Mesothelioma Treatment Resources

Mesothelioma 

What are the Treatment Options for Mesothelioma Cancer

August 7, 2009 on 3:31 am

Any Mesothelioma treatment program depends on many factors including the cancer’s stage, location, spread and how it looks under the microscope as well as the age of the patient. After reviewing these issues, the oncologist (cancer specialist) will review the possible treatment options for the specific case.

Importance of Time

Individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma are often been told that their expected survival rate is only ten to twelve months. However, experts in treating mesothelioma at the top cancer institutes often have better statistics. To get the right Mesothelioma treatment, make sure you keep up to date with your medical records and seek treatment quickly.

Mesomark Blood Test

In 2007, the Food and Drug Administration approved the Mesomark blood test to get an idea of epithelial and bi-phasic treatment in Mesothelioma patients. A specific protein known as Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptide is released into the blood by Mesothelioma cells. By measuring the Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptide amount in a sample of blood; your health care provider may be able to monitor your progress much better.

Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Traditional Care - For people suffering from Mesothelioma, there are three traditional types of treatment available: surgery (removing the cancer), chemotherapy (use of drugs to fight the cancer) and radiation therapy (use of high dose x-rays to reduce the number of cancer cells).

Thoracoscopy - With Thoracoscopy, your health care provider will be able to assess your pleural cavity. Thoracoscopy can be quite beneficial in terms of conducting multiple tissue biopsies. In more than 90% of cases, you get a definitive diagnosis. With Thoracoscopy, you can also conduct chemical pleurodesis to relieve the fluid accumulation in the intrapleural space.

Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery - Video assisted thoracic surgery allows your health care provider to take a look at the pleural space through a camera. By doing this, your health care provider can get the right tissue samples for analysis. It can assist in determining the extent of the tumor.

Mediastinoscopy - Mediastinoscopy is often used in staging extent of mesothelioma when enlarged nodes are seen with the help of imaging devices.

Thoracoscopy and Pleurodesis - Thoracoscopy and pleurodesis is done in conjunction with video assisted thoracic surgery using powdered talc or talc slurry. Thoracoscopy and pleurodesis is only going to be effective if the tumor has not spread into the lung.

Laproscopy - Laproscopy is conducted when imaging devices depict tumor invasion through the diaphragm. This detail can be vital in assessing a Mesothelioma patient for pleurectomy and extrapleural pneumonectomy.

Chest Tube Drainage and Pleurodesis - Chest tube drainage and pleurodesis is one of the best known palliative (pain relieving) treatments. Pleural effusion is usually the first symptom that leads Mesothelioma patients to get medical help. To get rid of pleural effusion, it is vital to close the pleural space. Chest tube drainage and pleurodesis is conducted through a sclerosing agent.

Pleurectomy - Pleurectomy is used as a palliative routine and can be quite useful for patients who are not interested in extensive surgery. This is the best option for controlling pleural effusion.

Courtesy of: http://www.mesoblog.org/blog/mesothelioma-treatment/