What are possible treatments for mesothelioma?
The 3 most common treatment options for mesothelioma are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy:
A pleurectomy/decortication is the surgical removal of a tumor or mass in or around the lung. In some cases, all or part of the lung may have to be removed.
Cytoreductive surgery is the removal of all or nearly all of a tumor located in the peritoneal cavity.
If any residual cancer cells exist after surgery, a follow-up of Intra-Peritoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapy (IPHC) can be delivered to the abdominal cavity.
Radiotherapy, if indicated, is usually the final stage of treatment. A large dose of radiation is administered to the residual cancerous area to kill any remaining cancerous cells.
Gene Therapy is a less common approach to treating mesothelioma. This involves injecting therapeutic genes into the tumor cells. This is believed to promote tumor regression, (tumor shrinkage.)