The results of a recent You.Gov poll found that the public is more focused on finding a “cure” for cancers like malignant mesothelioma than on recognizing the major progress that has been made in average survival time. Researchers and cancer advocates think that this is a mistake in light of the strides being made in improving patients’ quality of life and ability to manage and control their disease long term.
Institute of Cancer Research Believes Public’s Focus Overlooks Progress
The Institute of Cancer Research is a public research institute and a constituent college of the University of London in London, and its focus is on targeted treatments for cancers of all kinds, including malignant mesothelioma. The group is concerned that recent polls show that the public is so focused on finding a cure for cancer that they are not recognizing the ways that it is being controlled long term.
Though malignant mesothelioma still has a painfully short survival time, breakthroughs in both treatment offerings and in tailoring treatments to particular patient characteristics has led to improved quality of life and longer periods of time before the cancerous tumors return or begin to grow and spread after treatment.
Focus on Personalized Treatment
Personalized treatment with a ‘Darwinian’ approach has led to mesothelioma patients and others being selected for various treatments based on cell type, overall health, type of mesothelioma and other factors. This has meant that patients with a greater chance of long-term survival are getting the benefits of innovative treatment and that patients with lower chances are being offered more effective palliative approaches designed to improve their quality of life.
The Institute for Cancer Research is focused on this type of treatment approach for mesothelioma patients and patients with all other types of cancer. They hope to help the public understand that by overcoming drug resistance and gaining a greater understanding of how cancer grows, researchers who may not be able to provide a cure can still achieve dramatic improvements.
Mesothelioma patients face a grim future, but there is still reason for hope. If you would like information on innovative treatments available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
