| Mesothelioma is touted as deadly because | | | | partially succesfull. This is because |
| most of the cases | | | | the patient recovers |
| are diagnosed when in advanced stage | | | | partially after using drugs or |
| and doctors have little | | | | combination of drugs (In fact |
| solace to offer by then. Still doctors | | | | the efficacy of this method increases, |
| try to do their best | | | | if combination of |
| to relieve the patients from severe | | | | drugs are used at the same time.) Some |
| pain of mesothelioma | | | | of these combinations |
| using advanced treatments.SurgeryBefore | | | | have proved successful and new drugs |
| considering surgery as one of the | | | | are being developed for |
| propositions for | | | | the treatment of this cancer.Radiation |
| the treatment of malignant cancer, the | | | | TherapyIn this method the tumor is |
| health of the patient | | | | killed by using radiation doses. |
| needs to be carefully evaluated. The | | | | However, with the help of this |
| tests are performed to | | | | procedure, killing the tumor |
| check whether the cancer has spread to | | | | cells is quite difficult. This is |
| other parts of the | | | | because of the fact that |
| body or not. Also evaluation of the | | | | it is difficult to specifically locate |
| patient's lung and heart | | | | the malignant cells. |
| functions is done. In case of the | | | | Also the heart, lungs and other organs |
| former, a mesothelioma | | | | may surround the |
| surgery cannot be performed. Both the | | | | same, and they are at the risk of |
| heart and lungs need | | | | getting damaged by the |
| to be properly functioning state for | | | | radiation dosage. However lower doses |
| surgery to take place.Surgery is of two | | | | of radiation can be |
| types: aggressive surgery (long-term | | | | used to reduce the disease to a certain |
| control) and palliative procedures | | | | extent.Dual TherapyBoth chemotherapy and |
| (relief of symptoms). | | | | radiation are used in conjunction |
| Let's define each of them | | | | after the performance of the surgery. |
| separately.Aggressive surgeryAggressive | | | | They both help in |
| surgery involves removal of the lung, | | | | killing any remaining tumor cells that |
| the pleura, | | | | were not removed by |
| the diaphragm and the pericardium by a | | | | surgery and may also help in relieving |
| procedure, which is | | | | symptoms of the |
| known as extra pleural pneumonectomy. | | | | disease like chest pain.The treatment |
| The intention to | | | | methods, which are described above, are |
| follow this method is to physically | | | | direct |
| remove as much of the | | | | ways of treating a person suffering |
| tumor as possible. It is in fact | | | | from mesothelioma. |
| adopting a bold method to | | | | However doctors and researchers are |
| do away with the disease-hence the name | | | | always on the lookout |
| is "Aggressive | | | | for new ways to treat mesothelioma. The |
| surgery".This surgery is extremely | | | | necessity for the |
| complicated and involves high | | | | evolution of alternative ways to treat |
| risk. This is because of the fact that | | | | patients suffering |
| there are possible | | | | from mesothelioma arises because of the |
| chances of death due to the same within | | | | complex nature of |
| a month. Extra | | | | different types of cancers, and because |
| pleural pneumonectomy is therefore | | | | patients respond |
| normally performed on | | | | differently to various types of medical |
| younger patients who are in good health | | | | care. |
| and are in a | | | | Some of them are as |
| position to tolerate the | | | | follows:Immunoagumentive Therapy |
| surgery.Palliative ProceduresPalliative | | | | (IAT)The goal of IAT is to strengthen |
| procedures are normally performed when | | | | the body's own immune |
| the cancer | | | | system. The same is done by balancing |
| is in its advanced form. These | | | | four different |
| procedures are performed to | | | | proteins found in the |
| control the symptoms of mesothelioma | | | | blood.Intraoperative Photodynamic |
| rather than cure them. | | | | Therapy (IPT)This method of treatment is |
| Pleurectomy (also decortications) is | | | | being used to cure early stages |
| the process to | | | | of mesothelioma in the chest. IPT uses |
| surgically remove the pleura. This | | | | special drugs and |
| method reduces the pain | | | | light to kill cancer cells during |
| caused by the cancerous mass and may | | | | surgery. A drug that makes |
| also prevent the | | | | tumor cells more sensitive to light is |
| recurrence of pleural effusion (fluid | | | | injected into a vein |
| collection which | | | | several days before surgery. During |
| causes tremendous breathlessness). For | | | | surgery, a special light |
| patients suffering | | | | is used to locate the cancer.Gene |
| from peritoneal mesothelioma, complete | | | | TherapyThis is a unique method whereby |
| surgical removal of | | | | the researchers either try |
| the entire tumor is not entirely | | | | to improve the body's natural ability |
| possible. In this case the | | | | to fight against the |
| surgery aims to extenuate the symptoms, | | | | diseases or alternatively make the |
| such as ascites,ChemotherapyChemotherapy | | | | cancer cells more |
| is the method in which drugs are used to | | | | sensitive to other kinds of therapy.Did |
| treat | | | | you know mesothelioma |
| mesothelioma. It has been observed that | | | | clinical symptoms are hard to detect? |
| this method is | | | | |