Mesothelioma - What are the treatments?
The location, stage of the disease along with the paitent's age
and general health all play a role in determining the treatment of
mesothelioma. Options for treatement generally include surgery, radiation
therapy and chemo therapy.
Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may
remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around
it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be
removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the
diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also
removed.
Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of
high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy
affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from
a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation
through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found
Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells
throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by
injection into a vein (intravenous or IV). Doctors are also studying the
effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen
(intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle
or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The
procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of
fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a
tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy
and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.For your convenient here is a list of US states and biggest cities: Alabama AL, in Alaska AK, in Arizona AZ, in Arkansas AR, in California CA, in Colorado CO, Connecticut CT, Delaware DE, District of Columbia DC, Florida FL, Georgia GA, Hawaii HI, Idaho ID, Illinois IL, Indiana IN, Iowa IA, Kansas KS, Kentucky KY, Louisiana LA, Maine ME, Maryland MD, Massachusetts MA, Michigan MI, Minnesota MN, Mississippi MS, Missouri MO, Montana MT, Nebraska NE, Nevada NV, New Hampshire NH, New Jersey NJ, New Mexico NM, New York NY, North Carolina NC, North Dakota ND, Ohio OH, Oklahoma OK, Oregon OR, Pennsylvania PA, Puerto Rico PR, Rhode Island RI, South Carolina SC, South Dakota SD, Tennessee TN, Texas TX, Utah UT, Vermont VT, Virginia VI, Washington WA, West Virginia WV, Wisconsin WI, Wyoming WY. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, okc, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Detroit, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Columbus, Ohio, Austin, Memphis, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Charlotte, El Paso, Milwaukee, Seattle, Boston, Denver, Louisville- Jefferson County, Washington, Nashville-Davidson, in Las Vegas, Portland, Oklahoma City, Tucson, Albuquerque, Long Beach, Atlanta, Fresno, Sacramento, New Orleans, Cleveland, Kansas City, UK, Virginia Beach, Omaha, Oakland, Miami, Canadian, Canada, Northern Ireland, Australia, Tulsa, Honolulu, Minneapolis, Colorado Springs, Arlington.