mesothelioma treatment option
Article by Ron Arnold
Mesothelioma treatment option vary due to the type and severity of the cancer. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is hard to diagnose. The symptoms of mesothelioma take a long time to appear and they are identical to simple symptoms of several non-life threatening diseases and conditions.Mesothelioma treatment option include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, dual therapy, intraoperative photodynamic therapy, immunoaugmentative therapy, gene therapy, and alternative medicine. * Mesothelioma Treatment 1 – Surgery – In this mesothelioma treatment, a surgeon removes the cancerous cells from the lining of the lungs, lining of the abdomen, or lining of the heart, depending on the type of mesothelioma. Surgery is usually only effective in patients where the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body. In “pleura” mesothelioma, surgeons may perform aggressive surgery and remove one of the lungs to keep the cancer from spreading. * Mesothelioma Treatment 2 – Chemotherapy – With this mesothelioma treatment, chemotherapy drugs treat the tumors in the body. The drugs travel through the body via the bloodstream, killing off infected cancer cells. * Mesothelioma Treatment 3 – Radiation – With this mesothelioma treatment option, radiation doses kill the cancer cells. The heart, lungs, and other organs are at risk of damage from radiation, so this mesothelioma treatment receives close monitoring. * Mesothelioma Treatment 4 – Dual Therapy – With this mesothelioma treatment, both chemotherapy and radiation accompany surgery to kill off any remaining cancer cells. * Mesothelioma Treatment 5 – (IPT) Intraoperative Photodynamic Therapy – With this mesothelioma treatment, a patient is injected with special drugs that make cancer cells sensitive to light a few days before surgery. During surgery, a special light locates the cancer for surgeons to remove. Lasers set to a specific frequency may destroy cancerous cells in intraoperative photodynamic therapy. * Mesothelioma Treatment 6 – (IAT) Immunoaugmentative Therapy – With this mesothelioma treatment, the body’s immune system is strengthened with substances called biological response modifiers. These substances improve the immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy cancerous cells. * Mesothelioma Treatment 7 – Gene Therapy – With this mesothelioma treatment, physicians modify a patient’s genes therapeutically, giving the body a greater ability to fight the disease. * Mesothelioma Treatment 8 – Alternative Medicine – With alternative or complimentary medicine, offer treatments that include acupuncture and massage for pain relief, ginger for nausea, and more. Patients interested in alternative or complimentary should consult their physician. Some alternative therapies may interfere with medical treatments. Typically not covered by insurance, alternative therapies usually accompany medical treatment. Check out this very informative site for some very good information on mesothelioma treatment option!
About the Author
Ron Arnold writes regularly about health related topics. I hope you enjoy this article.