Treatment Guide

Historically, treatments for mesothelioma have been fairly limited and have not exhibited a lot of success in slowing the progression of the disease. However, as the plight of sufferers has become more visible - thanks to numerous mesothelioma advocacy groups - and more and more dollars are spent on research of this aggressive cancer, the number of options for treatment are growing and treatments are becoming more successful. Nevertheless, there’s still a long way to go in discovering the ideal therapy that will cure mesothelioma.

Exactly what mesothelioma treatment is recommended will vary with each patient. In many cases, especially when treatment occurs at a designated cancer center, a “medical team” will convene to assist each other in determining what is best for the patient. This might include not only an oncologist but also a pulmonologist, thoracic surgeon, and radiologist. These medical professionals are all experts in their particular field and can work together to design the ideal treatment regimen. During the treatment period, these individuals will meet weekly to determine whether the regimen is proceeding successfully or if they need to make changes in the treatments.

A patient’s doctor(s) may consider several options for mesothelioma treatment including:

Surgery

The earlier mesothelioma is diagnosed, the more likely it is that the patient will be a candidate for mesothelioma surgery.  The patient must also be in relatively good health and free of other issues that may complicate these surgeries, which are long and have the potential for a number of complications. In some cases, these surgeries might be considered “curative”, but this is unlikely for most mesothelioma patients. Instead, the object of these surgeries is to remove as much of the disease as possible or to reduce the debilitating effects of the disease, most of which will severely impact the patient’s ability to live a somewhat normal life.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy for the treatment of mesothelioma can be used as a primary form of therapy or as an "adjuvant" therapy after surgery. Chemo after surgery is used to kill any cancer cells that remain after the operation is complete. Chemotherapy may be recommended in hopes of shrinking the tumor and killing cancer cells or it may be suggested for palliative purposes in order to lessen the symptoms of the disease and make the patient more comfortable.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation may be recommended as an adjuvant therapy after surgery or may be used on its own or in tandem with chemotherapy. It may also be used as a palliative treatment to relieve pain or other symptoms of the disease.

Clinical Trials

New treatments for mesothelioma are constantly being tested and patients can be part of the testing process by enrolling in clinical trials that may include newly-developed drugs or experimental therapies like immunotherapy or gene therapy. Many of these therapies are beginning to show promise in the treatment of mesothelioma.

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