Mesothelioma Treatment Options
Patients suffering from mesothelioma should see a specialist to determine the best treatment option. Many specialists provide innovative therapies that can improve the prognosis and symptoms.
Mesothelioma is treated by a doctor through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Some types of mesothelioma can also respond to immunotherapy. Mesothelioma can recur after treatment. Doctors can prevent it from coming back by causing the pleura to adhere to one another (pleurodesis), or drain the fluid using an incision within the chest (peritoneal mesothelioma). The best treatment plans combine both methods.
Surgery
The type of mesothelioma, its stage and other factors like age will determine treatment options. At the time of your initial assessment the doctor will decide the best mesothelioma treatment for you.
The first step is to undergo surgery to remove as much mesothelioma that is possible. The surgeon can also perform other treatments either during or following the procedure. Mesothelioma treatment options could include chemotherapy and radiation. Immunotherapy, targeted therapy and palliative procedures can manage symptoms and improve the quality of life for patients.
Patients with pleural mesothelioma undergo a radical surgical procedure known as extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) to remove the tumor as well as most of the affected lung, in addition to the lining of the lungs (pleura) and a portion of the diaphragm, and the sac surrounding the heart (pericardium). Another surgery that can be performed is pleurectomy/decortication (P/D). This procedure removes the pleura, but it leaves the lung intact. P/D is a less insidious procedure than EPP, and has been proven to increase the chance of survival. Some cancer centers provide heated intraoperative chemotherapy to kill cancerous cells after surgery.
During surgery the patient is placed under anesthesia. They also receive medications to help them rest and feel pain-free. During this time the medical team will gather important details about your health, including your heart rate and blood pressure.
After the procedure, patients will undergo chemotherapy and/or radiation. Chemotherapy is a method to stop the growth of mesothelioma and to kill any cancerous cells that remain after surgery. Mesothelioma can be treated with the use of cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin as well pemetrexed. Most often, these drugs are administered through IV.
Radiation is a highly efficient treatment for mesothelioma as it uses high energy beams to destroy cancerous cells. Radiation can be used on its own or in combination with other treatments. It can be used to treat all forms of mesothelioma. However, it is most likely helpful in cases of peritoneal and pericardial cancer.
Recurrent tumors may occur in some people with mesothelioma, even after treatment. Recurrent mesothelioma may be found in the same spot as it did before, or it may spread to other organs like the liver or brain. Certain patients with mesothelioma recurrently present may require other treatments, such as targeted therapy or immunotherapy which may improve survival and reduce the chance of the cancer returning.
Chemotherapy
When it comes to mesothelioma, chemotherapy is one of the most powerful treatments available. It involves injecting patients with medications that kill cancerous cells and stop their growth or spreading. Mesothelioma doctors can use chemotherapy on its own or in conjunction with other treatment options such as radiation therapy or immunotherapy.
The type of mesothelioma the patient is diagnosed with and the stage it is in will help determine which treatment is the best for the patient. Doctors may use a variety of different chemotherapy drugs however the most common treatments include pemetrexed and cisplatin. Pemetrexed eliminates mesothelioma tumors by targeting cells that produce the proteins cancer cells need to expand. Cisplatin is an anticancer drug that attaches to mesothelioma cell DNA and causes them to die. These drugs can be given by intravenously or orally.
In a mesothelioma surgical procedure doctors can also administer an intraoperative chemotherapy procedure. The chemotherapy drugs are heated and released into the chest cavity or abdominal cavity while the surgeon is working. The purpose of this treatment is to eradicate any cancerous micro-organisms that the surgeon cannot see after surgery.
Patients with mesothelioma may also receive adjuvant chemotherapy after their surgery. Many doctors will wait until the mesothelioma has gone away before recommending this option. This is due to the fact that surgical procedures used to treat mesothelioma are extremely invasive, a patient might not be fit enough to undergo chemotherapy right after surgery.
