There is no right or wrong treatment for mesothelioma since each case is considered individually. Treatment chosen for the patient will depend on various diagnostic tools such as X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, biopsies etc. Cancer treatment basically focuses upon eliminating the malignant cells and preserving the healthy ones. Presently three major options are available for the patients. They include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
The course of treatment will depend upon the type of mesothelioma and location of tumor, the size of tumor, the degree to which the cancer has spread, the age of the patient, his overall health etc. A team of specialists would be involved in the treatment of the desease like an oncologist (cancer specialist), pulmonologist (lung specialist), radiologist etc.
Surgery can be performed on mesothelioma patients either with the aim of curing it or for keeping the patient more comfortable and impdroving the quality of life. Mostly, curative surgery is not an option since the disease is diagnosed at a later stage. Radiation is often recommended for patients whose health is too weak for surgery. It has lesser side effects than chemotherapy and is easier to tolerate. There are different types of radiation therapy available. External beam radiation is the type of radiation which comes from a machine outside the body and is aimed toward affected areas. Brachytherapy is the kind of radiation, where radioactive material is placed directly inside the lung or abdomen.
Chemotherapy provides relief from the horrible symptoms of the disease. May be in future days it would help in prolonging the life of the patients. It is given in the form of pill or injected. Two drugs are often combind for better results. Also other drugs are administered to overcome the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy. Some patients find the side effects too difficult to bear that they decide not to undergo the therapy.
Clinical trials are the study of new treatments for a particular disease. These promising trials need patients who are ready to try them before they get the approval of the FDA. How ever the pros and cons of the trial should be considered carefully before getting ready to undergo them. Patients can talk to their doctors in detail before taking the final decision to participate.
Apart from conventional treatments Alternative Therapies are recommended for the patients. They include potential treatment of the disease or the symptoms. They may include the use of vitamins or herbs. The patients can also participate in therapies like acupuncture, massage or hypnosis.
Researchers are trying hard to find a cure for this malignant cancer. Combination treatments have been successful in increasing the life span of the patients. The development of technology also offers new hope to the hapless victims of mesothelioma. How ever treatment may vary from person to person.
