Mesothilioma Treatments

Mesothilioma is an aggressive cancer which is normally cost by exposure to high concentrations of asbestos dust, usually decades prior to onset of symptoms.  Due to the fact that it is frequently not diagnosed until it has advanced into later stages of the disease, frequently the prognosis is not good.  However, doctors have several treatment options for mesothelioma available to them to slow the growth of the cancer and also to ease its symptoms.

When a doctor first suspects that a patient might be suffering from Mesothilioma, he will typically order x-rays, CAT scans, or MRIs to determine if there are any unusual masses or growths within the chest or abdomen.  If anything is seen during this screening, the doctor will then suggest taking a biopsy using one of several methods to determine if the growth is cancerous.  A tissue sample from the growth is then sent to a lab to determine the nature of the tissue.

If the doctor determines that the patient is in fact suffering from Mesothilioma, he will then stage the cancer, which is where a doctor determines how far along the cancer has progressed.  Once Mesothilioma has been staged, the doctor has several treatment options at his disposal.

Surgery is frequently recommended.  Depending on nature of the cancer, a surgeon will remove the cancer in one of two basic methods.  In the case of a cancerous growth on the membrane, the surgeon will remove the cancerous tissue from the membrane.  If the cancer is fluid in nature, the surgeon will remove the fluid from between the membrane in the organs, and will typically place talc or a saline-talc slurry back into the cavity to limit its recurrence.

Radiation therapy is another treatment option that is frequently suggested.  Unfortunately since the body cavity contains sensitive organs, the radiation used is typically low dosage, and as such tends to have limited effect.  Radiation therapy is most frequently used to treat the incision to ensure that any cancerous cells that remain are killed.

Chemotherapy is frequently prescribed either prior to surgery to weaken the cancer and to halt its spread, or post surgery to limit its spread throughout the body.  Chemotherapy, while effective on cancer, often takes a hard toll on the body, so it is not normally prescribed for patients with advanced stages of Mesothilioma.

Finally, clinical trials of new drugs and treatments are frequently a treatment option.  Although these are normally little tested, since the outlook for Mesothilioma patients is already grim, these clinical trials may be a worthwhile effort.

In some patients, and doctor may recommend a combined approach using most or all of the above treatments.  A combined approach, however, is extremely hard on the body, and is typically only recommended in younger patients and those with stronger bodies where the cancer is in an earlier stage.