Friday, December 2, 2011

Getting To Know The Various Mesothelioma Treatment Options Available

By Tom Addison


The goals of Mesothelioma treatment options are varied. Commonly, they're used in conjunction with one another. They're usually done to increase the possibility of survival, eliminate the symptoms and enhance the patient's quality of life. However, these solutions often end up as palliative in nature because the cancer is usually diagnosed during its later stages.

Once diagnosed, the oncologist will come up with a plan for managing the disease effectively. What the expert will suggest will be based on certain factors. The cancer type has to be determined based on the location. Of all its forms, the most common is something that affects the pleura or the membrane protecting the lungs.

The degree the cancer has spread and the tumor's size are important considerations. Although it's earlier said that a multimodal approach is prescribed, sometimes not all options are utilized. That's because it will also depend on the patient's age and general physical health, to make sure that the methods suggested will be tolerated well.

Surgery is done to either eliminate the disease or just for enhancing the quality of life, especially since this disease is often diagnosed during its terminal stage. Surgery is used for palliative reasons when the collected fluids in the pleural cavity are removed, or kept from coming back. There are times when the pleura is also removed.

Chemotherapy is another treatment, although it won't cure the disease completely. It's usually effective on getting rid of common symptoms. Chemotherapy drugs are administered intravenously into the patient, unlike others which may be taken orally or through injection into the muscles. Usually, a combination of drugs is used for maximum effects.

Just like chemotherapy, radiation therapy is used to alleviate the symptoms. However, this mesothelioma treatment option generally yields fewer side effects, so more patients will be able to tolerate it better. The preferred method is external beam radiation, although a radioactive material may sometimes be surgically placed in the body.




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