In the 21st century, there is a significant advancement in mesothelioma treatment methods. Yet, the disease is still classified as a terminal condition. According to health experts, only 5% to 10% of people diagnosed with this type of cancer survive for 5 years or more.
This is a very disturbing insight owing to the fact that mesothelioma cancer has become a lifestyle disease. Even more so, in the elderly population.
People diagnosed with this condition have to undergo aggressive treatment. These treatments prolong their life, ease the symptoms, and improve the quality of life.
It is, therefore, imperative to know that the types of treatment for mesothelioma are based on the stage of cancer and the personality of the patient in question.
Read on to learn more about the different types of treatment for mesothelioma.
Surgery
Surgery can remove tumors in the early stages. A doctor who specializes in treating tumors through surgery is known as a surgical oncologist.
Depending on the location of the tumor, doctors may opt to use surgery to improve the chances of the patients to live longer. Thus, this is one of the types of treatment for mesothelioma used to control:
- Pleural Mesothelioma
This type of cancer affects the thin protective lining of the lungs. In the early stages, a surgeon may opt to remove the thin cancerous lining around the lung, a process known as decortication or pleurectomy.
The above method does not remove the tumor completely. To get rid of the tumor permanently, doctors have to use a more aggressive surgical procedure known as extrapleural. This involves the removal of the entire lung lining and a portion of the diaphragm.
On the other hand, due to the nature of this surgery, doctors only recommend it after reviewing a couple of factors such as the stage of the disease and the patient's overall health.
Additional treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy are also recommended to go alongside surgery.
- Peritoneal Mesothelioma
A patient suffering from this cancer undergoes a surgery known as omentectomy. This procedure involves the removal of the lining around the abdominal organs. Since this cancer affects the entire abdomen, it is impossible to remove all the tumor through surgery. The aim of the procedure is to leave minimal traces of the tumor.
Side Effects of Surgery
Just like every other type of treatment for mesothelioma, surgery has serious side effects. The severity of side effects depend on:
- The site of the tumor
- The size of the incision
- The size of the tissue removed
The side effects include:
- Pain
- Numbness
- Bleeding
- Swelling around the site of surgery
- Infection
- Drainage from the site of surgery
- Bruising around the site of surgery
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy, also known as radiotherapy, is the use of high-energy x-rays to destroy the tumor. As a result, a doctor who specializes in treating cancer using this method is known as an oncologist. Additionally, the most common method under this category is known as External Beam Radiation.
In this regard, let's explore how radiotherapy treats different types of mesothelioma cancer.
- Pleural Mesothelioma
Radiation therapy poses serious challenges when treating pleural mesothelioma. With this method, there are high risks of damaging the lung. Therefore, the method is best used after extrapleural pneumonectomy.
It is a good palliative care method as it helps to ease the pain.
- Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Radiotherapy is optional in treating this type of cancer as it has serious side effects. It helps to reduce pain in the abdominal cavity.
Side Effects of Radiation Therapy
There are 2 categories for the side effects of radiotherapy as one of the types of treatment for mesothelioma—early side effects and late side effects.
The early side effects include:
- Loss of hair
- Nausea
- Tiredness
- Esophagitis
The late side effects include:
- Pleural effusion
- Radiation myelitis
- Liver radiation damage
- Cardiac radiation damage
Chemotherapy
Doctors recommend chemotherapy for patients who are ineligible for surgery. That is to say, it is amongst the most common types of treatment for mesothelioma. It involves using powerful medications and chemicals to destroy the tumor.
Here's how it works.
- Pleural Mesothelioma
For patients who have not received any sort of treatment, doctors use a combination of pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin. These treatments occur once every 3 weeks. Doctors may also establish cycles that work best for the patient in question.
- Peritoneal mesothelioma
In this cancer, chemotherapy is administered directly to the abdomen. Therefore, just like in the initial case, doctors use a combination of pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin to treat cancer.
Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Patients receiving chemotherapy suffer side effects depending on their personality and the dose administered.
Side effects include:
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Risk of infection
- Hair loss
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
Multimodal Therapy as a Type of Treatment for Mesothelioma
This method is also known as multimodality treatment. It is among one of the types of treatment for mesothelioma that combines two or more contemporary methods to treat both peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma.
This combined approach helps to control the growth of the tumor. The multimodal therapy approach is better than applying one method at a time to treat cancer.
Side Effects of Multimodal Therapy
The use of ADHD medication in the treatment of mesothelioma have significant side effects. Some of them include:
- Anxiety
- Decreased appetite
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Sleeping difficulties
- Skin discoloration (with patches)
- Upset stomach
Palliative Treatment
Doctors use this mode of treatment to control the side effects caused by other modes of treatment. Further, palliative control helps to relieve pain caused by the symptoms of the condition.
One of the most common techniques used under this category is draining fluid buildup in the abdomen or chest. This process is known as thoracentesis in pleural mesothelioma. In peritoneal mesothelioma, it is known as paracentesis.
More importantly, you can undertake the process of controlling cancer symptoms at home with products like Ensure Plus Nutrition Shake, Chemo Relief, and many more.
Final Takeaways
Even though there are different types of treatment for mesothelioma, the condition is still considered terminal. Doctors use the treatment methods above to control the growth of the tumor and eliminate discomfort caused by the symptoms. By following a proper treatment plan, patients increase their chances of survival.
For more information on mesothelioma cancer, contact us.
