Malignant mesothelioma is notoriously resistant to traditional treatment protocols and is always considered fatal. Still, many patients live beyond statistical expectations after submitting to surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy treatments. A recent study conducted at Hyogo College of Medicine found that pleural mesothelioma patients can both feel better subjectively and be in objectively better condition a year after undergoing pleurectomy decortication surgery.
Pleurectomy with Decortication is A Lung-Sparing Surgery for Mesothelioma
Patients with pleural malignant mesothelioma work with their physicians to identify the treatment protocol that’s best for their particular condition. One decision awaiting those whose tumors are operable is whether to undergo an aggressive surgery that removes the affected lung, or a less-invasive operation called a pleurectomy with decortication.
In trying to assess outcomes for mesothelioma patients who undergo pleurectomy decortication, Japanese researchers gauged a number of objective measures of health and well-being for 24 male patients in their 60s and 70s. The men were asked to assess their own condition and also participated in tests of their lung function, of their grip and knee extension strength, and of how far they could walk within six minutes. These tests were administered before their procedure, as well as a short time after and again a year later.
Study Shows Mesothelioma Patient Improvement Over One Year’s Time
Writing in the journal Integrative Cancer Therapies, the scientists noted that the participants’ self-assessment of their health correctly gauged their own improvement in health. Even more important than this measure were the outcomes from both the subjective and objective tests conducted a year after the patients had their surgery. Patients experienced notable improvements in both, offering real hope for those uncertain as to whether surgery can provide real and lasting benefits.
Summarizing their findings, lead author Takashi Tanaka wrote, “Patients with MPM who underwent P/D demonstrated improved health utility and physical function when compared with their postoperative values in the convalescent phase. Short-Form Six-Dimension [self-assessment tool], six-mile walk distance, forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) values one year operatively improved significantly compared with postoperative.”
If you have been diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma and would like information on your options, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today. You can reach us at 1-800-692-8608.
