An oncologist will probably focus on three primary ways to treat mesothelioma. These include radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. In some instances, a combination of all three treatments will be used.
Treatments for mesothelioma
Because treatment for cancer involves eliminating cells that are malignant and keeping those that are healthy, an oncologist will determine how large a tumor is, whether or not it has metastasized, the type of tumor and where it is located. Other factors include the age of the patient, the stage of the cancer and the overall condition of the patient being treated. Once these factors are determined, the oncologist, along with a team of cancer specialists, will lay out the best treatment possible for the disease. In most cases, mesothelioma is not discovered until it is in a later state; therefore, surgery alone to cure the disease is not usually an option. However, more tests are being conducted to help diagnose early state mesothelioma, making surgery a more curative form of treatment in the future. For now, surgery is initiated as a more palliative measure to remove fluid from a patient’s lungs, which has built up because of the asbestos exposure. This is done using a needle or by a procedure known as pleurodesis, which injects a talc like substance into the lungs to prevent fluid retention.
A treatment that has been used in recent years is called extrapleural pneumonectomy. This procedure removes the pericardium of the lung that is affected and injecting chemotherapy drugs to the area affected at the same time with the hope of destroying all malignant cells that may remain. The patient’s diaphragm, as well as the pericardium is then reconstructed using prosthetics.
Some patient’s are too ill to undergo surgery and/or chemotherapy. Treatment in these cases usually involves radiation that can be better tolerated by a frail patient and help put them in a place where chemotherapy and surgery may be possible. These patients will usually receive external beam radiation administered on a daily basis for five days for as many as five weeks. Although not a curative treatment for mesothelioma, radiation helps to reduce pain, relieves breathing problems and problems with swallowing and unexpected bleeding.
If a patient’s health allows for chemotherapy, the drugs used in various combinations can be a true positive factor in prolonging the life of a patient suffering from mesothelioma. Research is exciting in this field and patients continue to benefit from trial combinations of various chemotherapy drugs. It is quite possible that with further research, a cure may be in the future for this insidious disease.
Chemotherapy can be administered as either a pill or intravenously. Either way, the oncologist will usually mix two drugs that act as a primary cytotoxin and a stabilizing agent to protect surrounding healthy cells. Once again, depending on the health of a patient, the oncologist will determine the best combination of drugs. In addition to the cancer fighting chemotherapy agents used to treat mesothelioma, other drugs are given to help some of the negative side effects of chemotherapy. These drugs help to reduce the feelings of nausea and to replace any essential nutritional vitamins lost because of chemotherapy.
There are many clinical studies in the works that are leading to new treatments for mesothelioma. If a patient is interested in participating in these trials, they should talk to their oncologist and see what trials are available and what they may be qualified for. There are also several alternative methods for asbestos related illnesses and mesothelioma and patients should discuss treatments with their physician. Some of these treatments include herbs, acupuncture, hypnosis. massage and vitamins.
Although the rate of the disease recurring is still a possibility, there are so many initiatives in the work that a patient should have hope for a cure for this disease. Treatment programs have proven that mesothelimoa caused by asbestos can lead to a cure, and many combined treatments have controlled the spread or death for several years. There are cases where patients have only been given a few months to live only to go on living because of unique treatment programs that allow asbestos victims suffering from mesothelioma to maintain a quality of life for years.
Technology and research has led to major advances in the treatment of asbestos related mesothelioma and the road to cures. For more information the American Cancer Society has a detailed guide, which can be found at www.American Cancer Society:Detailed Guide: Malignant Mesothelioma Surgery http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/tontent/CRI_2_4_4X_Radiation_Therapy_29asp?m,av=cri or Malignant Mesothelioma Surgery http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CR/content/CRI_1_4_4X_Radiation_Therapy_29.asp?mac=cri. You may also go to any Mesothelioma website that has advancements and treatments for this disease.
