Best Doctors in India for Mesothelioma Treatment
Best Hospitals in India for Mesothelioma Treatment
- City: Bengaluru, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital Bannerghatta, Bengaluru was established in 2006.
- The hospital is a 276 bedded multi-specialty tertiary care facility.
- The hospital specializes in cutting-edge medical technology and dedicated patient care services.
- The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies like trans-radial angioplasty, trans-abdominal cardiac surgery, and computerized TKR navigation surgery.
- The hospital provides specialty medical services in cardiology, cardiac surgery, orthopedics, neurology, neuro-surgery, GI, and Minimal Access Surgery (MAS).
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Malar was established in 1992 and was formerly known as Malar Hospital.
- The hospital specializes in cutting-edge medical technology and dedicated patient care services.
- The hospital is multi-specialty, tertiary care facility with 180 beds.
- The hospital offers comprehensive medical care in specialties such as cardiology, cardio-thoracic surgery, neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, nephrology, gynecology, gastroenterology, urology, pediatrics, and diabetes.
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Established in 1996, Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute is one of the top hospitals in the NCR region, as well as one of the top facilities in India for gastroenterology. The hospital is one of South Asia’s first institutes in medical and surgical treatment for diseases related to digestion.
- The hospital is equipped with state-of-the art facilities coupled with the latest equipment as well as renowned consultants from various parts of India as well as other parts of the world.
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- State-of-the-art technology and devoted healthcare professionals have been brought together under one roof at Venkateshwar Hospital to provide genuine medical care. The hospital’s professionals work together as a team to deliver the best possible treatment to their patients, using the most sophisticated equipment and information technology.
- Venkateshwar Hospital’s mission is to attain global excellence in healthcare by employing evidence-based, ethical clinical practices and cutting-edge technology by a team of highly skilled experts.
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi is known to provide the latest medical procedures with the latest technology in all of its units.
- The hospital has a team of reputed doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals that ensure that patients receive quality care at affordable costs.
- Staffed with a team of highly qualified doctors, dedicated nurses, and paramedical and non-medical staff, the hospital aims to lead in healthcare delivery, medical education, training, and research.
- As per the vision of the founder, the hospital also provides free treatment to the economically weaker sections of society.
- Sir Ganga Ram Hospital also provides training to young doctors under the Diplomate in National Board(DNB) program. The DNB program at the hospital was started in 1984 and it is known for currently running the maximum number of DNB specialties in the country. It also has the distinction of having the first bone bank in India.
- City: Kerala, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Established in 2019, Apollo Adlux Hospital is the first Apollo Hospital in Kerala and the 73rd hospital owned by Apollo Group in India. With the state’s most advanced, comprehensive healthcare infrastructure and cutting-edge technologies, Apollo Adlux Hospital stands as an example of medical excellence in Kerala.
- With over 34 multi-specialty departments, the hospital believes in providing the best quality treatment to its patients at affordable rates, ensuring comfort at their difficult times.
- The 300-bed hospital is managed by a team of highly qualified and experienced experts who delivers exceptional hospitality to their patients and treats them with great compassion.
- With its affiliation with the Apollo Hospitals Group, the hospital aims in providing patients with top-notch healthcare services while also serving communities in Kerala.
- The hospital has good railway and road connections, and is conveniently close to Cochin International Airport.
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Situated near DLF Cyber City, Gurugram, Narayana Superspecialty Hospital is one of the top medical facilities in the Delhi NCR region, catering to the needs of the people. Known for its commitment to quality medical care and patient service, the hospital is a state-of-the-art facility with planned and well-equipped sections, which includes a spacious OPD area as well as comfortable patient rooms.
- It is the closest super-specialty hospital from Indira Gandhi International Airport towards Gurugram, and also the nearest super specialty hospital from DLF Cyber City. It is also close to major residential areas in Gurugram.
- It is part of the renowned Narayana Health Group. Established in 2000, by Dr. Devi Shetty, a renowned cardiac surgeon, it has grown to be one fo India’s leading healthcare groups.
- City: Noida, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital, Noida, stands as one of the oldest and most trusted healthcare institutions in the region, setting a benchmark for comprehensive medical care.
- As the second mega hub hospital in the Fortis Healthcare Group, Fortis Hospital, Noida, upholds a legacy of trust among more than 1.2 million patients. By integrating top-tier professionals with cutting-edge technology, the hospital delivers superior treatment across various medical disciplines.
- Specializing in advanced Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Kidney and Liver Transplant Programmes, Fortis Hospital, Noida has successfully performed over 1,500 transplants, solidifying its reputation as a leader in specialized medical interventions.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of aggressive and deadly cancer. It occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers the majority of your internal organs, also termed as the mesothelium.
Although treatment options are available for this condition, for many patients suffering from Mesothelioma, a cure is not possible. The average life expectancy for a patient after diagnosis is 12-21 months, though prognosis might improve with treatment.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of this condition generally depend on where this cancer occurs-
Pleural Mesothelioma: This type of Mesothelioma affects the tissue surrounding the lungs, and can cause various signs and symptoms such as:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Painful coughing
- Unexplained weight loss
- Lumps of tissue under your chest skin
Peritoneal Mesothelioma: This type of Mesothelioma occurs in tissue in the abdomen, and can lead to signs and symptoms such as:
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Abdominal swelling
- Unexplained weight loss
Other forms:
Although other forms of Mesothelioma also exist, but signs and symptoms are generally unclear, since these forms of the disease are generally rare.
