How to Find Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment Trials

Mesothelioma refers to cancer that is located within the tissues surrounding our organs and in the spaces between them. It is one of the more difficult forms of cancer to treat because the onset of symptoms can come well after the cancer has advanced. Standard treatment options can work, but more aggressive and cutting-edge clinical trials are also available for patients who wish to try something new or who have been told that their cancer is too advanced for standard treatments. There are no guarantees when turning to clinical trials, but sometimes they offer the most hope.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Ask your doctor about which clinical trials are currently available and which would be appropriate for your condition. Some clinical trials are better suited to advanced stages of mesothelioma, while others are meant to treat patients who have only just developed the disease.
2. Log on to the National Cancer Institute's Web site to find specific clinical trials (see Resources below). Click the 'Clinical Trials' link on the navigation pane to browse clinical trials currently being tested in your area.
3. Ask your doctor about the Onconase clinical trial currently being conducted. This medication is being tested in conjunction with Doxorubicin to determine if they are more effective together or separately, and the testing is currently in Phase III.
4. Understand which phase of a clinical trial you are entering. Phase I typically tests trial drugs for side effects to ensure they are safe to take. Phase II trials test the effectiveness of the drug in doses known to be safe. Phase III is used to compare trials to standard treatments for effectiveness.
5. Stop smoking right away for the highest possible chance of beating and surviving mesothelioma. While smoking is not directly linked with the development of mesothelioma, smoking is known to cause added complications during treatment.
6. Participate as actively in your follow-up care as you do in your treatments.
7. Realize that people who have been exposed to asbestos are at a particularly high risk for mesothelioma. Your level of exposure may affect the types of clinical trials you are able to participate in.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep in mind that you can choose to enter or leave clinical trials whenever you wish. If evidence suggests the trials are not working for you, you have the power to walk away at any time.
• Ask your doctor about available clinical trials as soon as you've been diagnosed. Many clinical trials are only available to patients who have not begun any other form of treatment.
• Through The Patient's Bill of Rights, you have the right to access emergency services without prior written approval.
• The psychological effects of a cancer diagnosis can be devastating. Join a support group through the American Cancer Society to help you deal with emotional turmoil (see Resources below).