Above all else, the most important thing you can do is to be certain you are getting the best medical care available for mesothelioma. That is true for both treating mesothelioma, as well as managing pain and discomfort. Fortunately both areas have improved dramatically in recent years. Obviously the place to start is with your treating and diagnosing physicians. Only a qualified doctor can give you medical advice on what your exact condition is and how it can be treated. Unlike in the not too distant past, the mesothelioma diagnosis is often made with great confidence and by many pathologists around the country.

Please refer to the National Mesothelioma Treatment link in the column at left for some of the doctors and hospitals known to have national or international practices. Additionally, check the state specific links for mesothelioma doctors or treatment centers in your area.

1. Getting the right diagnosis of mesothelioma or lung cancer is critical – your course of treatment depends upon it. The treatment for mesothelioma is often quite different from that of lung cancer. Especially if you intend to seek second opinions or travel for treatment for mesothelioma, it would be wise to get a copy of the pathology report and/or other diagnosing medical records.  Any new mesothelioma doctor, clinic or hospital will want to see that record. It is also necessary if you wish to proceed to assert your legal claims for compensation. If you have any problems obtaining such records please contact us (866-542-4LAW) for assistance.
    
2. Many mesothelioma patients and their families find that keeping track of all important mesothelioma medical records regarding diagnosis, treatment and progress quite helpful, especially when discussing the case with a new doctor or facility. Simply requesting such information from the facilities is usually enough, but they may ask you to fill out a form so they can release the records. Information regarding your past treatment for mesothelioma may be critical in determining what additional traditional or experimental treatments may be available for you.  Best to keep such records organized either in chronological order, or by doctor or facility.  Either method works so whatever is easiest for you.  Bring the records in a file or 3-ring binder whenever you consult with a new doctor or facility and make sure you keep your set.
    
3. Additional Medical Opinions and New Treatments and Clinical Trials.
   
   Again, it is very helpful and can save tremendous time if you keep track of your most important mesothelioma records. A good place to start is your own doctor. They may be willing to recommend other nearby institutions or doctors with who you could consult. There are centers of true medical excellence throughout the country. Fortunately today the quality of treatment in many areas distant from the major urban medical centers has improved dramatically in recent years.  First, please check the national and state by state listing for mesothelioma treatment centers listed on this page.  This list, although not exhaustive, may give you some idea of what mesothelioma resources are available near your home as well as those with national practices.
   
   Second, you may want to access information regarding treatment centers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).  One good way to see what hospitals are active in mesothelioma treatment is to see which ones are sponsoring new or experimental treatments for mesothelioma. The following information drawn from NCI mesothelioma web site (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/mesothelioma):
   
   

   • Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.

   • People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER. Information specialists at the CIS use PDQ®, NCI’s cancer information database, to identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have the option of searching for clinical trials on their own. The clinical trials page on the NCI’s Cancer.gov Web site, located at http://www.cancer.gov/clinical_trials on the Internet, provides general information about clinical trials and links to PDQ.

   • People considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Clinical Trials: What Cancer Patients Need To Know. This booklet describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the CIS, or from the NCI Publications Locator Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/publications on the Internet.