Understanding Mesothelioma by Tod, Angela; Taylor, Bethany; Gardiner, Clare;

Short description:

This practical text highlights the lived experience of mesothelioma. Presenting insights that will inform practice in a diverse range of fields, including health, social care and law, this book is an essential reference for all those working with people with mesothelioma and their families.

Long description:

This practical text highlights the lived experience of mesothelioma. Following the patient journey and underpinned by the evidence, it explores what good care for mesothelioma looks like. Mesothelioma is complex in its aetiology, presentation, symptom burden and patient pathway. The public health context is shifting, as the way people are exposed to asbestos changes and there are new life-lengthening treatments available with many benefits but also challenges.

This timely book provides the context for mesothelioma, what it is and why it occurs before profiling a range of experiences across the patient pathway to highlight implications for care delivered by nurses and other health and social care practitioners. The second section of the book follows the patient pathway from diagnosis through to end-of-life care and bereavement, highlighting the lived experience and summarising the implications for practice. The final section of the book discusses aspects of the mesothelioma experience that are unique to the condition, including mental health impacts, and financial and legal implications.

Presenting insights that will inform practice in a diverse range of fields, including health, social care and law, this book is an essential reference for all those working with people with mesothelioma and their families. It is also an important reference for those working in cancer care more generally and academics with an interest in the lived experience of health conditions.

"This insightful book challenges preconceptions around mesothelioma, revealing the unique adversities faced by patients and carers living with the disease, alongside the expert support provided by clinical nurse specialists. It draws on contemporary evidence of poignant lived experiences, providing an invaluable guide for clinicians supporting patients throughout the mesothelioma journey. An exceptional resource for nursing, medical and allied health professionals."

- Dr Rachel King, University of Sheffield

"This textbook is an essential resource for anyone involved in the care or research involving patients with mesothelioma. By centering the experiences of patients and their families, it fills a critical gap in the literature. Combining expert insights, international research, and a practice-based approach, it offers invaluable guidance for healthcare professionals navigating this complex disease. Timely and comprehensive, this book is a vital tool for improving care and outcomes for those affected by mesothelioma."

- Professor Dean Fennell, Chair of Thoracic Oncology, University of Leicester

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction., 2. Mesothelioma., 3. The role of the specialist nurse in multidisciplinary and partnership working., 4. The road to diagnosis, 5. Treatment experiences, 6. Symptoms and their management ,7. The supportive care needs of people with mesothelioma, 8. Clinical trials, 9. Palliative and end of life care in mesothelioma, 10. The legacy of the illness for the family, 11. The role of primary care in mesothelioma, 12. Mental health and mesothelioma, 13. Financial implications, 14. Seeking compensation, 15. Conclusion.