There are several steps of mesothelioma treatment that may be recommended by doctors. The selected treatment plan will depend on the condition of the disease, the stage of the cancer, and the general health of the patient. But considering mesothelioma is a cancer that can not be cured and generally new can be detected at an advanced stage, then the treatment step is more aimed at reducing the symptoms felt by the patient.

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While there are several treatment options for pleural and abdominal mesothelioma, it is the case with pericardial and tunica vaginalis mesothelioma that have not been treated because it is considered more rare. However, cancers that are still at an early stage can be removed through surgery or the patient can still through other treatments to reduce the symptoms.

Here are some common mesothelioma treatment steps:

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a drug used to shrink or inhibit cancer growth. This drug can spread to all parts of the body and can be used before surgery or after surgery. In the case of peritoneal mesothelioma, the drug can be heated and given directly into the abdominal cavity in order not to hurt healthy tissue in other body parts. This allows the dose of chemotherapy drugs to be given in high doses.

Chemotherapy given before undergoing surgical procedure can facilitate surgery because cancer cells have been minimized before they are removed. Chemotherapy given after surgery will reduce the risk of cancer reappearing.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy may be performed after surgical procedures to eradicate leftover cancer cells or reduce symptoms of advanced cancer when surgery is not possible. In its application, this therapy uses high-energy jets, such as X-rays and proton light, which are focused on specific body areas.

Surgery

Surgery is performed to remove the cancer that is generally still in the early stages of disease progression, although in some cases still can not successfully remove cancer cells completely. Surgery can also be done to reduce the symptoms of advanced cancer that has spread to other body parts in order to reduce symptoms suffered. Here are some commonly performed surgery options and their use for mesothelioma sufferers.

  • Operating procedure to remove as much as possible cancer cells that can be removed from the patient's body. This procedure allows the doctor to continue treatment with radiotherapy to reduce pain and prevent excessive fluid accumulation due to mesothelioma.
  • Operating procedures to reduce fluid buildup in the chest area that may interfere with breathing. The surgery is done by inserting a catheter tube into the chest to suck fluid. Doctors can also inject drugs to prevent recurrence of fluid buildup, also known as pleurodesis procedures.
  • Surgical removal of tissue around the abdominal cavity, ribs, or lungs that have been exposed to cancer cells to help reduce the symptoms and signs of mesothelioma.
  • Surgical removal of affected lung portions following adjacent tissues to relieve symptoms in pleural mesothelioma patients. This procedure is usually followed by high-dose radiotherapy.
Multimodality therapy
This therapy is a combination of three or more treatment steps, such as surgery, postoperative chemotherapy (adjuvant chemotherapy), and radiation therapy to enlarge the success rate of treatment.

Alternative medicine

Alternative treatment has not been clinically proven to treat mesothelioma, but some of these treatments have shown good development in mesothelioma patients. Here are related healing techniques.

  • Respiratory exercise to control breathing when the patient begins to feel breathless.
  • Relaxation exercises of the body, especially the respiratory muscles, can also make it easier for people to breathe lightly.
  • Sitting close to the fan facing the face can reduce the sensation of difficulty breathing felt by the patient.
  • Acupuncture.
Discuss alternative treatment steps that you choose with your doctor before you start using it.
Complementary or other supplementary treatment may be recommended by a physician to reduce mesothelioma symptoms. Additional treatments, such as oxygen or certain medications, may help the patient breathe more comfortably since mesothelioma can cause pressure in the chest that may interfere with breathing.

Clinical trial

Some clinical trials are generally available and informed in patients with cancer, but the possibility of healing remains uncertain so it is important to consider carefully. Talk to your doctor about existing clinical trials and if appropriate for the condition of the patient. On the other hand, following a clinical trial will increase the chance for doctors to find treatment against mesothelioma.

Here are some clinical trials that are being studied for mesothelioma conditions:

  • Biological therapy - using the patient's immune system to fight cancer, also called immunotherapy.
  • Gene therapy - alters the genes present in cancer cells to stop the disease.
  • Therapy uses drugs to attack abnormalities / abnormalities that occur in cancer cells.