What Are The Treatment Options?
There is no definitive treatment for mesothelioma. Current therapies include surgical excision, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However in most cases a combination of two or even all therapies is necessary.
Surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma, also referred to as cytoreductive surgery, involves extracting all tumor visible. Success of surgery is dependent on how completely the cancer is resected.
Surgical treatment for pleural mesothelioma involves pleurectomy or may require complete pneumonectomy if there is invasion into the lung.
If portions of the tumor cannot be excised, chemotherapy and/or radiation may be used as supplementary therapy.
If surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy are not options due to progression of disease or patient intolerance, palliative measures may be used. For pleural disease, removal of the pleural effusion by chest tube may relieve some of the patient's symptoms. If the effusion recurs pleurodesis, or adhesing the mesothelial layer with talc may be necessary. In the abdomen, a shunt may be placed to allowed drainage of peritoneal fluid, or ascites.
