Your Guide To Traditional Mesothelioma Treatments
Traditional Mesothelioma treatments consist of three types; surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Normally, doctors combine two or more of these treatment options to treat Mesothelioma cancer.
Mesothelioma research doctors have found that by combining two or more traditional treatment options results in a higher Mesothelioma cure rate than by utilizing one treatment option alone.
A Closer Look At Traditional Treatments
In some cases, curing the disease is impossible. In those cases, traditional treatments are used to treat the symptoms associated with Mesothelioma and to bring comfort to the patient.
However, surgery is the mainstay treatment for Mesothelioma. Usually, doctors will combine surgery with one or more of the other treatment options since research has shown that surgery alone will not cure Mesothelioma and does not appear to prolong life of the patient.
Surgical procedures used to treat Mesothelioma can range from diagnostic procedures such as thorascopy, to curative approaches such as removal of the cancerous tissue, to palliative procedures (palliative treatments are used to alleviate symptoms associated with Mesothelioma such as the build up of fluid in the abdominal cavity).
Chemotherapy Is The Treatment Of Cancer By Chemicals
Chemotherapy drugs work to treat cancer by destroying cancer cells and preventing them from multiplying. 'Chemo' is not a curative treatment for Mesothelioma but is used in conjunction with surgery.
Chemotherapy can be administered before or after surgery to shrink and control cancerous tumors, and can also be used to relieve pain. This traditional treatment is administered through a catheter or port inserted into a large vein or the abdominal wall.
Radiation Therapy Uses Beams
These beams are directed at the affected tissue to treat Mesothelioma or to prevent it from spreading. Radiation is also used in conjunction with surgery.
While traditional treatments account for the vast majority of approaches to treating cancer, there are alternative treatment options available. You owe it to yourself and your family to explore all treatment options available to you.
