Treatment

There are many treatments of mesothelioma, using both conventional and non-conventional methods. The following are some of the more common treatments:

Surgery may be an option for some patients. If the tumor is small and localized, and has not spread much, a surgeon might remove the lining of the lungs or abdomen to prevent it from spreading further. If the tumor has progressed, a surgeon might choose to remove the lining of the lungs or abdomen and other affected tissue, such as the lung or a portion of the diaphragm.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation can come from external or internal sources. In external radiation therapy, a machine produces the radiation. In internal radiation therapy, radioisotopes are inserted into an area affected by cancer. Radiation therapy is often used in conjunction with another therapy, such as chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy is a form of treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells. These drugs are usually given intravenously or in pill form. For maximum effectiveness, chemotherapy can be applied directly to the site affected by cancer.

The following treatments are still in their experimental stages, but have shown promise in helping people with mesothelioma to improve their prognoses.

Angiogenesis inhibitor therapy prevents cancer cells from getting a supply of oxygen rich blood, which they need to survive. If cancer cells are deprived of oxygenated blood, they can shrink, causing a tumor to disappear.

Cytokines are proteins that act as messengers between cells. One cytokine, interleukin-2 (L2) stimulates immune system cell growth. Immune system cells, or T-cells, can kill cancerous cells. Scientists speculate that if IL2 is injected in the pleura of the lung, it will be able to target and kill cancerous cells.

Gene therapy uses a specially created virus to act as a delivery device for a gene that destroys cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. Gene therapy is usually used directly at the site of a tumor.

Photodynamic therapy uses light to kill cancer cells. A patient is given a drug called a photosensitizer that makes cancer cells sensitive to light at specific wavelengths. Surgeons then insert fiber optic cables into the body. These cables allow light to be focused on the tumor at a frequency that causes the photosensitizer drug to produce toxic oxygen molecules that kill cancerous cells.