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TREATMENT OF MESOTHELIOMA
Its incurable ... but there are methods to increase life expectancy and reduce pain.
Mesothelioma is incurable, however treatment is available. The treatment can prolong the patient's life and make the process less painful. The conventional therapies used in cancer also apply for mesothelioma. These therapies focus on destroying the malignant cells while preserving the healthy ones, by using different chemical and physical means.
Factors like the location of the cancer, the stage of the condition, the patient's age and general health determine the treatment options of mesothelioma. Typically, treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. These treatments are usually taken as an alternative to each other, but in some cases they might have to be combined for better results.
Surgery is the most common treatment option for mesothelioma. Typically, the doctor would remove the infected part of the chest or abdomen and some tissue around it that might be infected with virus. In advanced cases of pleural mesothelioma an operation called pneumonectomy can be performed, in which a lung might have to be removed. In some cases, a part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs, might be removed to facilitate breathing.
Radiation therapy, also known as radiotherapy, is another alternative treatment for mesothelioma. It involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink the tumor. External radiation from a machine or internal radiation therapy, in which radiation is produced through thin plastic tubes into the virus-affected area, can be opted for. The therapy affects the cancer cells only in the areas under scrutiny.
Chemotherapy is another treatment option, typically for advanced mesothelioma cases. In this treatment anti-cancer drugs are used to kill cancer cells throughout the body. These drugs are injected in the body by means of intravenous injections. The option of injecting these drugs directly into the chest or abdomen exists; however its effectiveness is still under scrutiny.
Thoracentesis for the chest and paracentesis for the abdomen, can be performed to remove the fluids built up. A thin needle or a tube is used to drain this fluid from the chest or abdomen. Also, drugs can be injected through a tube to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery also help in relieving the painful symptoms.
During the treatment, the progress is regularly monitored; using X-rays, MRIs and CT scans. Depending on the response to the treatment, the process can be stopped or altered accordingly. Side effects might erupt during the treatment, but there are various medications available to withstand these toxic effects.
Mesothelioma is a very aggressive cancer. Sometimes the conventional methods might not to be as effective as they are for other types of cancers. If the condition is in its advanced stage its better to opt for chemotherapy rather than surgery or radiotherapy.
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