As with any cancer, the treatment of Mesothelioma depends on the location of
the cancer, the progression of the disease, the age, and the state of health of
the patient. It is the oncologist who specializes in this disease who will
determine the course of treatment. It is difficult to treat the disease and in
many cases the prognosis is poor. Treatment options include:
1. If the diagnosis is made in the early stages of surgery it may be recommended to
remove all cancerous tissue. This means thoracoscopy, VATS, video-assisted thoracic surgery, mediastinoscopy (used to perform a stage), or laparoscopy. Generally, doctors will advise you on healing procedures such as chest tube drainage and pleurodesis, thoracoscopy and pleurodesis, pleuroperitoneal shunt, or pleurectomy, which treat the symptoms of mesothelioma rather than the disease.
2. Radiation is prescribed for mesothelioma patients and is usually given in combination with surgery or to control symptoms, with relief. Research into the use of radiation therapy or UV light therapy is ongoing as traditional radiation therapy damages healthy tissues.
3. Chemotherapy is optional and about 12-20% of patients respond to medication. Anticancer drugs destroy cancer cells and prevent them from spreading. In mesothelioma, chemotherapy is not considered a cure. The aim is to prevent the spread of the disease; shrink the tumor before surgery, known as neoadjuvant therapy; remove any residual tissue from the body after surgery; as well as pain relief and other discomfort, through chemotherapy. Experts recommend prescribing pemetrexed and cisplatin. These medications have shown good results and it is now a standard treatment for mesothelioma that cannot be treated surgically.
4. Biological treatment using interleukin
5. Immunotherapy where the immune system is stimulated to fight the disease. Biological response modifiers, BRMs, are used in treatment. This improves immune function; regulates metabolic reactions that promote cancer growth; changes the division of cancer cells; blocks or reverses processes that lead to cancer formation, and prevents the spread of cancer.
6. Genetic therapy, in which attempts are made to correct the sequence of genes that cause cancer. These are of two types, replacement gene therapy, and gene therapy.
7. Administration of lovastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug.
8. Photodynamic therapy in which a photosensitive drug is activated using a laser. This is done during the surgical removal of the cancerous tissue.
9. Extraction of fluid from the chest or abdominal cavity followed by intravenous administration to prevent fluid accumulation is performed in patients with uncontrolled fluid retention and severe discomfort.
10. Combined therapy orTrimodal therapy means radiation-based surgery and chemotherapy. Generally, complementary drugs are also used. This so-called complementary therapy focuses on the patient’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual
health. In the case of incurable Mesothelioma, one can choose clinical trials for ongoing treatment in many research laboratories and institutions. The best advice on the line of treatment may be the one recommended by the oncologist or doctor.
