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| Preface | |
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| Acknowledgments | |
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| The Basics | |
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| Questions 1-7 address fundamental questions about mesothelioma, including the following: | |
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| What is mesothelioma, and where does it come from? | |
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| What are the risk factors, or who gets mesothelioma? | |
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| Can mesothelioma be prevented? | |
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| Diagnosis | |
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| Questions 8-19 explain the methods used to detect and identify mesothelioma and the healthcare professionals involved in your diagnosis: | |
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| What are the symptoms of mesothelioma, and how is it diagnosed? | |
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| Should I get a second opinion? | |
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| How do I find the best doctors to treat my mesothelioma? | |
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| Coping | |
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| Questions 20-23 provide practical advice for dealing with the physical, emotional, and financial issues raised by a diagnosis of mesothelioma: | |
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| What types of psychosocial support are available to me? | |
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| What should my family know about mesothelioma in order to assist me? | |
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| What insurance and financial concerns do I need to address following a mesothelioma diagnosis? | |
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| The Politics of Mesothelioma | |
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| Questions 24-32 discuss legal dimensions of the disease: | |
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| Why all the uproar about this disease, and what are the legal implications of having mesothelioma? | |
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| How do I learn more about my legal rights regarding mesothelioma? | |
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| Do I need to have a will? | |
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| Treatment | |
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| Questions 33-61 provide an extensive description of therapy currendy employed to treat mesothelioma: | |
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| What is staging and why is it important? | |
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| What are the survival rates for mesothelioma? | |
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| What is palliative care? | |
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| What, in general, are the treatment options for mesothelioma? | |
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| Decision Making | |
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| Questions 62-71 try to help guide you toward the best decisions for your circumstance: | |
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| What are clinical trials? | |
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| What are some experimental or investigational treatments for mesothelioma? | |
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| How do I decide on a treatment plan when faced with multiple options? | |
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| Side Effects of Therapy | |
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| Questions 72-86 advise what to expect with regard to treatment side effects and what to do about them: | |
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| What can I do to relieve my pain? | |
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| How should I change my diet following a mesothelioma diagnosis? | |
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| What are the benefits of exercise for mesothelioma patients? | |
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| Recurrence of the Disease | |
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| Questions 87-89 offer strategies for facing recurrence: | |
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| What happens if my disease recurs? | |
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| Where is my disease likely to recur? | |
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| How is recurrence treated? | |
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| Sarah's and Sarah Ann's Insights for Care Providers 149 | |
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| Questions 90-97, written by the wife and daughter of a mesothelioma patient, provide an "insider's" perspective on coping as a caregiver: | |
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| How do I discuss mesothelioma with children? | |
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| How do I maintain a normal life when a family member has mesothelioma? | |
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| How do I balance all of the responsibilities? | |
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| The Unspeakable That Must Be Spoken | |
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| Questions 98-100 address end of life care: | |
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| How do I decide when it's time to stop treatment? | |
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| What is hospice? | |
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| Resources | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Index | |