Pleural mesothelioma: management updates and nursing initiatives to improve patient care

Rebecca H LehtoCollege of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USAAbstract: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a relatively rare but aggressive malignancy that is primarily associated with occupational asbestos exposure. While treatment options for mesothelioma have expanded, the di...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal: Lehto RH
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: Dove Medical Press 2014
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/2f49c426eeca43448b70e9e45561ffbc
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
Descripción
Sumario:Rebecca H LehtoCollege of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USAAbstract: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a relatively rare but aggressive malignancy that is primarily associated with occupational asbestos exposure. While treatment options for mesothelioma have expanded, the disease carries a poor prognosis, with a median of 8 months to 1 year of survival postdiagnosis. This article synthesizes current disease-management practices, including the diagnostic workup, treatment modalities, emerging therapies, and symptom management, and identifies comprehensive nursing strategies that result in the best care based on updated evidence. Multidisciplinary coordination, palliative care initiation, survivorship, and end-of-life care are discussed. Findings may be applied in clinical environments as a resource to help nurses better understand treatment options and care for patients facing malignant pleural mesothelioma. Recommendations for future research are made to move nursing science forward and to improve patient well-being and health-related quality-of-life outcomes for patients and their family members.Keywords: pleural mesothelioma, cancer, symptom management, evidence-based care