Types of Treatment For Mesothelioma

Certain people with pleural melanoma might undergo an operation to control symptoms and possibly live longer. They may also undergo chemotherapy and radiation.

pleural mesothelioma treatment options mesothelioma surgery can include pleurectomy decortication (P/D), a lung-sparing operation, or radical extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). Some cancer centers offer HIPEC (heated intraoperative chemotherapy).

Pleurectomy/decortication

Pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) surgery is the most common type of treatment for pleural mesothelioma. Doctors carry out this procedure by eliminating the outer layer of the pleura. The pleura is a thin lining that covers the chest cavity as well as the lung. The pleura produces fluid and absorbs it daily, which allows the lung to move inside the chest (thorax). Pleural mesothelioma cancers develop within this lining, causing discomfort. P/D surgery can remove the tumors and relieves symptoms, which can extend the survival time.

During the P/D procedure, doctors can also remove visible cancerous areas from the pleura and in the structures surrounding it. This includes the diaphragm, as well as lymph nodes. Doctors may also do an even more extensive pleurectomy which removes the entire pleura, as well as parts of the lung that are affected by tumors.

This procedure is less invasive than extrapleural pulmonary pneumonectomy (EPP). The procedure can be carried out with a smaller cut, which results in less side effects for patients.

Patients with early stage pleural cancer are treated with P/D. This includes stages 1 and 2. In later stages it is possible that the tumors spread throughout the lungs. Some doctors believe that EPP is mesothelioma treatable more effective, however recent studies have shown that P/D can improve the quality of life of patients with mesothelioma who are biphasic.

Following a P/D surgery, patients can expect several weeks of recuperation at home. This is considerably shorter than the recovery time for EPP surgery. Experts recommend that patients use recovery aids such as complementary treatments and practice breathing or coughing exercises to avoid complications such as pneumonia.

Patients with mesothelioma may need the use of a chest tube to remove fluid from the lungs prior to or following surgery. During this period patients may also experience blood loss and fatigue. Doctors will be monitoring these symptoms to ensure that they do not cause further issues.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy employs cancer-fighting drugs to kill mesothelioma cells and reduce the size of tumors. Mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs for cancer are often used in combination with other treatments. This includes radiation, surgery and immunotherapy. The most commonly used chemotherapy drugs used for mesothelioma include cisplatin and pemetrexed. This combination improves survival rates for patients with mesothelioma that is malignant when compared to either drug.

A combination of doxorubicin and mitomycin C is also being used as a mesothelioma treatment of first line. The research on this combination, however, is sporadic. Patients with mesothelioma should discuss the best medications for them with their doctor.

Doctors can give mesothelioma chemotherapy either as an injection into a vein (intravenously) or as drips into tubes (infusion). The type of medicine you receive will depend on your stage of mesothelioma and other health issues.

The number of cycles of mesothelioma chemotherapy you have will depend on your specific situation. Patients with mesothelioma will benefit the most from a shorter time-frame for treatment. For this reason, doctors can only recommend three to six cycles of chemotherapy.

The majority of chemotherapy drugs are administered in hospitals. A doctor or nurse will insert a small catheter into one of your veins. The catheter will remain within your body until chemo is finished. The catheter is used by a nurse to draw blood, administer medication and assist you in bathing or eat.

While you are undergoing treatment, you'll have to watch out for signs of infection particularly around the site of your catheter. Some chemotherapy drugs can cause your red blood cells to fall and cause anemia, a condition that is known as. To prevent this, you must eat iron-rich foods, such as liver and dark green vegetables. If you experience severe anemia, your physician might recommend a blood transfusion.

It is possible to use chemotherapy prior Treat Mesothelioma to or after surgery to treat mesothelioma. This is called neoadjuvant therapy and can help reduce the size of the mesothelioma cancer and decrease the chance that the cancer will return after surgery.

