Mesothelioma Treatment

The prognosis of surviving through cancer, specifically mesothelioma, and thriving is much greater than it used to be. Mesothelioma cancer is caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust. The cancer forms on the lining of internal organs called the mesothelium. Often, mesothelioma is found inside the chest cavity, the abdominal cavity, or the heart.

The basic symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, and weight loss. The diagnosis can be explored through X-rays and CT scans, but the confirmation only comes from a biopsy and microscopic examination in a laboratory.

Mesothelioma Treatment

Traditionally, doctors and healthcare professionals treated mesothelioma cancer with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. However, there are several types of treatments that you can choose from. Talk to your doctor and think about all the available treatments so you will find the cure.

Mesothelioma Surgery

Surgery is often successful in removing the cancer, depending on the stage the mesothelioma was in at the time of diagnosis. Sometimes surgery is not the best treatment for every mesothelioma patient. Sometimes the least invasive approach is best to provide relief from symptoms. One such treatment is called thoracentesis, in which the doctor uses a hollow needle to draw fluid from the chest cavity. The fluid is replaced by an antibiotic or talc to prevent the fluid from filling the affected area again.

Many patients (some say as many as 90%) successfully undergo these treatments to manage the amount of fluid that enters the chest area. This will relieve the lungs from pressure, allowing you to breathe easier. This form of treatment is designed to treat the symptoms, but isn't intended to cure the cancer itself. This is an example of a palliative surgery, which is intended to relieve discomfort and pain. The other type of cancer surgery is called curative surgery. The goal of curative surgery is to remove the mesothelioma tumor and cure you of cancer.

Mesothelioma Radiation

Radiation treatment target and kills cancer cells with high energy X-rays. If the treatment is external and targets internal cancer cells, the treatment is called external beam radiation therapy. This is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The process is similar to receiving an extended X-ray because of the amount of time it takes. Brachytherapy is an internal radiation process, in which the doctors insert radioactive materials into the area around the tumor. Many patients successfully use radiation to treat mesothelioma cancer, especially those who are unable to go through surgery.

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a process that treats the body for cancer. Sometimes, chemotherapy can be administered in a pill. Other times, it is taken in through ventricular or muscular injections. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment, meaning that it travels through the blood stream and affects the entire body in order to kill the mesothelioma cells. (The other treatments previously discussed were targeted rather than systemic approaches.)

Sometimes doctors even inject the pharmaceuticals directly into the chest cavity (intrapleurally) or the abdominal cavity (intraperioneally). The stage of cancer and the speed of the mesothelioma cell's growth determine whether the doctor should use chemotherapy in conjunction with surgery.

Physical Therapy

After mesothelioma patients have gone through their treatments, physical therapy is an important treatment that should not be ignored. It helps the body kick-start its way back to recovery, healing itself and preventing further illness.