Mesothelioma Treatment Options

There are a number of treatment options for you if you are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. The kind of medical treatment you get depends on the type of mesothelioma you have. Also, the medical options are considered for a patient keeping in mind:

• Size of the cancer
• Location of the tumor
• Spread of cancer cells in the body
• Patient’s response to treatment
• Appearance of cancer like cells under microscope
• Age of mesothelioma patient

Apart from the traditional treatment options for mesothelioma, there are also some new medical options which are being worked out. These options are still in their testing phase and not all of them are given to mesothelioma patients. However, the most common of treatment options for mesothelioma are:

Surgery

In some mesothelioma cases, it becomes necessary to operate the affected area to remove the cancer tissue to lessen the pain or improve the quality of patients’ life. There are several types of surgery for treating mesothelioma, they are

• Pleurectomy/decortication – it removes the affected part and the surrounding tissues from the chest or abdominal lining
• Pneumonectomy – it is a more aggressive surgery which involves removal of the affected lung to remove mesothelioma
• Thoracentesis – in this process a needle is used to drain the excess fluid or pleural effusion from the lungs to reduce the pressure on lungs and aid breathing
• Extrapleural pneumonectomy – in this type of surgery, the affected lung is removed with the lining and diaphragm from the affected area around the heart

In some cases, surgery is the last resort for people suffering from mesothelioma.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill the cancerous cells and reduce the tumor size. It helps in relieving pain and shortness of breath. It may be given from a machine outside the body which is external radiation or it may involve putting materials known as radioisotopes which produce radiation through thin plastic tubes in the body where the cancer cells are located.

Patients who are not well enough to sustain surgery are given radiation as a substitute means of relieving symptoms such as shortness of breath, bleeding, pain and swallowing problems. However, it should be noted that radiation also has some side effects which can cause considerable discomfort to the patient.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to kill the cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be administered either in the form of pills or intravenously or it may also be injected into the affected area. Chemotherapy drugs are known to disrupt the growth of mesothelioma cancer cells in the body. Altima and Onocase are some of the effective chemotherapty medicines which are used for treating mesothelioma.

The drugs which are given for chemotherapy also carry a risk of side effects with them and cause numerous other problems too like vomiting, hair loss and anorexia. Side effects can also vary depending upon the drugs used for chemotherapy.

Some Newer Treatment Options for Mesothelioma

They are administered depending on the stage and location of the cancer as well as the age of the patient. They can reduce the intensity of the pain as well as prolong the life of patient. Some newer treatment options for mesothelioma are:

• Photodynamic
• Angiogenesis
• Gene therapy
• Immunotherapy

Photodynamic therapy uses special drugs and light to kill cancer cells during surgery. Before surgery, a drug is injected in to the veins, which makes cancer cells more sensitive to light. This treatment is being especially studied for early stages of pericardial mesothelioma.

Immunotherapy is a simple treatment option which uses body’s natural defense to combat the mesothelioma cancer. However, it is not easy to use this method as patient’s body is already weakened due to the disease.

In Gene therapy, a modified virus is directly injected into chest cavity which treats the patients with an anti-viral drug by killing cancer cells. However, injecting the drug is not an easy task. Clinical trials are underway all over the states to help patients in fighting mesothelioma in the best possible way.

Being a rare and incurable cancer, mesothelioma can only be treated if it is diagnosed on time and the patient gets proper treatment. Doctors are trying out new medical options to effectively treat this form of cancer.

Mesothelioma Doctors and Specialists - Treatment and Care

Mesothelioma is a malignant cancer that requires varied and special treatments for a patient to survive. For proper and effective treatment, you will be meeting a number of people - doctors and specialists who deal in the type of mesothelioma cancer you are suffering from, as well as other treatment specialists who will help you fight this deadly disease.

You may come across numerous doctors and specialists who will be qualified and highly trained professionals. They will ensure that you receive the best possible care from each of them.

We have compiled some important information about mesothelioma treatment. This information is all about mesothelioma doctors and specialists who will help you in various stages of the disease.

Mesothelioma Doctors and Specialists

Each of these doctors and specialists are highly trained and belong to different fields. You will meet them at various stages of mesothelioma treatment and they will help you in choosing the most suitable treatment options for your condition.

General Practitioner/Doctor/Physician

The first person whom you would visit to confirm your symptoms or for a routine check up is your general practitioner also known as doctor or general physician. You doctor will conduct the initial tests, take your medical history and other details that will help him/her in determining if you are indeed suffering from mesothelioma cancer. If your doctor is certain that the symptoms you are experiencing result from mesothelioma, s/he will refer you to a mesothelioma specialists or a cancer care team.

Pulmonologist

Pulmonologist is a specially trained physician who is specifically trained and has extensively researched in the field of lung disorder. People suffering from pleural mesothelioma or mesothelioma of lining of the lungs are especially referred to a pulmonologist.

A pulmonologist is qualified to diagnose and treat conditions relating to lungs such as lung cancer, pleural mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung scarring and other lung related issues.

Thoracic Surgeon

A specially trained surgeon who can perform the surgeries of heart, lungs, chest and oesophagus is called thoracic surgeon. Thoracic surgeons are qualified to deal with all kinds of lung conditions such as coronary disease, lung and abdominal cancer and heart and lung surgeries.

