A mesothelioma patient may be tempted to ease the financial burden that this disease brings along with it by sticking with a less expensive family doctor, instead of obtaining the services and expertise of a specialist at a dedicated mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease treatment facility.
Many times this decision is made because the patient is concerned about the financial standing of their family. This is very noble reasoning, but the mesothelioma patient must take into account how very difficult this rare disease is to diagnose and treat.
THE BENEFITS OF SEEING A MESOTHELIOMA SPECIALIST
If you have mesothelioma, you may be able to enjoy a longer life and/or better quality of life by seeking the care of a specialist without delay. Medical treatment is not the area to cut corners when dealing with this dangerous disease. Admittedly, in many instances, using your family physician will eliminate the higher expense of specialized medical treatment, travel, and related expenses, but the level of expertise of a specialist can't be discounted.
Listed below are three important advantages a specialist can offer mesothelioma patients.
* Earlier Diagnosis
Because mesothelioma is such a rare disease, family doctors may be unfamiliar with current diagnostic methods, which can result in a delayed diagnosis. A delay in diagnosing this disease can result in disaster.
In a Cancer Newsline podcast interview, Dr. Anne Tsao, assistant professor of Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, described how a doctor who finds a bit of fluid in a patient’s lung might mistakenly prescribe antibiotics, only to discover months later that their patient's lung has a large tumor surrounding it. By that time, it is often too late to surgically remove the tumor.
* Greater Experience and Expertise
A specialist is a doctor who has undergone extensive training in a specialty area, such as cancer treatment. Physicians who've met the requirements to become specialists are certified by specialty boards after passing the board administered examination. Some specialists are further educated still, taking an additional year of training in a subspecialty, such as treatment of cancers of the lung.
Family practice doctors, general practitioners and primary care physicians are the foundation of good health care, and as a result, they must keep abreast of the latest research and treatments for a variety of common diseases. This leaves little time to devote to studying rare diseases. A mesothelioma specialist, on the other hand, treats nothing but this rare disease, and therefore tends to be locked in and in tune to the latest medications and treatments to benefit the mesothelioma patient.
* Affiliations with Major Research Centers and Medical Facilities
Mesothelioma is a complex disease, and treatment may require the expertise of several specialists, such as a radiation oncologist, a medical oncologist, and a thoracic surgeon.
A specialist who is backed by the resources of a major medical facility or research center can refer you to appropriate subspecialties as deemed necessary. They also have the advantage of state-of-the-art facilities and equipment that might not be available in a local hospital or doctor's office. Specialists who are affiliated with research institutions or medical centers may also have access to clinical studies of promising new treatments that may offer hope to you and your family.
Without specialized treatment, the median survival rate for a mesothelioma patient is roughly nine months.
We encourage mesothelioma patients to find an expert at a major cancer center, take part in clinical studies, and seek compensation from an employer or other known sources of asbestos exposure to help cover the costs of treatment.
Notice : Thanks VladariesTeam.Blogspot.com been visiting her in the waiting comment
Many times this decision is made because the patient is concerned about the financial standing of their family. This is very noble reasoning, but the mesothelioma patient must take into account how very difficult this rare disease is to diagnose and treat.
THE BENEFITS OF SEEING A MESOTHELIOMA SPECIALIST
If you have mesothelioma, you may be able to enjoy a longer life and/or better quality of life by seeking the care of a specialist without delay. Medical treatment is not the area to cut corners when dealing with this dangerous disease. Admittedly, in many instances, using your family physician will eliminate the higher expense of specialized medical treatment, travel, and related expenses, but the level of expertise of a specialist can't be discounted.
Listed below are three important advantages a specialist can offer mesothelioma patients.
* Earlier Diagnosis
Because mesothelioma is such a rare disease, family doctors may be unfamiliar with current diagnostic methods, which can result in a delayed diagnosis. A delay in diagnosing this disease can result in disaster.
In a Cancer Newsline podcast interview, Dr. Anne Tsao, assistant professor of Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, described how a doctor who finds a bit of fluid in a patient’s lung might mistakenly prescribe antibiotics, only to discover months later that their patient's lung has a large tumor surrounding it. By that time, it is often too late to surgically remove the tumor.
* Greater Experience and Expertise
A specialist is a doctor who has undergone extensive training in a specialty area, such as cancer treatment. Physicians who've met the requirements to become specialists are certified by specialty boards after passing the board administered examination. Some specialists are further educated still, taking an additional year of training in a subspecialty, such as treatment of cancers of the lung.
Family practice doctors, general practitioners and primary care physicians are the foundation of good health care, and as a result, they must keep abreast of the latest research and treatments for a variety of common diseases. This leaves little time to devote to studying rare diseases. A mesothelioma specialist, on the other hand, treats nothing but this rare disease, and therefore tends to be locked in and in tune to the latest medications and treatments to benefit the mesothelioma patient.
* Affiliations with Major Research Centers and Medical Facilities
Mesothelioma is a complex disease, and treatment may require the expertise of several specialists, such as a radiation oncologist, a medical oncologist, and a thoracic surgeon.
A specialist who is backed by the resources of a major medical facility or research center can refer you to appropriate subspecialties as deemed necessary. They also have the advantage of state-of-the-art facilities and equipment that might not be available in a local hospital or doctor's office. Specialists who are affiliated with research institutions or medical centers may also have access to clinical studies of promising new treatments that may offer hope to you and your family.
Without specialized treatment, the median survival rate for a mesothelioma patient is roughly nine months.
We encourage mesothelioma patients to find an expert at a major cancer center, take part in clinical studies, and seek compensation from an employer or other known sources of asbestos exposure to help cover the costs of treatment.
Notice : Thanks VladariesTeam.Blogspot.com been visiting her in the waiting comment
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