Mesothelioma Treatment

There are several steps of mesothelioma treatment that may be recommended by a doctor. The selected treatment plan will depend on the condition of the disease, the stage of the cancer, and the general health of the patient. However, considering mesothelioma is a cancer that can not be cured and generally new can be detected at an advanced stage, then the treatment step is more aimed at reducing the symptoms felt by the patient.

While there are several treatment options for pleural and abdominal mesothelioma, another case with pericardial and tunica vaginalis mesothelioma has not been treated because it is considered more rare. However, the cancer that is still at an early stage can be removed through surgery or the patient can still through other treatments to reduce the symptoms.

Here are some common mesothelioma treatment steps:

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a drug used to shrink or inhibit cancer growth. This drug can spread to all parts of the body and can be used before surgery or after surgery. In the case of peritoneal mesothelioma, the drug can be heated and given directly into the abdominal cavity in order not to injure healthy tissue in other body parts. This allows the doses of chemotherapy drugs to be given in high doses.

Chemotherapy given before undergoing surgical procedures can facilitate surgery because cancer cells have been minimized before they are removed. Chemotherapy given after surgery will reduce the risk of cancer reappearing.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy may be performed after surgical procedures to eradicate leftover cancer cells or reduce symptoms of advanced cancer when surgery is not possible. In its application, this therapy uses high-energy jets, such as X-rays and proton light, which are focused on specific body areas.

Surgery

Surgery is performed to remove the cancer that is generally still in the early stages of disease progression, although in some cases still can not successfully remove cancer cells completely. Surgery can also be done to reduce the symptoms of advanced cancer that has spread to other body parts in order to reduce symptoms suffered. Here are some commonly performed surgery options and their use for mesothelioma sufferers.

Operating procedure to remove as much as possible cancer cells that can be removed from the patient's body. This procedure allows doctors to continue treatment with radiotherapy to reduce pain and prevent excessive fluid accumulation due to mesothelioma.
Operating procedures to reduce fluid buildup in the chest area that may interfere with breathing. The surgery is done by inserting a catheter tube into the chest to suck fluid. Doctors can also inject drugs to prevent recurrence of fluid buildup, also known as pleurodesis procedures.
Surgical removal of tissue around the abdominal cavity, ribs, or lungs that have been exposed to cancer cells to help reduce the symptoms and signs of mesothelioma.
Surgical removal of affected lung portions following adjacent tissues to relieve symptoms in pleural mesothelioma patients. This procedure is usually followed by high-dose radiotherapy.