mesothelioma

The range of mesothelioma treatment options has gotten broader in the past decade, but an individual who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma must learn about the treatment options most appropriate for his or her unique case from the physician(s) providing medical care. The description here is merely a primer providing very basic information. Many factors affect an individual's treatment options, including:

* whether the mesothelioma is in the lungs, the chest cavity, or the heart tissue
* the stage of the cancer
* the patient's strength/energy/immunity levels

Traditional Mesothelioma Treatment Options

There are four "traditional" cancer and mesothelioma treatment options:

* surgery — to cut away tumor tissue
* chemotherapy — drugs administered orally or intravenously to kill cancer cells
* radiation therapy — targeting tumor cells
* various combinations of the above treatments

These mesothelioma treatment options are often helpful and effective, and for some patients, they provide a cure. However, the prognosis for most mesothelioma patients is poor, and the life expectancy is not long. A diagnosis of mesothelioma is understandably devastating, but a patient and his or her family are not without options.
New Mesothelioma Treatment Options

There are several "new" mesothelioma treatment options available in most parts of the U.S., including:

* Alimta — an FDA-approved drug for treating malignant pleural mesothelioma
* biologic therapy — using the immune system to fight the tumor
* photodynamic therapy — using light to kill cancer cells