Before the turn of the century, cancer was a much more serious medical issue than it is now. Advances in treatments and diagnostic technology have significantly improved the prognosis for those with many forms of cancer. Early detection will improve someone’s chances of achieving remission, while better treatments can increase the number of patients who survive previously fatal forms of cancer.
Mesothelioma remains one of the deadliest and hardest cancers for doctors to treat. Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer that attacks the organ linings before spreading to other parts of the body. The five-year survival rates for mesothelioma are quite low, and there are only a handful of treatment options.
Cutting-edge immunotherapy treatments have recently started to show promise for the treatment of cancers that do not respond well to traditional treatments like surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Could immunotherapy be an option when someone you love faces a mesothelioma diagnosis?
Immunotherapies show promise for mesothelioma patients
There are immunotherapy drugs and treatments in the early research stages here in the United States and in Europe. Some researchers believe that the right combination of immunotherapies and traditional cancer treatment could improve the quality of life and five-year survival rates for those battling mesothelioma.
Unfortunately, many of these drugs do not yet have the necessary FDA approval for use in those with mesothelioma. While doctors can choose to administer these drugs off-label, insurance companies may not cover these care costs. The lack of insurance coverage can be a real challenge.
According to data from 2018, immunotherapies come with massive price tags, and their costs have not notably dropped in the last four years. Patients can pay more than $100,000 for immunotherapy treatment.
How to connect with immunotherapy treatments
Your loved one may need to pursue a compensation claim to pay for their care. Mesothelioma may have started at work. Many people with mesothelioma can trace their illness back to workplace asbestos exposure decades ago.
Those who directly worked with asbestos and those who had family members that handled asbestos could develop mesothelioma many years later because of their environmental exposure to this known human carcinogen.
Businesses that exposed their workers to asbestos may have financial liability for their workers’ sicknesses. Those with asbestos-related cancers can sometimes seek compensation through a lawsuit against their employer or a claim against an asbestos bankruptcy trust.
Pursuing compensation after a mesothelioma diagnosis can help adults connect with the best treatment options available, including cutting-edge immunotherapy treatments that show real promise.