Mesothelioma Treatment Options |
Mesothelioma Treatment Options - Selecting the proper course of treatment for mesothelioma depends upon a variety of factors. Diagnosing the proper type and stage of mesothelioma cancer a patient is suffering from is the key to planning treatment. Doctors have several choices to consider when it comes to developing a treatment plan; ideally the physician will decide on the right combination of procedures to effectively fight the cancer and/or provide the patient with as much comfort from physical symptoms as possible. Seeking treatment from a doctor experienced in diagnosis and treating mesothelioma is highly recommended.
Surgical Treatments
Surgical treatments generally aim to remove all or part of the cancer. Often surgery is performed in combination with radiation or chemotherapy treatment. In some cases some patients are not healthy enough to withstand surgery and must consider a less invasive course of action.
Radiation Treatments
Radiation therapy can be administered in a number of ways. Applied either internally or externally, radiation treatment aims to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy is commonly performed after surgical removal of cancerous growths to eliminate any remaining malignant cells.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treatments destroy cancer cells as they multiply helping to prevent tumors from getting larger and cancer from spreading. Patients may be administered more than one chemotherapy drug at a time to provide the most effective treatment.
Pharmaceutical Treatments
Several drugs are available to assist in the treatment of mesothelioma. Though few are approved for the specific treatment of mesothelioma, many anti-cancer drugs have been proven to be effective especially in combination with other treatments.
New And Emerging Treatments
Immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy and a variety of other new and emerging treatments are providing patients with promising options for fighting mesothelioma.
Palliative Treatments
Several procedures and treatments exist purely to make patients more comfortable – these are called palliative treatments. While they do not fight cancer, palliative treatments can greatly improve the quality of the patient’s life.
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