Other Mesothelmeoma Treatments
Mesothelmeoma, caused by exposure to hazardous asbestos, can be a terrible disease. It can not only affect the person who has been diagnosed, but family and friends too. It is also often difficult to diagnose, because of its long latency period – meaning that any symptoms typically don’t appear until many years after the exposure – and symptoms are often similar to those of other diseases. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelmeoma, there are several different treatment options available – some of which may not have occurred to you.
Each case of mesothelmeoma is studied differently when it comes to deciding on the best treatment option – the best option for you may not work for another person. Treatment for mesothelmeoma can be determined by various diagnostic tools, such as an X-ray, PET scan and thoracoscopy, a procedure that measures the build-up of any fluid. The extent and location of any tumor is taken into account when considering treatment options, as well as the patient’s age and overall state of health.
Besides surgery and chemotherapy treatment, the other main treatment option for a person suffering from mesothelmeoma is radiation treatment, sometimes also known as X-ray therapy or radiotherapy. This is one of the oldest forms of cancer treatment and an estimated 50% of cancer sufferers benefit from it. The treatment works by targeting measured amounts of radiation at the affected areas of the body, using higher dosages than those used in a regular diagnostic X-ray.
Because radiation treatment tends to have fewer side effects and is generally better tolerated than chemotherapy, it can often be recommended as an option for older people, or those who are not otherwise in the best of health. The technique is also effective as it tends to destroy the cancer cells while they are in the process of dividing and are more vulnerable. Any healthy cells that are inadvertently destroyed in the process will recover faster than the cancerous cells.
There are also two main types of radiation treatment for those with mesothelmeoma – external beam radiation and the less commonly prescribed brachytherapy. As the name suggests, external beam radiation originates from a device outside the body and targets the affected areas. This type of radiation can be used in addition to surgery; it tends to be mostly effective in relieving some of the symptoms – difficulty swallowing or breathing, general pain – rather than actually removing the tumor.
Brachytherapy is more commonly used for treating various types of cancer – cervical, lung and prostate – although it can also be used to treat mesothelmeoma. The procedure involves placing a small amount of radioactive material, such as iodine-125, inside the affected tissue. The result is that any cancerous cells are destroyed more quickly than some other options such as external beam radiation; this treatment also allows a more precise area to be treated with a small dose.
Most doctors don’t endorse so-called alternative mesothelmeoma treatments, although some patients have had significant success using methods such as meditation, massage, aromatherapy and the ancient Chinese technique of acupuncture. Many also claim that certain herbs and nutritional supplements can help them to alleviate some of the pain associated with mesothelmeoma. In some cases, patients are able to use some of these alternative therapies alongside more traditional treatments, such as surgery, radiation treatment or chemotherapy.
Another – perhaps riskier – option is the growing trend in patients testing new drugs and treatments. As more research is done into fighting mesothelmeoma, more and more drugs are produced, which before being fully approved by the FDA, need someone to test their effectiveness. Always give this option serious thought – be sure to take into account any side effects the drug may have, the length of the treatment program - and you should be realistic and understand that it may not do any good at all.
Be sure to consult with your doctor about the various different treatment options that are available to you. Being diagnosed with mesothelmeoma doesn’t mean the end of your life as you know it - with the appropriate treatment, you can alleviate some of the pain that the disease brings with it.
