mesothelioma27: There are 4 primary types of mesothelioma treatment: surgery,
chemotherapy, radiation and multimodal therapy. The types of treatment
you receive depend on your diagnosis, the stage and type of your
mesothelioma and your overall health. If the cancer has not yet spread
(metastasized), a combination of radiation, surgery and chemotherapy
likely will be offered to you. This is called a multimodal approach.
If
the mesothelioma already has spread significantly, then your options
will be more palliative in nature, which means they will treat symptoms
to give you the highest quality of life possible. You are still likely
to be offered radiation and chemotherapy, but probably not major surgery
options.
Regardless of the stage of your cancer, you can seek palliative treatments to improve your well-being. A variety of therapies can alleviate pain, breathing problems and other cancer symptoms that lessen your quality of life.
Radiation therapy can soothe pain and correct breathing issues by shrinking tumors that press on your nerves, veins and airways. Chemotherapy also shrinks tumors, helping with chest pain and night sweats. Non-curative surgeries can remove tumors that cause troublesome symptoms, or drain fluid that builds up in the chest or abdomen.
You may also want to talk to your doctor about other treatment options beyond surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Experimental treatments exist, mostly in clinical trials, and sometimes they can make a huge difference. Those treatments include newer treatments like gene therapy and immunotherapy, along with photodynamic therapy, all of which can be discussed with your doctor.
Some patients also pursue alternative treatments like massage therapy, acupuncture or yoga. These can often be used during regular treatment like chemotherapy, so talk with your doctor about which therapies you'd like to explore.
Regardless of the stage of your cancer, you can seek palliative treatments to improve your well-being. A variety of therapies can alleviate pain, breathing problems and other cancer symptoms that lessen your quality of life.
Radiation therapy can soothe pain and correct breathing issues by shrinking tumors that press on your nerves, veins and airways. Chemotherapy also shrinks tumors, helping with chest pain and night sweats. Non-curative surgeries can remove tumors that cause troublesome symptoms, or drain fluid that builds up in the chest or abdomen.
You may also want to talk to your doctor about other treatment options beyond surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Experimental treatments exist, mostly in clinical trials, and sometimes they can make a huge difference. Those treatments include newer treatments like gene therapy and immunotherapy, along with photodynamic therapy, all of which can be discussed with your doctor.
Some patients also pursue alternative treatments like massage therapy, acupuncture or yoga. These can often be used during regular treatment like chemotherapy, so talk with your doctor about which therapies you'd like to explore.
