Supportive care for mesothelioma

Supportive care helps people meet the physical, practical, emotional and spiritual challenges of mesothelioma. It is an important part of cancer care. There are many programs and services available to help meet the needs and improve the quality of life of people with cancer and their loved ones.

If you have mesothelioma, you may have the following concerns.

Many people with mesothelioma are diagnosed with advanced cancer. A diagnosis of advanced cancer can be very hard to understand and accept. You may have many strong feelings about your diagnosis, including shock, sadness, anger and fear. You may also worry about your prognosis.

Living well with advanced cancer may look different for each person. Managing advanced cancer will depend on many different factors, such as where the cancer is in your body, the organs and tissues removed during surgery, the type of treatment and side effects.

People diagnosed with advanced cancer are often referred to a palliative care team. Palliative care provides physical, emotional, social and spiritual support for people with cancer and their families.

The purpose of palliative care is not to treat the cancer. It relieves symptoms, controls the cancer (if possible) and improves your quality of life.

Find out more about living with advanced cancer.

Pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid in the space between the lungs and the wall of the chest (called the pleural cavity). This fluid can press on the lung, making it hard to breathe. Pleural effusion is common with pleural mesothelioma, but it can also be caused by peritoneal mesothelioma.

Find out more about fluid buildup on the lungs (pleural effusion).

An abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen is called ascites. It causes swelling in the abdomen, which can cause discomfort or pain. It can also cause nausea and shortness of breath. Most people with peritoneal mesothelioma develop ascites.

Find out more about fluid buildup in the abdomen.

Many people with advanced mesothelioma lose their appetite. This can cause weight loss and poor nutrition. Severe loss of appetite can lead to the loss of muscle mass (cachexia).

It is important for you to try to maintain your weight even if you don’t feel like eating. Proper nutrition helps your body fight disease and cope with the effects of cancer treatment. Your healthcare team can suggest ways to help you manage loss of appetite.

Find out more about loss of appetite and eating well when you have cancer.

Fatigue is a general lack of energy, tiredness or exhaustion. It is different from the tiredness a person usually feels at the end of the day. It is a very common symptom in people with mesothelioma. Fatigue may be caused by the disease, treatments or loss of appetite.

Find out more about fatigue.

A bowel obstruction is when the small intestine or colon is partly or completely blocked. Peritoneal mesothelioma can cause bowel obstructions.

Find out more about bowel obstruction.

Pain is common in people with mesothelioma. It can occur when the cancer grows and puts pressure on other organs or nerves. The amount of pain often increases as the cancer advances.

Pain related to cancer can affect you physically and emotionally. It can affect healing and cause fatigue, loss of appetite and problems sleeping. Dealing with pain also takes energy that you need to fight disease and carry out normal daily activities.

For most people, pain related to cancer or its treatment can be controlled. Your healthcare team can help you find ways to prevent, manage or relieve your pain.

Find out more about pain.

There are special services or benefits to help workers (and their families) who have developed mesothelioma from being exposed to asbestos at work (occupational exposure). Conditions about exposure and legal processing of claims for asbestos-related cancers can differ by province or territory. Ask your doctor about these programs or check with a worker’s compensation or health insurance agency about filing for compensation in your province or territory.

Find out more about finances.

To make decisions that are right for you, ask your healthcare team questions about supportive care.