Life is challenging enough without having to deal with the adverse effects of chronic illness. Many Pennsylvania residents understand all too well what it’s like to face a diagnosis that includes incurable disease. If you or your loved one suffer from mesothelioma or another asbestos-related injury, your main priority may be obtaining any and all treatment available to achieve as high quality of life as possible.
Sadly, many situations like yours would have been preventable were it not for an employer’s negligence. Pittsburgh, in particular, is comprised of many buildings, schools, churches and factories built long before the early 1980s, which means they post a potentially serious asbestos risk to those who live or work nearby. By learning more about how to treat such illnesses and what your legal rights are as far as seeking restitution, you gain or provide your loved one with much needed support.
Three main types of treatment
Conventional medicine plays a significant role in helping mesothelioma patients obtain pain relief and palliative care for their symptoms. The following information may be useful in your family’s particular situation:
- Chemotherapy is for treating mesothelioma patients.
- The FDA has only approved one chemo drug for this purpose.
- Mesothelioma affects the lungs like all pleural infections and illnesses. Various types of surgeries may help improve your or your loved one’s condition.
- Mesothelioma may also affect the peritoneum, which may prompt a peritonectomy surgery, a scraping away of cancerous tissues.
- While doctors very rarely take this route to treat mesothelioma patients, radiation therapy may be an option in certain circumstances.
- Any treatment offered is palliative in nature, as mesothelioma is an incurable disease.
It helps to discuss all available options with a licensed medical doctor before determining which treatment best fits your particular needs. It can be downright exhausting trying to navigate your medical issues and, at the same time, deal with the legal aspects of an asbestos-related injury. You can take comfort in knowing you are not alone and there are support networks in place to help you get the care you need and the restitution you deserve.
In addition to medical support, you can access local resources to help you address litigation matters as well. Many mesothelioma patients have sought legal accountability against employers or companies who failed in their duties to warn or protect them from asbestos dangers when duly warranted.