A research study exploring the patient’s experience during the first three months following a diagnosis of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

This report explores how patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) cope during the first three months following diagnosis. With the incidence of MPM rising and expected to peak between 2010 and 2015 it is timely to produce research evidence related to the patient’s experience following a diagnosis and to explore how patients are supported in the early phase of this devastating disease. This study is concerned with how patients cope with this diagnosis from an emotional perspective; how they navigate their care pathway, manage debilitating symptoms such as pain, breathlessness and functional in-capacity and how they cope with living with an illness that has a poor prognosis