Florida Asbestos Lawyers
A diagnosis of mesothelioma used to be an undisputed death sentence. While mesothelioma survival rates are still very poor, advances in treatment options and a greater awareness of the disease leading to earlier detection have resulted in more mesothelioma patients living longer, and a few have even beaten the disease. No matter what your prognosis when you are diagnosed, all mesothelioma patients need treatment.
Early Diagnosis
Mesothelioma has a very long latency period. Symptoms typically do not appear or become obvious until the disease has progressed beyond the point that curative treatments can be effective. Mesothelioma is often initially misdiagnosed as something less serious.
When mesothelioma is detected in the early stages, curative treatments are available and can be effective. This still depends on other factors such as overall health and whether the treatments can be tolerated by the patient.
Traditional Treatment
The traditional cancer treatments of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are used as curative treatments in Stage 1 mesothelioma and as palliative treatments in later stages. As palliative treatments, they are used to shrink or remove tumors relieving symptoms, improving quality of life, and sometimes extending life
New and Experimental Treatments
Newer treatments may be used alone or in conjunction with traditional cancer therapies. These treatments are showing great promise and may be better tolerated than traditional treatments. They include:
- Immunotherapy
- Gene therapy
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
Pain Management
Mesothelioma is known for be extremely painful. Pain management plays a very important role in treatment. Many doctors still do not have a full understanding of pain and how it affects the body and treatment. It goes far beyond comfort.
Patients with uncontrolled pain do not respond as well to cancer treatments. Pain management can increase the efficacy of your treatments. Unfortunately, many patients and doctors still believe that pain relief is a luxury and that asking for it is a sign of weakness or drug dependency.
Pain is treated most effectively when you stay ahead of the pain. This means treating it preventatively, rather than waiting for the pain to set in. Once the pain sets in, it is much harder to get it under control meaning that more medication is required.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by asbestos exposure in Florida, please call the Florida asbestos lawyers of Colling Gilbert Wright & Carter or submit an online questionnaire. The initial consultation with our asbestos lawyers is free, and if we agree to represent you, we will work for a contingent fee, which means we won’t get paid for our services unless you receive a settlement or an award. In Florida, an asbestos injury lawsuit must be filed before the expiration of the statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.