Standard Options For The Treatment Of Mesothelioma
Paths of treatment of mesothelioma are dependent on various aspects of the disease: stage of mesothelioma, location of the tumor combined with the age and overall health of the patient. In less advanced stages of mesothelioma, surgery may be a viable option for treating this disease. Aggressive surgery scenarios aim for reduction of as much of the tumor as possible by removing the pleura, lung, diaphragm or pericardium. In patients with advanced stages of mesothelioma, palliative surgery options aim to reduce pain by controlling the accumulation of fluid in the lungs through means of a pleurectomy/decortization or thoracentesis (use of a needle in the chest to drain excess fluid). Non-surgical methods of treating mesothelioma include radiation, in which high-energy x-rays damage cancer cells and shrink tumors, and chemotherapy, in which medications are administered orally, intravenously or intraperitoneally so that the drug can enter the bloodstream to destroy the cancer cells.