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Mesothelioma Treatment

Treatment for malignant mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

What Should Someone With Mesothelioma Do?

  • Seek out the best and most up-to-date information
  • Seek out the best medical care
  • Stay in close contact with your doctor
  • Consider whether or not you want to bring a lawsuit because of this asbestos-related injury

Remember that resources are available to you through community and medical support groups, asbestos victims' organizations, your place of worship, as well as your family and friends.

Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Note: Sometimes, these treatments are combined:

  • Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
  • Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
  • Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
  • Intraoperative photodynamic therapy is a new type of treatment that uses special drugs and light to kill cancer cells during surgery. A drug that makes cancer cells more sensitive to light is injected into a vein several days before surgery. During surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible, a special light is used to shine on the pleura. This treatment is being studied for early stages of mesothelioma in the chest.

Other treatment options:

  • Drug Therapy (including chemotherapy)
  • Immunotherapy (including gene therapy)
  • Angiogenesis Therapies
  • Unconventional Therapies
  • Shark Cartilage
  • Cancer and Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

Two procedures used to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen are:

  • Thoracentesis - procedure for removing fluid from the chest
  • Paracentesis - removal of fluid from the abdomen

Treatment By Stage

Treatment depends on where the cancer is, how far it has spread, and the patient's age and general health.

Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Not all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may have more side effects than are desired. For these reasons, clinical trials are designed to find better ways to treat cancer patients and are based on the most up-to-date information. Clinical trials are ongoing in many parts of the country for many patients with malignant mesothelioma. To learn more about clinical trials, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits

If you have mesothelioma or suspect that you may have symptoms of mesothelioma due to asbestos expsoure, you should consult with both a mesothelioma doctor and a mesothelioma lawyer. In order to be fully aware of your rights and have your rights protected and receive maximum damages that may be awarded in your case, you should be prudent and act quickly.