Once patients are diagnosed with mesothelioma, doctors will often recommend surgery as the primary form of treatment and care. Surgery will be used to remove malignant tumors, relieve patients from symptoms as well as provide a long-term treatment plan for patients. Surgery is only recommended for patients that are in relatively good health and have an early stage of cancer.
Options for Mesothelioma Surgery
When dealing with mesothelioma, surgery can be used early on to diagnose the condition or after the diagnosis to help get rid of the disease. The most popular surgeries for mesothelioma patients include diagnostic surgery, palliative surgery and curative surgery.
Diagnostic surgery is an explorative surgery that is intended to aid doctors in diagnosing if the mesothelioma exists. This surgery will usually involve taking a biopsy either with open surgery or through the use of a needle.
Curative surgeries are surgeries that focus on getting rid of the disease entirely. These types of surgeries will be paired with chemotherapy as well as radiation in order to bring the cancer into a state of remission. This type of surgery will be used on patients that have already been diagnosed with the disease and are healthy enough to operate on.
Palliative surgery is intended to help the patient get relief from mesothelioma symptoms. This kind of surgery usually does involve removing most or all of the tumor. Additionally, this type of surgery can focus on specific symptoms like inflammation or fluid buildup.
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Types of Mesothelioma Surgeons
Doctors that perform mesothelioma surgeries specialize in areas of the body that are prone to tumor development. Additionally, many of the surgeons that treat mesothelioma specialize in treating cancer. It's very important to see a doctor that has the knowledge and experience of working with mesothelioma patients, as they will be able to assist mesothelioma patients much better.
As there are different types of mesothelioma surgery and surgeons, there are different types of mesothelioma as well. Depending on the type of mesothelioma the patient has will help determine what kind of surgery they may receive. Peritoneal mesothelioma and pleural mesothelioma are the most common types of mesothelioma. Each type of disease has a specific surgery that focuses on treating the varying symptoms.
Many of these therapies are paired with radiation and chemotherapy and can range from minimally invasive to open surgery. For those suffering with mesothelioma, it is best to see an expert before considering surgery.
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