Practically everyone with cancer has experienced anxiety at some time after their diagnosis.
Cancer offers many possibilities for concern.
will work chemotherapy?
What if my next imaging scan showed cancer growth?
What happens if the cancer comes back?
Part of living with mesothelioma is manage the thoughts and feelings of anxiety. Days or weeks are easier to manage than others, but having multiple ways to cope with anxiety and stress will help.
Anti-Anxiety medication helps
Although some people are afraid of becoming dependent, short-term use of anti-anxiety drugs is very effective for those who have cancer. Anti-anxiety drugs are not as addictive when used to treat anxiety caused by life events, as opposed to the anxiety caused by an anxiety disorder.
Some anti-anxiety medications come with beneficial side effects. For example, the anti-anxiety drug Ativan may reduce nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, while the Valium and Xanax helps pain and Klonopin can relax muscles.
Mental Health Counseling Works
The counselors help patients develop coping strategies to manage stress. They also teach behavioral techniques and relaxation therapies to help people to reduce anxiety.
Some people Don ?? t ?? re realize they anxious until they have a panic attack. Mental health counselors help people learn to recognize the early signs of anxiety so they can use coping strategies to quell the anxiety in the bud. Relaxation therapies such as breathing techniques, meditation and yoga are among the most effective in the management of anxiety naturally.
The advisers also help people become aware of thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and teach them how to replace these thoughts with healthier ways of thinking. This process takes a little practice, but once entrenched, it ?? cancer patients of the technique of his can continue to use free of charge to prevent anxiety.
Some people thrive on PTSD cancer (PTS), which can occur at any time during or after cancer treatment. PTS linked to cancer is similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but not as severe and symptoms don ?? t last as long. Fortunately, most cancer patients are able to cope and gift ?? t end up fully develop PTSD.
Questions and Answers support group online in June 2015
Patients and caregivers have asked a number of questions during the latest online support group. Here, we include answers to some of them
Q:.? How many people decide against treatment and do well
A: While no agency is tracking how many people decide against treatment, the researchers found that people with mesothelioma stage Ia live around two years without any treatment. By comparison, people who undergo surgery for stage I or II Mesothelioma often live more than three years
Q:.? Is anyone participating in a clinical trial and have success
A: Several members of the support group said they are in clinical trials and all reported feeling better since his probationary membership. Here are the tests which they participate:
- Placebo controlled VS-6063 study in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (COMMAND): This study examined the drug VS-6063, also known as defactinib . Stem cell tumor drug attacks the cells which are largely responsible for the resistance to therapy and metastasis (spread of tumors). Preliminary results are promising
- Phase I study to determine the maximum tolerable dose of BAY94-9343 in patients with advanced solid tumors. BAY94-9343 is part of a new class of drugs known as antibody-drug conjugates, which combine immunotherapy with cytotoxic (anti-cancer) therapy. The drug antibody portion naturally binds to mesothelin antigen, which is frequently overexpressed in mesothelioma, serve effectively as a taxi driver to deliver the cytotoxic portion of the drug directly to the cancer cells. This targeted approach prevents healthy tissue near damaged. This is one of the few drugs that appear to work for people sarcomatoid and biphasic cell types of mesothelioma
- Study of LY3023414 in participants with advanced cancer. This trial tests the value of a drug that blocks tumor dissemination. The drug, commonly called LY3023414, is a type of anti-angiogenesis drug. Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels, which allows tumor cells to grow and spread. Some participants receive LY3023414 in combination with chemotherapy (Alimta and cisplatin)
- safety and efficacy of Listeria in combination with chemotherapy as first-line treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma :. This immunotherapy trial assesses the merits of the vaccine against the CRS-207 cancer. The first results are encouraging, with 94 percent of participants with tumor shrinkage or no new tumor growth.
