Treatment Of Mesothelioma
The treatment plan for mesothelioma depends on the overall health condition of the patient and the stage and location of cancer in the patient. The cure is unfortunately not possible for the mesothelioma patients, and the treatment plan is usually a bit more aggressive than other cancers. The diagnosis also occurs in later stages for the mesothelioma patients, and it becomes almost impossible to eradicate cancer through a surgical procedure. Rather the doctor might work to control the symptoms to make the life comfortable for the patient.
The doctors discuss and devise the treatment options or goals with the patients. The treatment options can be as severe as the patient demands to attain the small chances of improvement. Some of the treatment options are as follows:
Surgical procedure
A team of surgeons works to eradicate mesothelioma after the diagnosis of cancer in the early stage. In some of the cases, a corrective surgical procedure helps in the cure of mesothelioma. While for most of the cases, the complete cure for mesothelioma is practically impossible. The surgical procedures help in preventing complications and also reduces the symptoms of mesothelioma. The surgical options might include:
Surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma
The surgeon removes as much of the tumor tissues as possible from the patient suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma. But this requires the use of chemotherapy to keep the symptoms of mesothelioma at bay.
Surgery for the removal of a lung and surrounding tissues
The surgeons remove the lung affecting from mesothelioma and the tissues that surround the lung to relieve the patient from signs and symptoms of mesothelioma. If a person is receiving radiation therapy, then this surgery is a good option to accompany the radiation.
Surgical procedure for the removal of tissues around the lungs
The doctors might remove the tissues surrounding the lungs and ribs and relieve some symptoms of mesothelioma. This surgical procedure does not ensure the cure from mesothelioma.
Surgery to reduce the build-up of fluid
In pleural mesothelioma, there is a build-up of excess fluid in the lungs and chest cavity, which leads to difficulty in breathing. A surgeon uses a catheter or tube to insert into the chest to drain the excess fluid. The surgeons also can inject some medicine into the patient’s chest to prevent fluid build-up from returning.