Mesothelioma is a very rare disease and successful
mesothelioma treatment options are still being explored and investigated by mesothelioma clinical interests and medical researchers. Presently, there is no known cure for mesothelioma; however, a number of alternative and traditional mesothelioma treatments have been developed to help contain the spread of the disease and prolong longevity.
The current known traditional mesothelioma treatments include:
Pleurectomy - surgical removal of the pleura
One type of mesothelioma surgery for pleural mesothelioma is known as a radical pleurectomy and decortification (P/D). There is a medical debate about whether a P/D is more beneficial for patients as compared to an EPP. (See Robert B. Cameron, Extra pleural Pneumonectomy Is the Preferred Surgical Management in the Multimodality Therapy of Pleural Mesothelioma: Con Argument, Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2006).
Pneumonectomy - surgical removal of the lung and pleura
Another alternative for mesothelioma treatment is specialized surgery for pleural mesothelioma, known as an Extra pleural Pneumonectomy (EPP). The EPP involves the following steps: (1) Incision and exposure of the pleura (parietal): (2) Dissection of the tumor and parietal pleura from the chest wall, diaphragm, and mediastinum: (3) Division and control of the pulmonary vessels and bronchus followed by lymph node dissection: (4) Resection of the lung, pleura, pericardium, and diaphragm; (5) Reconstruction of the pericardium and diaphragm. (See Argote-Greene et al., Extrapleural pneumonectomy for malignant pleural mesothelioma, Multimedia Manual of Cardiothoracic Surgery, June 28, 2005).
Gastrointestinal debulking - surgical removal of tumor from the gastrointestinal tract
One of the most common types of traditional mesothelioma treatments for peritoneal mesothelioma is a surgical debulking followed by post-surgical intraperitoneal chemotherapy. With this procedure, a heated chemotherapy agent is directly administered into the peritoneal space immediately after the debulking portion of the surgery. (See Feldman et al., Analysis of Factors Associated with Outcome in Patients with Malignant Mesothelioma Undergoing Surgical Debulking and Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 21, Issue 24, 2003). One of the leading hospitals in this new approach and alternative to treating peritoneal mesothelioma is The Columbia University Mesothelioma Center in New York City..
Chemotherapy- there have been recent developments of alternative mesothelioma treatment options such as successful chemotherapeutic agents including Altima and Cisplatin.
Currently, Altima and Cisplatin are the only prescription drugs to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as alternative mesothelioma treatments for patients afflicted with malignant mesothelioma. In studies, such as those published in the July 2006 issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, patients who took Altima (pemetrexed) with or without cisplatin--a widely used, platinum-containing, chemotherapy drug--demonstrated a marked improvement in their condition.
Radiation therapy- usually used in conjunction with surgery and/or chemotherapy
Radiation therapy attacks cancer cells through the use of high-energy x-rays. Different types of radiation used to treat malignant mesothelioma include: external beam radiation therapy, brachytherapy, adjuvant radiation therapy, and palliative radiation therapy.
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