Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, doctors aim to get people living with the disease into remission — where the mesothelioma remains inactive. Once a patient is in remission, they’ll enter the follow-up care stage, which according to cancer.net consists of:
Watching for recurrence.
Patients with milder forms of mesothelioma who were treated early can be in remission for years before recurrence happens. But all patients will need to watch for the signs of recurrence so that treatment can begin as soon as possible.
Managing long-term side effects.
The treatments used for mesothelioma such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy can often produce side effects that continue long after treatment has finished. Some side effects of these treatments may not present until months or even years after completion. Any new symptoms or illnesses should be reported to your healthcare team as soon as they appear so they can be managed effectively.
MORE: Four possible experimental treatments for mesothelioma.
