How is Malignant Mesothelioma Treated?

How is Malignant Mesothelioma Treated?

Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma prognosis is poor, as often the disease will be diagnosed in its later stages after symptoms have appeared. However, there are several treatment options for the management of this type of cancer. Among these are mesothelioma chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical resection. Chemotherapeutic and radiation therapy methods are more common, but surgery is often an option for those whose disease is diagnosed early enough.

More aggressive therapies are now possible for patients with mesothelioma diagnosed in its earlier stages. For instance, extrapleural pneumonectomy is now an option for many pleural mesothelioma patients who are deemed eligible for aggressive surgery. Extrapleural pneumonectomy involves the removal of the entire affected lung, the pericardium, the pleura, and the diaphragm. This aggressive surgery is performed frequently in early stage mesothelioma patients by Dr. David Sugarbaker.

Patients who are eligible to receive an aggressive surgery, like an extrapleural pneumonectomy, will have a far more favorable prognosis than those diagnosed with advanced stage inoperable disease. However, there are treatment options for nearly all mesothelioma patients. Chemotherapy cocktails, such as the use of Alimta® in conjunction with Cisplatin, as well as numerous clinical trials being carried out, give mesothelioma patients the ability to slow the progression of the disease and extend survival rates.