Mesothelioma Doctors and Specialists - Treatment and Care

Mesothelioma is a malignant cancer that requires varied and special treatments for a patient to survive. For proper and effective treatment, you will be meeting a number of people - doctors and specialists who deal in the type of mesothelioma cancer you are suffering from, as well as other treatment specialists who will help you fight this deadly disease.

You may come across numerous doctors and specialists who will be qualified and highly trained professionals. They will ensure that you receive the best possible care from each of them.

We have compiled some important information about mesothelioma treatment. This information is all about mesothelioma doctors and specialists who will help you in various stages of the disease.

Mesothelioma Doctors and Specialists

Each of these doctors and specialists are highly trained and belong to different fields. You will meet them at various stages of mesothelioma treatment and they will help you in choosing the most suitable treatment options for your condition.

General Practitioner/Doctor/Physician

The first person whom you would visit to confirm your symptoms or for a routine check up is your general practitioner also known as doctor or general physician. You doctor will conduct the initial tests, take your medical history and other details that will help him/her in determining if you are indeed suffering from mesothelioma cancer. If your doctor is certain that the symptoms you are experiencing result from mesothelioma, s/he will refer you to a mesothelioma specialists or a cancer care team.

Pulmonologist

Pulmonologist is a specially trained physician who is specifically trained and has extensively researched in the field of lung disorder. People suffering from pleural mesothelioma or mesothelioma of lining of the lungs are especially referred to a pulmonologist.

A pulmonologist is qualified to diagnose and treat conditions relating to lungs such as lung cancer, pleural mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung scarring and other lung related issues.

Thoracic Surgeon

A specially trained surgeon who can perform the surgeries of heart, lungs, chest and oesophagus is called thoracic surgeon. Thoracic surgeons are qualified to deal with all kinds of lung conditions such as coronary disease, lung and abdominal cancer and heart and lung surgeries.

Medical Oncologist

A physician who is trained or specialized in the field of chemotherapy is known as medical oncologist. A medical oncologist treats various forms of cancer with the help of drug therapy also known as chemotherapy in which the drug is given either orally or intravenous to kill the cancer cells. There are various types of oncologists, all of whom are specialists in cancer treatment.

Radiation Oncologist

Another mesothelioma specialist is a radiation oncologist who is also an expert professional in the field of cancer. Radiation oncologist treats cancer with radiation therapy, another form of treatment that makes use of high energy rays for killing cancer cells.

Radiologist

A radiologist is a trained physician in the field of images. The radiologist uses image equipment such as x-rays, scans and ultrasounds to diagnose cancerous diseases and extent of tumors in the body.

Pathologist

A trained physician who monitors and evaluates the cell changes that indicate the presence of cancer is known as pathologist. Pathologists check for the tumors or cancer in the body by examining the bodily fluids and excretions such as urine, blood, stool and sputum.

Pathologists identify the biological changes in the cells and also perform post mortems. They do not work directly with the patient but help in diagnosing and treating their cancer.

Social Worker

A social worker is not exactly a member of the medical team that helps patient with treatment. Instead, a social worker provides invaluable support and encouragement to the patients when they need it most i.e. while going through treatment and suffering from emotional and physical pain.

Respiratory Therapist

A respiratory therapist is a trained medical worker, expert in evaluating, treating and monitoring patients who face breathing problems while suffering from pleural mesothelioma or any other type of mesothelioma.

Counselor

A counselor provides assistance and advice to people suffering from mesothelioma. A counselor helps a patient who is going through immense physical and mental turmoil and needs aid in coping with his/her condition as realization of suffering from mesothelioma can lead to severe depression and anxiety.

During your mesothelioma treatment, you will be meeting and working with several people at once who will not only help you fight this disease but also help you cope with it. At one point or another you may come in contact with one or more of these specialists. However, it depends on the type and extent of your mesothelioma cancer.

All these people are professionals in their respective fields and together act as a mesothelioma cancer team to give you the best medical and educational care and support possible to fight this malignant disease.