Medical Oncologist

A physician who is trained or specialized in the field of chemotherapy is known as medical oncologist. A medical oncologist treats various forms of cancer with the help of drug therapy also known as chemotherapy in which the drug is given either orally or intravenous to kill the cancer cells. There are various types of oncologists, all of whom are specialists in cancer treatment.

Radiation Oncologist

Another mesothelioma specialist is a radiation oncologist who is also an expert professional in the field of cancer. Radiation oncologist treats cancer with radiation therapy, another form of treatment that makes use of high energy rays for killing cancer cells.

Radiologist

A radiologist is a trained physician in the field of images. The radiologist uses image equipment such as x-rays, scans and ultrasounds to diagnose cancerous diseases and extent of tumors in the body.

Pathologist

A trained physician who monitors and evaluates the cell changes that indicate the presence of cancer is known as pathologist. Pathologists check for the tumors or cancer in the body by examining the bodily fluids and excretions such as urine, blood, stool and sputum.

Pathologists identify the biological changes in the cells and also perform post mortems. They do not work directly with the patient but help in diagnosing and treating their cancer.

Social Worker

A social worker is not exactly a member of the medical team that helps patient with treatment. Instead, a social worker provides invaluable support and encouragement to the patients when they need it most i.e. while going through treatment and suffering from emotional and physical pain.

Respiratory Therapist

A respiratory therapist is a trained medical worker, expert in evaluating, treating and monitoring patients who face breathing problems while suffering from pleural mesothelioma or any other type of mesothelioma.

Counselor

A counselor provides assistance and advice to people suffering from mesothelioma. A counselor helps a patient who is going through immense physical and mental turmoil and needs aid in coping with his/her condition as realization of suffering from mesothelioma can lead to severe depression and anxiety.

During your mesothelioma treatment, you will be meeting and working with several people at once who will not only help you fight this disease but also help you cope with it. At one point or another you may come in contact with one or more of these specialists. However, it depends on the type and extent of your mesothelioma cancer.

All these people are professionals in their respective fields and together act as a mesothelioma cancer team to give you the best medical and educational care and support possible to fight this malignant disease.

Alternative Treatments for Asbestosis

With advancement in medicine and technology, newer methods are being tested out to treat the malignant disease of asbestosis. This includes alternative treatment methods that are used apart from the traditional treatments such as surgery, oxygen therapy and thoracentesis.

Alternative therapies for asbestosis can be referred as the ones that are not commonly used by people and not always recommended by medical practitioners. However, asbestosis patients turn to these alternative treatments to relieve their symptoms of asbestosis and manage their disease in a new way. Even so, it should be remembered that all these alternative treatments are palliative methods to soothe and relieve the pain. They do not offer a cure or complete treatment of the disease.

Alternative Treatments for Asbestosis

Some of the old herbal as well as medicinal treatments are being adopted by people to alleviate the symptoms and pain associated with asbestosis. Some of these alternative treatments for asbestosis are:

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese remedy that helps asbestosis patients by relieving their stress and anxiety. Due to its effectiveness, acupuncture is being tried by a large number of asbestosis patients and its popularity has increased a lot in the last 20-30 years. Seeing its benefits on asbestosis patients, oncologists have started recommending it to their patients with a degree of conviction now.

Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into the skin at various trigger points on the body giving optimal results. Asbestosis patients have claimed that their pain was reduced and they found betterment in breathing with acupuncture. As this treatment carries no risk or side effects, it can be performed as frequently as needed by the patient.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is another popular alternative treatment for asbestosis. It makes use of herbs and supplements to relief painful symptoms of asbestosis. These homeopathy medicines are usually prescribed by a doctor or a nutritionist who has studied homeopathy in detail. It is also known as holistic medicine, a study of medicine that treats the whole body.

One thing to be noted here is that homeopathic drugs and medicines are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration of USA; yet, they have shown excellent results and very few side effects.

However, it is advised that you tell your physician before taking any homeopathic medicine as it might intervene with the working of bronchodilators, steroids or any other medications you are taking for asbestosis treatment.

Massage

Massage is a practical and easy to carry out alternative treatment for asbestosis. It helps in dealing with the pain and eases breathing problems. Some studies have also shown that massage helps in building immunity in the body that is very essential for asbestosis patients. For this purpose, patients can go to some reputed physical therapist or a masseur who recognizes their need for massage as well as their body condition and helps them.

Meditation

Meditation is fast becoming a popular way to reduce asbestosis pain and anxiety. In the beginning, the patient might need help from a therapist or a professional. However, with practice and more spiritual input, the patient can meditate by himself at home too and get rid of feelings of sadness and misery.

Some of the alternative treatments for asbestosis are not approved by a large number of physicians and oncologists. Yet seeing their positive effects on the patients’ health and recovery, doctors are now taking a considerate attitude towards them.

However, always remember to consult your oncologist before choosing any of these alternative treatments for asbestosis so that they do not interfere with your routine treatment. Also, before beginning these alternative treatments, consult properly trained professionals to avoid any side effects or harmful consequences. Remember, some alternative treatments might work for people while others do not. It might take time, patience and a few sessions with the professional before you feel any improvement in your condition.