Combination Mesothelioma Treatment Options

This post looks at a last few mesothelioma treatment options. They are the following:

1) Photodynamic treatment where a photosensitive medication is activated using a laser. This is done during the surgical removal of cancerous tissues.

2) Draining of fluid in the chest or abdominal cavity followed by introduction of medications into the cavity to prevent fluid accumulation is done for patients who have uncontrolled fluid accumulation and intense discomfort stemming from it.

3) Combination therapy or Trimodal therapy which means surgery accompanied by radiation and chemotherapy. Often, complementary medicines are also used. Termed to be holistic this kind of treatment focuses on a patient’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being.

In a case of mesothelioma which is untreatable one can opt for clinical trials of new combination mesothelioma treatment options that are in progress in several research laboratories and centers. The best advice on the type of treatment would be that recommended by your oncologist or physician.

Experimental Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Biological therapy using interleukin 2.5 is another mesothelioma treatment option. This is a form of immunotherapy where the body’s own immune system is stimulated to fight the disease. Biological response modifiers, BRMs, are used in treatment. These enhance the functions of the immune system; regulate metabolic reactions that promote growth of cancers; alter cancer cell division; block or reverse processes that lead to formation of cancers; and prevent spread of cancer.

Gene therapy is another mesothelioma treatment option that is not widely known. This process is where attempts are made to correct the gene sequence that causes the cancer. This is of two kinds, replacement gene therapy and knockout gene therapy.

Aggressive Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Radiation is often prescribed as an aggressive mesothelioma treatment option and is often given in combination with surgery or in order to control symptoms, palliatively. Research on using radiation therapy using implants or UV light therapy is in progress as traditional radiation therapy damages surrounding healthy tissue.

Chemotherapy is also an option and around 12-20% of patients respond to the drugs. Anti-cancer drugs destroy cancer cells and prevent their spread. In mesothelioma, chemotherapy is not considered to be curative. The aim is to prevent spread of the disease; shrink the tumor prior to surgery, known as neoadjuvant therapy; to annihilate any remains of the tumor in the body post surgery; and to relieve pain and other discomfort, palliative chemotherapy.

Mesothelioma Treatment Options Depends on Cancer Location

As with any cancer, treatment for Mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the progression of the disease, the age as well as state of health of the patient. It is the oncologist who specializes in the disease who makes the treatment decision. The disease is difficult to treat and in most cases the prognosis is poor.

Mesothlioma treatment options can include the removal of all cancerous tissues if the disease is caught early in its progression. This means thoracoscopy, VATS or video assisted thoracic surgery, mediastinoscopy (used for staging), or laproscopy. Often, doctors will advise palliative procedures like chest tube drainage and pleurodesis, thoracoscopy and pleurodesis, pleuroperitonial shunt, or
pleurectomy, which treat the symptoms of mesothelioma rather than the disease.

Mesothelioma Treatment Options - Most Commonly Prescribed

There are several types of mesothelioma treatment options available for patients with the disease, some of these treatments are recommended more frequently than others. The most commonly prescribed treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

There are also, some experimental mesothelioma treatment options that are becoming more widely used, or are showing some encouraging results in clinical trials. These treatments include photodynamic therapy, gene therapy, and immunotherapy, among others.

Most of these treatments are not used in isolation. In many cases, treatment may consist of a combination of therapies. For example, surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible may be followed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy to remove residual cancer cells. This is one of the most common treatment options for mesothelioma among those who are candidates for

surgery.

Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Welcome to this blog about mesothelioma treatment options. While there is currently no cure available for malignant mesothelioma, there are treatments available. The types of treatments may include: Surgery; Radiation; Chemotherapy; Intraoperative photodynamic therapy; Immunotherapy; Gene therapy.

Many patients also elect to participate in clinical trials conducted to test new mesothelioma treatment options and medications before they are released and recommended for public use. Clinical trials are extremely important in the search for a mesothelioma cure. Knowledge gained from study results greatly help medical professionals come closer to the discovery of a cure.


There are physicians who have actively pursued better treatment options for mesothelioma patients and have been instrumental in the quest for a cure. Utilizing a multi-modal approach, these Doctors have made great strides in mesothelioma treatment and have increased survival rates for mesothelioma patients.

Learning that a cure does not exist can be discouraging to mesothelioma patients and their loved ones, but stories of survivors continue to surface, instilling a sense of hope in those affected by the cancer.