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Mesothelioma doctors are medical specialists that treat mesothelioma, a rare and very dangerous type of cancer that is most usually caused by exposure to asbestos. Since mesothelioma is not easy to treat, doctors that specialize in its treatment are some of the most experienced medical professionals in the field of oncology.
As there are three types (pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal and pericardial) and several stages of mesothelioma that vary in severity, from stage I to stage IV, there are multiple treatment options available, all of which require a different set of skills, and as such a different doctor.
After preliminary diagnosis, which is typically conducted by a general practitioner, the patient is directed to a specialist called pulmonologist that will proceed with further tests. Should the original diagnosis stand true, the treatment of mesothelioma begins.
Surgery is an option if the disease did not spread far, and it can be done by a mesothelioma specialist called thoracic surgeon. However, recent studies have proven that surgery on itself is not efficient in treating mesothelioma cancer.
Chemotherapy is an additional treatment option; while it can be used alone, it has proved to be the most efficient when combined with traditional mesothelioma therapy such as surgery. The name for mesothelioma chemotherapy specialist is an oncologist.
Radiation can also be used to treat the conditon, often in combination with both surgery and chemotherapy. The doctor that specializes in mesothelioma radiation treatment is called a radiologist.
These doctors all work as one team providing the most efficient treatment to a patient, but the team would not be complete without a pathologist -- another doctor, who is reponsible for monitoring the changes in patient's condition. This doctor examines the spread or remission of the cancer while testing the patient's tissue samples and bodily fluids and is the one responsible for the prognosis.
All in all, mesothelioma doctors are some of the most experienced and dedicated medical professionals out there with a very hard job. They deal day to day with gravely ill and terminal patients, while saving or prolonging lives in the process. These hard working men and women fully deserve our respect and gratitude.
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