Mesothelioma cancer treatment

Factors affecting treatment option:

• The location of cancer
• The stage of the disease
• The patient’s age
• The state of general health

Treatment of mesothelioma symptoms

To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.

Treatment of mesothelioma itself

1.    If the diagnosis is done in the early stages surgery may be recommended to remove all cancerous tissues.

2.    Radiation is prescribed aggressively for mesothelioma patients and is often given in combination with surgery or in order to control symptoms, palliatively. Research on using radiation therapy using implants or UV light therapy is in progress as traditional radiation therapy damages surrounding healthy tissue.

3.    Chemotherapy is an option and around 12-20% of patients respond to the drugs. Anti-cancer drugs destroy cancer cells and prevent their spread. In mesothelioma, chemotherapy is not considered to be curative. The aim is to prevent spread of the disease; shrink the tumor before surgery.

4.    Biological therapy using interleukin 2.

5.    Immunotherapy where the body’s own immune system is stimulated to fight the disease. Biological response modifiers, BRMs, are used in treatment to enhance the functions of the immune system.

6.    Administration of lovastatin, a cholesterol lowering drug.

7.    Photodynamic treatment where a photosensitive medication is activated using a laser. This is done during the surgical removal of cancerous tissues.

8.    Combination therapy or Trimodal therapy which means surgery accompanied by radiation and chemotherapy.