Mesothelioma is a rare disease, representing only one percent of all cancers. Since it is so uncommon, the diagnosis and treatment are seldom done in smaller medical centers. Doctors at these centers may have never even had patients with the disease, and may only see two cases in their entire career. Even large centers such as the Mayo Clinic only see around three or four new patients with mesothelioma per month. Because of this rarity, the disease is often difficult to detect and diagnose, so once the disease is detected, it is important to begin treatment right away. Treatment options for mesothelioma are similar to other forms of cancer, however, because of the aggressiveness of the disease, an equally aggressive approach to treatment is often necessary.
Surgery
Many patients undergo surgery to remove the cancer. This option depends upon how far the cancer has spread and may involve the removal of part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and surrounding tissue. For other areas mesothelioma may affect, a lung may be removed and, in some cases, the muscles below the lungs, or diaphragm may also be removed.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, utilizes high-dose X-rays to destroy cancer cells. Radiation comes from a machine or other radioactive materials placed on the affected area and affects cancer cells only in the treated area.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to fight the cancer. Most drugs used to fight mesothelioma are administered intravenously, through injection, or in other cases intracavitary chemotherapy is employed, which puts the drugs directly into the chest or abdomen.
Thoracentesis
Thoracentesis involves placing a needle or a thin tube in the chest to drain excess fluid. The procedure can also remove excess fluid in the abdomen and is called paracentesis, which additionally relieves symptoms of mesothelioma and helps to control pain.
The lack of any single consistently effective treatment for mesothelioma has led to the development of a multimodal approach, which incorporates multiple treatments simultaneously. For example, some patients undergo an intensive surgery followed by radiation and or chemotherapy. This approach has shown promise in extending the survival of some patients in the early stages of the disease. The factors that weigh on selection of treatment options include the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health.
Gregg J. Borri is a New York mesothelioma attorney specializing in asbestos litigation. His law offices provide legal representation to victims of asbestos exposure (the principal cause of mesothelioma), namely those diagnosed with one of the three mesothelioma types pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial mesothelioma. The attorneys here are committed to forcefully and effectively advocating their clients' claims to legal compensation from the corporations that caused or contributed to their exposure to asbestos, allowing clients to focus on their medical treatment.
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