The most common forms of mesothelioma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Most specialists combine two or more types of treatment to improve the survival rate of their patients. Other types of treatments available include palliative treatments, designed to ease the severity of symptoms; experimental therapies that give promise to the future of mesothelioma patients; and alternative therapies, designed to increase patients’ quality and longevity of life.

Surgery

Surgery continues to be a valuable option for cancer patients, including those with mesothelioma. It can be an aggressive approach when used in combination with chemotherapy and radiation. The main goal for surgery is to prolong patients’ lives by removing all visible signs of cancer. Of course there are risks to surgery, but the benefits can far outweigh those risks.

Because every patient is different, your doctor will examine your overall health to make sure you are healthy enough to withstand surgery. Your doctor will likely perform a series of testing to determine your heart and lung health, which may include:

• Pulmonary function test
• Running cardiac test or electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Stress test
• Angiogram
• Echocardiogram

If your doctor determines that your cancer is in an early enough stage and that your heart and lungs are strong enough to withstand surgery and recovery, surgery may be a viable option for you to consider. There are three categories of surgery that your doctor will discuss with you:

• Potentially curative: this is a major type of surgery aimed at removing tumors and all visible signs of cancer. The hope is to extend life expectancy.
• Palliative: the goal of palliative surgery is to alleviate some of the pain accompanied with cancer symptoms.
• Diagnostic: this type of surgery is basic and helps give surgeons and their patients a better idea of the severity of the disease.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is an aggressive form of asbestos cancer treatment in which powerful drugs are used to kill cancer cells and reduce tumor size. While chemotherapy cannot cure mesothelioma, it can give promise of a longer and higher-quality life for patients with higher stages of mesothelioma who do not qualify for surgery. It is also commonly used in combination with surgery to provide the best possible prognosis.

Many cancer patients are afraid of chemotherapy because it can cause a range of side effects such as hair loss, vomiting and fever. But, it is definitely something to consider as it aggressively attacks cancer cells that are rapidly dividing, and has proven to relieve symptoms and extend life expectancy by reducing tumor size and slowing the spread of cancer cells.

The type and length of chemotherapy will depend on several factors such as:

• Type of mesothelioma
• Stage and extent of cancer
• Patient health
• Type of drug being administered

Chemotherapy can be administered systemically or intrapleurally. With the systemic approach, medicine is either injected into a vein or swallowed in pill form, whereas the intrapleural approach means the drug is administered straight into the body cavity that is being attacked. The type, duration and frequency of treatment will vary from patient to patient.

Radiation

Radiation can be used during all stages of cancer development, and is used to kill cancer cells and reduce tumor size. It is generally used in combination with surgery and chemotherapy and is used mainly to alleviate cancer symptoms by shrinking tumors. A combination of radiation and chemotherapy may be used when patients aren’t eligible for surgery.

According to cancer experts, radiation is most effective when used on patients with pleural mesothelioma. The two types of radiation include:

• External beam radiation: this form of radiation is noninvasive and uses high-energy rays to target malignant tumors.
• Intraoperative radiation: this type of radiation is used during surgery. The radiologist applies the beams directly to the areas being attacked to help prevent seeding or spreading of cancer cells during surgery.

Palliative Treatments

There are a number of palliative treatments designed to manage the pain and symptoms of mesothelioma. These include:

• Surgery
• Radiation
• Chemotherapy
• Medications

Palliative treatments are not intended to cure the cancer, but aim at relieving pain, reducing symptoms and improving the overall quality of life.

Experimental Therapies

Researchers are constantly testing new drugs and therapies in an effort to find a cure for cancer. There are several promising treatment options that are still in the experimental stages, including gene therapy, immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy and multimodality therapy. Some cancer patients may choose to be a part of an experimental study in hopes to extend their own life expectancy as well as to give hope to the future of mesothelioma treatments.

Alternative Therapies

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are used to help ease the symptoms of mesothelioma as well as the side effects of traditional cancer treatments. Types of alternative therapies include:

• Massage
• Acupuncture
• Meditation

These types of therapies cannot cure mesothelioma, but are intended to increase the overall quality of life by helping patients better manage the stress and anxiety of the disease and its painful symptoms.

Financial Assistance to Help Pay for Expensive Treatments

Mesothelioma treatments can be expensive and time consuming, especially for those without medical insurance. MesotheliomaCompensation can help you get the financial assistance you need to pay for the expensive treatments and the alternative therapies that can help increase your quality of life and ease the stress of the situation.

There are several options available for mesothelioma patients, including asbestos trusts and grants. Depending on your situation, you may also qualify for an out of court settlement or a significant court verdict. To learn more about the types of cancer treatments available as well as how to get the compensation you need, please contact us today. We provide free and confidential case evaluations and don’t charge any fees unless we provide financial help.