Mesothelioma

All Asbestos Risk the Same? Question Do all types of asbestos have the same risks? Answer Dan Sterman, MD, Interventional Pulmonologist at Penn Medicine, responds: All forms of asbestos are capable of causing mesothelioma, and no form of asbestos should be considered...
Asbestos in the Environment Question Is asbestos found naturally in the environment? I read it is more common in certain parts of the world. Answer Dan Sterman, MD, Interventional Pulmonologist at Penn Medicine, responds: Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of...
Asbestos Removal Question How do you find a contractor who is trained in asbestos removal? Is there a way to detect if the asbestos in ones home is not contained? Answer Keith Cengel, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Penn Medicine, responds: This is a complex...
Caregiver Support Question It is really hard to take care of my husband, as he is getting sicker. What resources are there for me to help me not get burnout? Answer Christina Bach, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, Oncology Social Worker at Penn Medicine, responds: Being a...
Causes of Mesothelioma Question Is there anything other than asbestos that can cause mesothelioma? Answer Joe Friedberg, MD, Thoracic Surgeon at Penn Medicine, responds: Asbestos is far and away the most common. Known asbestos exposure is reported to account for...
Chemotherapy Resistance Question Why do chemotherapy drugs stop working or need a period of time before they can be used again? Answer James Stevenson, MD, Medical Oncologist, responds: Cancer cells can find ways to become resistant to chemotherapy through different...
Clinical Trials for Mesothelioma Question Where can I learn how to participate in gene therapy or other clinical trials? How do I know if I could be eligible? Answer James Stevenson, MD, Medical Oncologist, responds: The most comprehensive resource to check is the...
Cured from Cancer? Question At what point is someone considered cured from cancer? Answer Keith Cengel, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Penn Medicine, responds: That depends on the cancer. Typically, we have used 5 years for cancers of the lung or head and neck,...
Dietary Recommendations for Mesothelioma Question Are there any dietary recommendations or sources that you can recommend? Answer Keith Cengel, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Penn Medicine, responds: There are no specific dietary recommendations at this time, although keeping in...
DIY Asbestos Removal and Mesothelioma Question What trials and treatment options have good results? Is there a campaign running for do-it-yourself removal since there is so much asbestos still in the homes? Does the Unites States have the same problems in schools that we have in the...
Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma Question What results are you seeing in using gene therapy to treat mesothelioma? Answer Dan Sterman, MD, Interventional Pulmonologist at Penn Medicine, responds: The results of gene therapy trials for mesothelioma to date (from 1995 to the...
Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Question Is it possible to have lung cancer and mesothelioma? Answer Melissa Culligan, RN, Nurse with the Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program at Penn Medicine, responds: Yes, is it rare but possible to have both lung cancer and...
Mesothelioma in Lymph Nodes Question If mesothelioma is found in the lymph nodes, does that mean that it has spread? Answer Keith Cengel, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Penn Medicine, responds: Having mesothelioma in the lymph nodes means the cancer has spread. If the lymph...
Need a Lawyer With Mesothelioma Diagnosis? Question I see all these advertisements on TV and wanted to know if I need to get a lawyer if I have mesothelioma? Answer Joe Friedberg, MD, Thoracic Surgeon at Penn Medicine, responds: If you have mesothelioma, you need to see a doctor as your...
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Question Is mesothelioma of the lung and pleura different than that of the abdomen? Are they treated differently? Answer Joe Friedberg, MD, Thoracic Surgeon at Penn Medicine, responds: Mesothelioma in the abdomen is termed peritoneal...
Protecting Yourself While Immunocompromised Knowing that kids tend to be continuously sick, how can someone who is immune compromised be best protected but still spend time with their grandchildren? Christina Bach, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, Oncology Social Worker at Penn Medicine, responds: You...
Radiation Therapy for Mesothelioma Question Is radiation used to treat mesothelioma or just side effects/complications from it? Answer Charles B. Simone II, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Penn Medicine, responds: Radiation therapy can be used in certain settings as potentially...
Risk with Asbestos Exposure and Smoking Question Is a person more likely to get mesothelioma or lung cancer from asbestos exposure if they smoke? Answer James Stevenson, MD, Medical Oncologist at Penn Medicine, responds: You would be more likely to get lung cancer because we know...
Safety of Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma Question How can I be sure gene therapy or T cell therapy are safe? Answer Dan Sterman, MD, Interventional Pulmonologist at Penn Medicine, responds: Currently, patients can only receive gene therapy, T cell therapy, and other immune-based...
Screening for Mesothelioma Question Can I get some kind of screening test if I know I was exposed to asbestos? Answer Charles B. Simone II, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Penn Medicine, responds: Unfortunately, there is no proven screening method, either blood test or...
Second Hand Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma Question If I worked in a factory that had asbestos, is it true that my family could be at risk too? Answer Joe Friedberg, MD, Thoracic Surgeon at Penn Medicine, responds: Yes, unfortunately, second hand asbestos exposure is a common cause of...
Signs and Symptoms of Mesothelioma Question What are early signs or symptoms that I might have mesothelioma? Answer Joe Friedberg, MD, Thoracic Surgeon at Penn Medicine, responds: Approximately 90% of patient present with shortness of breath, chest pain, or both. Less commonly,...
Support Groups for Mesothelioma Question Are there any support groups that are for mesothelioma and not lung cancer? Answer Christina Bach, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, Oncology Social Worker at Penn Medicine, responds: Honestly, support groups specifically for mesothelioma are few and...
Surgery for Mesothelioma Question Can surgery be done for mesothelioma? What are the side effects and recovery like? Answer Joe Friedberg, MD, Thoracic Surgeon at Penn Medicine, responds: Although most patients with mesothelioma do not undergo a definitive surgery with...
Time from Exposure to Development of Mesothelioma Question How long after being exposed to asbestos does mesothelioma take to develop? Answer Joe Friedberg, MD, Thoracic Surgeon at Penn Medicine, responds: Most patients have an exposure to asbestos at least 10 years before their cancer...
To Treat Mesothelioma or Not? Question My grandmother was diagnosed 2 weeks ago with mesothelioma, she's had liquid drained from her lung, and they had to unclog an artery. The doctor ruled out the surgery and chemotherapy because he says it will only make it worse, so she is on...
Too Late To Treat Mesothelioma? Our current insurance provider has been disinterested at best in treating my father's condition. It seems they have the mindset that there is "nothing to do." We have pushed & pushed, but to nothing but a runaround. He is 8 months...
Treatment for Mesothelioma Question My 67-year-old husband was recently diagnosed with Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma. He was and remains asymptomatic of any mesothelioma-associated problems. He underwent pleurectomy/decortication with 2 small malignant plaques, one of which...
Websites for Mesothelioma Question How do I know if websites about mesothelioma are reliable? It seems many are sponsored by law firms. Answer James Stevenson, MD, Medical Oncologist, responds: This is a major issue for mesothelioma, as there is a lot of unreliable...