Mesothelioma Treatment Options

The treatment of the cancer mesothelioma follows three standard, accepted procedures: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. There are many different ways these three mesothelioma treatments can be approached. Different physicians may suggest combining more than one of the three. In some cases, the physician may present the case for each mode of treatment and leave the final decision of the course of action up to the patient. This is why the patient needs to understand the basics of each of the three main treatment plans.

Additionally, there are other treatment options available to patients. Experimental treatments are attracting more attention within the medical field, and their encouraging results in clinical trials deem them treatments worth keeping an eye on in the future. These experimental treatments include photodynamic therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, ozone therapy and hormonal therapy. Also, many alternative therapies are popular among patients seeking symptom relief; however they do not purport a cure for cancer.

Mesothelioma Cure
While there is currently no cure, those diagnosed with mesothelioma have many options regarding their cancer. Commonly, patients opt to undergo treatments to fight the cancer. Moreover, individuals may have the option to participate in clinical trials. Although clinical trials do not come without risk, patients get the chance to test new treatments and medications before they are recommended for public use. Many promising drugs and therapies have emerged from clinical trials and those involved may find relief from symptoms and even a prolonged life expectancy thanks to the trial.

Multi-modal treatment is another approach that proves to be instrumental in combating mesothelioma. A multi-modal treatment combines two or more treatment options, either completed at the same time, or one after another, in order to treat a disease. Doctors often recommend this option as it has yielded promising results in the past. A multi-modal treatment example from medical journal, Chest, states that a 52 year old man diagnosed with stage I malignant pleural mesothelioma underwent an extrapleural pneumonectomy followed by chemotherapy and finally radiation to the chest wall. The patient is currently alive and shows no disease two years after his surgery. Multi-modal therapy has made great strides in mesothelioma treatment and has increased survival rates for patients.

Knowing that there is no cure for mesothelioma can be scary and discouraging for patients and their loved ones, but survivor stories continue to arise inspiring and giving hope to those battling cancer.

Mesothelioma Causes and Diagnosis

Causes of Mesothelioma
The primary cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. There are numerous professions that are known to have used asbestos and are thus at risk

• Construction Workers
• Auto mechanics
• Building engineers
• Railroad workers
• Navy sailors
• Shipyard employees
• and others
  

Workers in these occupations were exposed to asbestos and have become ill from asbestos cancer. However, there are cases of asbestos diseases and mesothelioma in persons with much smaller exposure to asbestos. These cases include families of workers in high-risk professions or those who lived in closed proximity to asbestos manufacturing plants.

Asbestos fibers lodge inside the body and cannot be processed. When breathed in, these fibers damage the mesothelial cells in the pleura or peritoneum The fibers are so tiny that they actually can damage DNA. The injured cells can create lung cancer or mesothelioma.

Since asbestos exposure is the primary cause of mesothelioma, it is important to know how you may have come in contact with asbestos. It is found in both industrial applications and household products, including, but not limited to:

• Brakes
• Clutches
• Plaster
• Attic Insulation
• HVAC Duct Insulation
• Joint Compounds
• Gaskets
• Packing
• Electrical wire
• Cement Pipe
• Paint
• Pipe Covering and Insulation
• Putties
• Roofing Shingles
• Siding
• Floor tiles
• Insulating blankets and pads
• Boilers
• Turbines
• Pumps
• Valves
• Caulk
• Spackling Compounds
• Baby Powder
• Chalkboards
• Coffee Pots
• Hair Dryers
• Toasters
• Fireproofing materials
• and others
  

Asbestos has the ability to resist heat, capacity to insulate and flexibility to be woven, making it very popular in industrial applications and home appliances. While there are now limitations for asbestos use, it is still imported regularly in products from other countries.

The latency period for mesothelioma is quite long – as long as 30-50 years. Mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases are often misdiagnosed as other less innocuous illnesses such as the flu. Therefore, it is critical that you let your doctor know if you have been exposed to asbestos or were a spouse or child of one exposed.

What is Mesothelioma?

What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium, the protective sac the covers most of the body's internal organs. The mesothelium that surrounds the heart is called the pericardium, that of the thorax is called the pleura and that of the abdominal cavity is called peritoneum. Mesothelium also covers the internal reproductive reproductive organs of both male and female.

The function of the mesothelium is to allow the internal organs to move easily against each other within our body's cavities; the contraction and expansion of our lungs and heart, our intestines, etc. It is composed of two cell layers; the first one covers the organs itself and the other one is like a sack that surrounds the cavity. Lubricating fluids are released between these layers to allow fluid movements between organs. When cell abnormalities occur like the one caused by the long term inhalation of asbestos material, the cells in the mesothelium may become cancerous and may affect nearby cells and organs. This malignant cancer form is called mesothelioma and the most afflicted persons are the ones who have been constantly exposed to asbestos for a long period of time. There are however, very rare cases of benign mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Cause
The major cause of mesothelioma is asbestos. People who are working in a mining jobsite of asbestos are candidates for mesothelioma cancer. Also those people who come in contact with asbestos material such as workers in a manufacturing plant for asbestos products are also likely to become victims of mesothelioma.

Asbestos fibers reach the lungs through inhalation. Once inside the lungs it could be transported to other places in the body through the blood stream. Some of these particles can be trapped or lodged in certain bodily parts like the mesothelium where most mesothelioma cancers occur.

Those particles that are trapped in the mesothelium can be the starting point of mesothelioma development. It could take a long time for this type of cancer to develop and usually when diagnosis for mesothelioma is found positive for a patient, the cancer has advanced to a stage where the only treatment option will be to relieve the patient of pain and wait for the inevitable.

People who are frequently exposed to asbestos or family members whose family member has an asbestos exposure related job have to keep watch of their health. Symptoms must not be disregarded and a visit to a physician must be scheduled right away so as to treat the mesothelioma, if it's found positive.

Who Can Help?
Mesothelioma, just like any cancer can be painful. Pain relief and treatment can be very costly. What's more if the breadwinner is the one afflicted with mesothelioma then financial distress is not far away. The way to go is to seek the advice of mesothelioma lawyers or attorneys who can help you how to seek assistance from employers or if a lawsuit is possible.

There is however what's called a statute of limitations. If a case is filed long after the diagnosis of mesothelioma, the court may reject your case. It is there for necessary to seek the advice of a lawyer regarding the filing of a lawsuit immediately.

Mesothelioma Types Pleural Mesothelioma
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Pericardial Mesothelioma