Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Mesothelioma treatment has been improving steadily over the years due to concentrated research into the disease as a result of the low survival rates and the high payouts from the many lawsuits filed. Since Mesothelioma of the Pleura (Pleural Mesothelioma) accounts for up to 75% of all Mesothelioma cases, it is the type of Mesothelioma most targeted for research as the medical and insurance industries seek to improve the life span of mesothelioma patients.
Factors that Determine Mesothelioma Treatment Options
Mesothelioma Treatment depends on several factors, each of which will determine the types and aggressiveness of the treatment:

1. How early Mesothelioma is detected.
2. How advanced the cancer is prior to detection (stage of development).
3. Location of the Tumor.
4. Age of patient.
5. Type of Mesothelioma.
6. Physical health of the patient.

Early detection is critical but can often prove elusive due to how long after asbestos exposure symptoms start to show (20-40 years). Add this to the fact that Mesothelioma symptoms closely resemble those of asthma, pneumonia and tubercolosis and we see how difficult is is to catch at an early stage. If the diseases is caught in the first stage (tumor growth), surgery alone could be used to remove the malignant tumors.
Mesothelioma Treatment Options
The more advanced the Mesothelioma, the more aggressive treatment options that will have to be applied. Theses options are listed below:

1. Surgery
   1. Pleural Effusion: draining of excess fluid from the Pleura.
   2. Tumor Removal: removal of tumors from the localized area.
   3. Extrapleural Pneumonectomy: removal of part of the diaphragm, pericardium and, or parietal pleura.
   4. Pleurorectomy and Decontification: removal of all or part of the mesothelium.
2. Radiation Therapy: uses radiation to kill cancerous cells.
3. Chemotherapy: uses drugs to interfere with the development of cancerous cells.
4. Gene Therapy: used to make cancer cells more receptive to chemotherapy.
5. Photodynamic Therapy: light (photo) energy is used to kill cancer cells.
6. Trimodal Therapy: a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

We have to emphasize that like most forms of cancer, early detection is a critical for weapon for Mesothelioma treatment to be effective. This means that there is a great chance that the cancer is still localized and not spread to other areas of the lung or body. It will also mean that the disease has not yet taken its toll on the patient and the patient is still strong and healthy enough to withstand the rigors of the Mesothelioma treatment regimen. in this case, treatment would involve removing the cancerous tumors through surgery and follow up with either radiation or chemotherapy.

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