What are the treatments for mesothelioma?

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Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that affects between 2,000 and 3,000 people in the United States each year, according to the American Cancer Society. The type of treatment used for mesothelioma depends upon the stage and location of the cancer.

Types of Surgery

Surgery is a possible treatment for mesothelioma when the disease is caught early. It may involve removing an entire lung or parts of the affected area in a lung or the abdomen. Doctors also perform surgery to eliminate fluid buildup caused by mesothelioma or to "debulk" or remove as much of the cancer as possible.

Chemotherapy

When mesothelioma occurs in areas that cannot be surgically removed or are widespread, doctors frequently rely upon chemotherapy. This treatment involves administered drugs intravenously that target and destroy cancer cells.

Radiation therapy

When mesothelioma affects the tissue around the lungs, doctors sometimes use radiation therapy that targets and destroys cancer cells using highly focused beams of radioactive energy. Radiation is also a common follow-up treatment after surgery to ensure that all cancerous cells are destroyed in order to prevent the return of mesothelioma.

Combination therapy

For very aggressive forms of mesothelioma, doctors sometimes combine surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. When used concurrently, these treatments are particularly hard on the body. Doctors usually reserve combination therapy for younger patients.

Target therapy drugs

A number of clinical trials using target therapy medications are under way throughout the U.S. to test the effectiveness of drugs that attack cancer cells in specialized areas in order to weaken them. Some patients choose to participate in these clinical trials in hopes of being cured of mesothelioma, but these drugs cannot be guaranteed effective, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Source

Mayo Clinic: Mesothelioma

American Cancer Society: Mesothelioma

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What are the treatments for mesothelioma?

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Types of Surgery

Chemotherapy

Radiation therapy

Combination therapy

Target therapy drugs

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