HIPEC is a procedure that permits some patients with peritoneal cancer to receive chemotherapy directly into their abdomens during surgery. This type of chemotherapy is highly concentrated and is able to lower the risk that mesothelioma recur after surgery. This treatment is usually included in an investigational trial.

Radiation

Mesothelioma patients in need of treatment for palliative needs can be treated with radiation therapy to ease pain and swelling by shrinking tumors. Radiation is usually recommended after surgery to prevent cancer cells from resurfacing. Some doctors use it prior to surgery in order to reduce the size of the tumor (neoadjuvant therapy).

Radiation uses energy beams to kill mesothelioma tumor cells, however it is generally non-invasive for patients. Radiation is a common treatment that's used in conjunction with chemotherapy and surgery for patients with pleural cancer.

For many mesothelioma patients the side effects of radiation can be controlled with medications or lifestyle modifications. Certain adverse effects are long-lasting and can impact the quality of life of patients. For instance, the skin of areas where radiation is administered may change in texture or color following treatment. It may also cause issues with the lungs, like shortness of breath and difficulty swallowing. Patients should discuss all possible side effects with their mesothelioma doctor before starting treatment.

There are many different kinds of mesothelioma radiation. which one is recommended will depend on the location of the tumor. Certain types of radiation could be more invasive than others. External beam radiation therapy is a technique that makes use of a device outside the body to deliver the radiation. Brachytherapy is mesothelioma treatable a second method that directs radiation to the site of tumor.

In addition, there are clinical studies that combine mesothelioma radiation with other treatments to improve the patient's prognosis. For treat mesothelioma instance, some studies have shown that combining chemotherapy and radiation before surgery improves survival and outcomes when compared to surgery by itself.

Because mesothelioma is such a difficult cancer to treat, it's important for patients to find the most effective treatment options. It's important to work with an expert in mesothelioma and be open to discussing all treatment options, including clinical trials. These are the only ways patients can get an effective treatment plan for mesothelioma. Click here to learn more about finding a mesothelioma expert. The ADA's free Doctor Checklist can help patients prepare for their doctor appointments and ensure that they ask the right question.

Tumor Treating Fields

Tumor treating fields, also known as TTFields, are a noninvasive treatment for solid tumors. They utilize electric fields to disrupt cell division, a crucial process in the growth of cancer cells. TTFields when used in conjunction with chemotherapy can slow mesothelioma's growth rate and prevent its spread.

Pleura is the thin lining that covers your lungs. The lining is comprised of two layers of mesothelial cells including the visceral and parietal pleura. When asbestos mesothelioma treatment fibers cause irritation to these cells, they can transform and multiply at an abnormally rapid rate. This can result in an overabundance mesothelioma cancer cells that spread throughout the body. By preventing mesothelioma cancer cells from growing, TTFields may stop the progression of the cancer and prevent it from spreading to other organs.

In a clinical trial the addition of TTFields into the chemotherapy regimen improved survival rates by twofold. TTFields target certain proteins within the cell, for example the Fanconi-BRCA pathway that is involved in DNA repairs. They also inhibit cyclin D1 and CDK12 proteins that are involved in controlling the cell cycle.

In the mesothelioma trial patients were treated in the hospital with a portable TTFields device called the Optune Lua. This device comes with a power supply, battery charger along with insulated pads, as well as a device that generates the TTFields. Patients can also apply the device themselves at home with the assistance of a mesothelioma specialist, or they can get their TTFields inserted at their local mesothelioma center.

After a patient has been approved for TTFields the patient can wear the device around their neck or on their chest to receive therapy. It can be worn day or night, and does not hinder your daily activities. Patients do not suffer any adverse effects when the device is worn for 18 hours a day.

A specialist mesothelioma physician can determine your eligibility for TTFields and predict its effectiveness for your particular case. This revolutionary treatment is provided by mesothelioma physicians at top medical centers across the country. Contact our mesothelioma specialists to get a hospital recommendation.