| If you're facing a diagnosis of mesothelioma, you | | | | high doses of folic acid, a widely used nutritional |
| want all the help you can get. It's a tough disease | | | | supplement. The only FDA approved |
| to fight, and as with any cancer, you have to deal | | | | chemotherapy agent for mesothelioma, Alimta, |
| not only with the symptoms of the disease, but | | | | can have its effects cancelled out by excessive |
| also with the side effects of chemotherapy and | | | | consumption of folic acid. |
| other treatments. People fighting mesothelioma | | | | Have you talked over the alternative treatment |
| often look to alternative or complementary | | | | with your mesothelioma treatment team? Good |
| treatments to help them through the fight. | | | | doctors want to help you make use of any |
| Alternative treatments are non-standard | | | | treatment that will help you with your illness and |
| treatments that patients may use instead of the | | | | the side-effects of treatment. They need to |
| recommended medical treatment. Complementary | | | | know all of the medications and supplements |
| treatments are approaches used along with | | | | you're taking, and the dosages, to be sure that |
| conventional treatment. | | | | the treatment effects are not being interfered |
| If you're looking at other treatments besides | | | | with. |
| what your treatment team is offering, you'll want | | | | There are powerful and effective allies for your |
| to be sure that you're bringing on board allies, not | | | | mesothelioma treatment, complementary |
| enemies. Here are five important questions to ask | | | | approaches that can help you tolerate the rigors |
| when you're looking at treatments other than the | | | | of chemotherapy and improve your quality of life. |
| ones your mesothelioma treatment team has | | | | Physicians who treat mesothelioma place a high |
| prescribed. | | | | value on the use of complementary therapies and |
| Will pursuing this alternative treatment delay or | | | | approaches to improve their patients' well-being. |
| replace the mesothelioma therapy my doctors | | | | Two of your best allies are simple, cheap, and |
| have prescribed? In all cancer treatment, and | | | | available to just about everyone. Regular |
| especially with mesothelioma, because it's so often | | | | moderate exercise has been shown in several |
| not diagnosed until it is fairly advanced, time is of | | | | large-scale studies to improve cancer survival |
| the essence. Any delay in treatment allows the | | | | rates. No diet can cure cancer (beware of any |
| cancer to progress. An alternative therapy may | | | | diet that promises to do that!), but a diet low in |
| cost you precious time that you cannot get back. | | | | fat and high in plant-based foods, also called the |
| Will the people who propose this alternative | | | | Mediterranean diet, has been shown to increase |
| treatment work with my doctors? Responsible | | | | survival rates for cancer and cardiovascular |
| physicians with treatment methods that have | | | | disease. Exercise and a plant-based diet generally |
| stood up to research and scrutiny are eager to | | | | make people feel better, as well. |
| consult with other physicians about a patient's | | | | Massage therapy has shown impressive results in |
| care. If the people advocating an alternative | | | | reducing pain, fatigue, nausea, stress, and |
| treatment won't consult with your regular | | | | depression for patients undergoing cancer |
| doctors, you should be very concerned. | | | | treatment. Patients were asked to rate |
| How safe is this treatment? Cancer treatment is | | | | themselves on these conditions before a full-body |
| strong medicine, and it has strong side effects. | | | | massage, and again after the massage. |
| Nothing works for everybody. The people | | | | Self-ratings dropped sharply immediately after |
| recommending an alternative therapy should be | | | | massage, and the lowered ratings persisted for |
| willing to discuss the treatment's side-effects and | | | | over 48 hours. No medications, no invasive |
| possible complications, and the statistical odds of | | | | treatments; just a massage. |
| your experiencing these downsides. If they can't | | | | Meditation and yoga both reduced levels of pain, |
| give you solid numbers, and if it sounds too good | | | | fatigue, insomnia, and depression. Both of these |
| to be true, it probably is. | | | | techniques showed a clear dose-response |
| Do the drugs, herbs, hormones, or supplements | | | | relationship: the more patients practiced them, the |
| used in this treatment interfere with my regular | | | | more symptom reduction they experienced. |
| mesothelioma therapy? Some substances can | | | | If you're interested in using any of these |
| actually counteract the effects of chemotherapy, | | | | approaches to help you live with your |
| and undo the good that it's doing. Mesothelioma | | | | mesothelioma, be sure to talk with your |
| patients should be especially aware of the risks of | | | | treatment team about them. |