothelioma, making treatment problematic.

However, Brandon and Nancy are both hopeful, thanks to the early detection of the cancer. Early detection of mesothelioma is rare, but can make a substantial difference in prognosis. Brandon says, “For me, I know that it was a shock when [the doctors] started talking about cancer, but once it settled in, I knew I would have to beat this.”

Brandon Benoit’s treatment begins with surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. After a recovery period of several weeks, he will receive several sessions of chemotherapy over the course of five months.

Brandon and Nancy Benoit are expecting their first child one month after Brandon’s last surgery, in November.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 28th, 2008 at 1:30 pm and is filed under Mesothelioma Treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.