If mesothelioma develops again, treatment will focus on removing the cancer and relieving symptoms. Some patients might opt to do everything to get rid of their cancer, while others prefer to control the disease and live with no symptoms as long as possible. It is crucial that a patient with mesothelioma recurrently discuss the issue with their doctor, and weigh up the pros and cons. malignant mesothelioma treatment options may be interested in enrolling in a trial of a new mesothelioma treatment. These trials can test a new combination of conventional treatments or an entirely new method of treating mesothelioma. For example certain studies have demonstrated that immunotherapy is an effective recurrent mesothelioma treatment.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy rays and particles to destroy cancerous cells. Mesothelioma doctors typically recommend it following surgery or as a part of a multimodal treatment plan. It can also be used as a treatment for ailments like breathlessness or pain. The newest kinds of radiation have better control, making it easier to target tumors, while avoiding nearby healthy tissue.
The treatment options you have will depend on the type of mesothelioma that you have and where it is located. You can also speak with your doctor about treatments that are experimental, such as immunotherapy. Clinical trials are research studies that examine the efficacy and safety of new medications or procedures. These trials are conducted with patients who have agreed to participate.
A mesothelioma expert can assist you choose the best clinical trial for you.
Surgery can decrease the size of tumors, and also ease symptoms. Mesothelioma cannot be cured by surgery. It is possible that the cancer will return or spread. The majority of mesothelioma patients are treated using different treatments.
For pleural mesothelioma, surgical options include pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) and extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). The pleura is removed in P/D. This thin membrane that connects the chest wall, lungs and the lining of the pleura. It is also able to remove visible tumors on the chest or lung wall. EPP is a much more extensive procedure that can be used to treat mesothelioma in its later stages. The procedure involves removing the entire lung, along with the diaphragm, pleura and any visible tumors that are found on the chest wall.
The use of radiation can be a part of a mesothelioma surgery in pleural areas to kill any cancerous microscopic areas that were not removed during the procedure. This is called adjuvant mesothelioma radiation. It also helps to alleviate symptoms such as breathing difficulties, chest pain or swallowing issues in mesothelioma peritoneal patients before a procedure called cytoreduction and heated chemotherapy (HIPEC).
Radiation can have long-term consequences. The most common side effects include skin and fatigue. In rare cases lung damage that is long-term can cause long-term breathing problems or esophageal narrowing. It is important to discuss these risks with your doctor prior to deciding on radiation.
Immunotherapy
Cancer is caused by genetic mutations which cause abnormal cells to grow uncontrollably. As the cells build up they form tumors that invade and destroy healthy tissue. As time passes the tumors can spread throughout the body, causing symptoms such as pain, fatigue, coughing and difficulty breathing. Malignant mesothelioma is a form of asbestos-related lung cancer, is formed in the mesothelium, the protective layer that covers organs of the patient.
Doctors diagnose mesothelioma using an examination of the body and taking a thorough history about your exposure to asbestos. They will also perform medical tests, which include blood tests and various types of scans. These scans provide a clear image of your body and can reveal signs of mesothelioma like fluid around the lungs or cancerous tumors. X-rays, CT, PET, and MRI are frequently requested by doctors to carry out more advanced scans. Additionally, doctors can perform a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma and make sure the cancer isn't spreading.
Doctors are not able to treat mesothelioma patients in the majority of cases however they can manage the condition by controlling it through chemotherapy and other treatments. The aim is to eliminate the most mesothelioma possible and decrease the chance that the cancer will recur.
For mesothelioma that is advanced, doctors might perform a procedure to help prevent the buildup of fluid inside the lung (pleurodesis), or they might place a tube in the chest to allow regular draining of any excess liquid (pleural effusion drainage). They could also try to stop the growth of tumors by creating the outer layer of the lung adhere to the inner layer of the lungs. (extrapleural pneumonectomy), or shrinking them by radiation therapy.
Immunotherapy is an innovative treatment that makes use of medications to stimulate your immune system to fight cancer. These medications, including Keytruda and Opdivo have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be used in mesothelioma clinical trials. This treatment is promising and could result in better outcomes in some patients. Immunotherapy can cause adverse effects like fatigue chills, fever, and fatigue. However, these are less severe than treatments that are more aggressive.