This article was contributed by Christina Tran

A mesothelioma cancer diagnosis and the subsequent treatment for it can be a difficult experience to go through. You may be feeling overwhelmed, scared, anxious, or sad and wondering what lies before you in the days and months ahead. These are normal reactions and definitely not the only ones you may be feeling right now. Whilst processing these emotions, speak with your doctor or support team about how you are feeling. You could also ask about additional cancer patient resources that may be available.

Just as any cancer diagnosis and treatment affects your mental health, there are also physical impacts as well. Cancer treatment protocols vary among specific cancer types, and for mesothelioma treatment your plan may look a little different, as will the side effects. Oftentimes, surgery is not an option with mesothelioma if it has spread too much throughout the lining of your lungs. Surgical removal can be performed if the cancer is limited to one lung or is in a small area. However, most treatments will involve chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy.

Regardless of which mesothelioma treatment protocol is determined best, proper nutrition is extremely important before and after your therapy begins to help minimise the physical side effects you may experience. Good nutrition is important for good health. A healthy diet during cancer treatment includes foods and liquids that have vital nutrients your body needs to sustain proper body weight and maximise your strength to reduce physical impacts. Be sure that your diet includes a lot of vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fat, and water.

Physical side effects of mesothelioma treatment are to be expected and will vary depending on the therapies you are receiving and how your body responds. The following list outlines some of the most common side effects, as well as how to lessen the severity of symptoms.

Hair Loss

Chemotherapy for mesothelioma may cause hair loss all over your body – not just on your scalp. Sometimes your eyelashes, eyebrows, armpit, pubic, and other body hairs fall out. A few chemotherapy drugs are more likely than others to cause hair loss and different doses can cause anything from a mere thinning to complete baldness. But there are things you can do to help minimise the hair loss or prolong the process.

Helpful Tips:

• Be gentle on your hair. Do not bleach, colour, or perm it.
• Air dry your hair in place of rubbing it with a towel.
• Avoid heating devices such as curling irons, blow driers, and hot rollers.
• Use gentle shampoo, a soft brush, and only wash as necessary.

Dry Skin

Mesothelioma treatment can also cause dry, itchy, and even scaly skin. Dry, irritated, and sensitive skin may lead to eczema, itching, and sores that can become infected. Although dry skin can be a nuisance and/or problematic, there are steps you can take to help ease the discomfort.

Helpful Tips:

• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• Use products that are gentle on your skin and fragrance-free.
• Use warm water when showering or bathing – not hot.
• Blot your skin dry and do not rub it.
• Use a moisturiser that contains ceramides or coconut/sesame/olive oil.

Nausea and Vomiting

You may have heard that cancer treatment always causes nausea and vomiting. This is not true. Only some treatments will cause you to have an upset stomach or throw up. Some people are also more likely to experience nausea and vomiting than others. Talk with your doctor about each medicine prescribed for you and its risk of causing nausea and vomiting. Ask if your particular mesothelioma cancer treatment puts you at a higher risk of these symptoms. Let them know on a regular basis how you are feeling or about side effects you are experiencing. This can help them find ways to help you feel better.

Helpful Tips:

• Eat smaller meals more often, instead of a few big meals.
• Stay hydrated and drink as much water as you can tolerate.
• Distract yourself by doing things that make you happy and relax you.
• Practice meditation or focusing on a positive picture or memory.
• Try acupuncture and acupressure.

Oral Problems

More than one third of cancer patients develop complications that affect the mouth. These mild-to-severe side effects can include mouth sores, dry mouth, jaw pain, infection, and sensitive gums. Your mouth health is an important part of your overall health, so make your dentist part of your cancer care team. Cancer and its treatments, like chemotherapy, can weaken your immune system and cause these oral problems. But there are some things you can do to lessen the negative effects.

Helpful Tips:

• Drink as much water as you can to keep your mouth clean.
• Use flouride toothpaste and an extra soft toothbrush twice a day.
• Floss daily but be extra gentle around your gums if they are sore.
• Avoid spicy or crunchy foods and do not drink alcohol.
• Rinse your mouth out often with water by gently swishing it through your teeth.
• Consult your dentist for other possible remedies to ease discomfort.

Fatigue

Another common side effect of mesothelioma treatment is fatigue. Fatigue from cancer is different from fatigue that people without cancer experience. Cancer-related fatigue usually lasts longer, can be intense, and may not get better with rest. People often describe cancer-related fatigue as feeling extremely tired, weak with heavy limbs, lacking motivation to do things, being unable to concentrate, being irritable, and feeling slowed down. This type of cancer-related fatigue can range from mild to severe. It can develop gradually over time, or it can start suddenly, making everyday tasks difficult. It can even last for months or years after you finish treatment, but there are ways to manage it.

Helpful Tips:

• Keep an activity log to help you notice your patterns of fatigue.
• Speak with your healthcare team about when it is the worst.
• Believe it or not, physical activity and exercise can help lessen fatigue.
• Limit afternoon naps to 20 minutes a day to ensure a deeper night’s sleep.
• Schedule important activities for when you know you will have the most energy and avoid those that zap you of it.
• Stay socially active and do not cut yourself off from family or friends as they can help you manage activities that you aren’t feeling up to doing.

Get Support

Fighting mesothelioma cancer may be the toughest thing you ever have to do, but you can do it. Whether you experience some of these physical symptoms or all of them, just remember you are not alone. You have your doctor, healthcare team, family, friends, and other support systems on your side to help you get through it. Lean on everyone and don’t keep your struggles hidden. Talk about them because there is help available.

For further support, consider a personal alarm from LifeConnect24. With a personal alarm, help can be arranged at the press of a button. For more information, check out our helpful guide or call our helpful team on 0800 999 0400.

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