| Treatment of any cancer is tedious but | | | | treatment. New drugs like Raltitrexed and |
| mesothelioma is a cancer that needs urgent and | | | | Ranpirnase are also used. Some others like |
| extensive treatment regime. This is must in order | | | | Cisplatin and Carboplatin are also used with |
| to improve quality of life of patient if he is in | | | | inconsistent results. Side effects of chemotherapy |
| terminal stages of cancer. If he is in the early | | | | however have to be understood before so that |
| stages, certainly apt treatment can save the life | | | | patient's compliance can be improved with positive |
| of the patient or at least his life can be extended. | | | | mental outlook.o Radiation: High intensity radiation |
| No doubt early diagnosis of mesothelioma cancer | | | | is given to the localized tumor mass. Size of the |
| can help doctors to sketch out a good treatment | | | | tumor and symptoms like breathlessness can be |
| plan for the patient. But the sad part is that the | | | | reduced with radiation and also the side effects |
| cancer is usually diagnosed in late stages due to | | | | are relatively fewer.o Clinical Trials: Many different |
| its symptoms mimicking those of severe | | | | clinical trials are instituted by experienced doctors |
| pneumonia. Unless a lung tissue biopsy is done, | | | | though the cure is not guaranteed. With consent |
| diagnosis of mesothelioma cannot be ascertained. | | | | from patients, such treatments are executed. It is |
| But medical researchers have paved way for | | | | a sort of trial and error method, however, with |
| some amazing treatment options for the cancer | | | | latest clinical trials, huge decrease in symptoms of |
| these days. Though all the treatments have not | | | | mesothelioma patients is observed. Such |
| yet been verified, many of them called as clinical | | | | treatments pave way for better mesothelioma |
| trials are proving extremely helpful for the | | | | treatments in future.o Photodynamic therapy: Use |
| patients to come out of the difficulties. | | | | of LASER beam to kill cancer cells is indicated in |
| Let's see what prime treatment options are there | | | | this therapy. This therapy still is in research stage |
| for mesothelioma patient:o Surgery: If the cancer | | | | and usually combined with pleurectomy or |
| is in its early stages, surgery is the best option. If | | | | extrapleural pneumonectomy.o Immunotherapy: It |
| the malignant mesothelioma lies in one of the | | | | is intended to build immunity to fight cancer cells. |
| parts of chest, surgeons remove that part of the | | | | Use of different therapies like gene therapy, |
| chest lining with cancer along with some tissue | | | | monoclonal antibodies therapy, and cytokine |
| surrounding it. But if cancer is present in more | | | | proteins like interleukins and interferon therapy |
| than one place, pleurectomy or decortication need | | | | comes under this mode.o Nutrition and |
| to be done. Extrapleural pneumonectomy is the | | | | psychotherapy: This is certainly needed to |
| procedure to remove the diseased lung, portion | | | | improve quality of life in mesothelioma patients |
| of pericardium, part of the diaphragm, and part of | | | | and also to improve compliance to treatments |
| parietal pleura. Debulking is the procedure to | | | | chosen.o Alternative therapies like homeopathy |
| remove as much as cancer possible in little | | | | are also tried and used successfully as an adjunct |
| advanced stages.o Chemotherapy: This | | | | to main treatment. |
| conventional mode of therapy is used to kill | | | | In short, the treatment of mesothelioma can be |
| cancer cells. Pemetrexed is the chemotherapy | | | | done successfully if diagnosed at early stages and |
| drug first used and approved for mesothelioma | | | | if full patient's cooperation is received. |