Causes & risk factors
The most common and main risk factor for mesothelioma is working with asbestos. Asbestos is a group of minerals containing thin microscopic fibers, which are resistant to heat, fire as well as chemicals, and do not conduct electricity. Due to this quality, they are generally used widely in the construction, automotive, and other industries.
In the manufacturing process for asbestos, the fibers are released into the air, and they might be inhaled and swallowed, which can lead to serious health problems. The majority of mesothelioma cases are linked with exposure to asbestos during work. There is also evidence to suggest that family members and anyone living with asbestos workers also have an increased risk of developing this condition. This risk is generally the result of the dust brought home on the clothing and hair.
In some cases, Mesothelioma has also been reported in individuals with no known exposure to asbestos. Some of the uncommon but possible causes include:
Zeolites- These types of minerals are related to asbestos chemically. Exposure to erionite, another one of these related minerals, is also believed to be responsible for high rates of mesothelioma rates in areas such as Turkey, where it is commonly found.
Radiation- According to The American Cancer Society, there have been a few published reports of Mesothelioma that developed after exposure to high doses of radiation to the abdomen or chest after injections of thorium dioxide or thorotrast. This material was used by doctors in chest X-rays in the 20th century.
Genetics- According to some experts, certain people are also genetically predisposed to mesothelioma. Rates of the disease can vary among populations.
SV40 virus- Some studies in laboratory animals have also raised the possibility that infection with the simian virus 40 can increase the risk of developing mesothelioma.
Diagnosis
Physical exam
If you are having signs and symptoms of mesothelioma, then your doctor will be conducting a physical exam in order to check for any lumps or any such unusual signs.
Imaging scans
Your doctor will likely order imaging scans such as a chest X-ray and a computerized tomography scan of your abdomen or chest, in order to look for abnormalities.
Based on the findings, you might need to undergo further testing in order to determine whether mesothelioma or another disease is leading to the symptoms.
Biopsy
Biopsy, a procedure for removing a small portion of tissue, for laboratory examination, is the only way for determining whether you are having mesothelioma. Depending on the area of your body that is affected, your doctor will select the right biopsy procedure for you.
Additional tests
Once your mesothelioma has been confirmed, your doctor might need to recommend additional tests in order to understand whether cancer has spread to lymph nodes or to any other areas in your body.
Tests can include:
- CT scans of your chest and abdomen
- Positron emission tomography (PET)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Your doctor is going to determine which tests are appropriate for you. Then he/she is going to use the information from these tests to assign a stage to your cancer, which ranges from I to IV. The lower the number, the more it is likely to be localized to the area around the lungs, and the higher it is, the more likely it is that the cancer has spread to other areas of your body. Once your doctor is able to identify the cancer stage, he/she is going to select the treatments that are right for you.
Treatment
While deciding the treatment option for you, your doctor considers several factors such as your overall health, the stage, or your cancer as well as its location.
Unfortunately, this condition is generally aggressive, and for most people, a cure isn’t possible. It is also usually diagnosed at an advanced stage when removing the cancer is not possible, through an operation. Therefore, your doctor might work to control it.
Surgery
Surgery might sometimes be successful in curing cancer. However, most of the time, it is not possible to remove all of the cancer. In such cases, surgery can help to reduce the signs and symptoms caused by mesothelioma which is spreading in your body. Surgical options can be of various types.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves using chemicals to kill cancer cells. Systemic chemotherapy is able to travel throughout the body and might help to shrink or slow the growth of a mesothelioma that is not removable through surgery. Chemotherapy can sometimes also be used before surgery to make the operation easier or in some cases, after surgery, for reducing the chance that cancer will return.
Chemotherapy drugs can also be heated and be directly administered into the abdominal cavity, in the case of peritoneal mesothelioma.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy focuses high-energy beams from sources such as protons or X-rays to a specific spot or spots on the body. Radiation can also be used after surgery for killing any remaining cancer cells. It might help in reducing symptoms of advanced cancer as well, in situations where surgery is not an option.
Immunotherapy
Targeted Therapy
Complications
As your pleural mesothelioma continues to spread in the chest, it can put pressure on the structures in that area, leading to complications such as difficulty in breathing and swallowing, chest pain, pain caused by pressure on the nerves and spinal cord, and accumulation of fluid in the chest, which can compress the lung nearby and make breathing even more difficult.
Prevention
In order to prevent this condition, it is important to reduce your exposure to asbestos. Workers who might encounter asbestos fibers include:
- Asbestos miners
- Plumbers
- Pipefitters
- Electricians
- Insulators
- Demolition workers
- Selected military personnel
- Shipyard workers
- Home remodelers
- Brake mechanics
If you are any of the above, then it is important to ask your employer, whether you have a risk of asbestos exposure on the job.
Remember to follow all safety precautions in your workplace, which includes wearing protective equipment. It is also best if you shower and change out of your work clothes before you are taking a lunch break or going home. You can talk to your doctor to ask if you need to take any further precautions.