Mesothelioma Cure
A mesothelioma cure seemed almost unattainable not long ago, but this negative outlook is beginning to change as more cures for cancer are being developed worldwide. Doctors and cancer specialists are constantly working towards the development of a cure and instilling mesothelioma hope in patients. During this search to find mesothelioma cures, stories of survival continue to surface, renewing hope and determination.
Mesothelioma Treatments
While a cure does not currently exist, intensive treatment can often increase the duration of a patient's survival and alleviate some of the pain and suffering associated with mesothelioma. Patients will typically undergo a combination of treatments to combat mesothelioma. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the most widely used treatments, though alternative therapies such as massage and TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), are often administered to aid in pain relief.
A combination of treatments, such as surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible, used in conjunction with chemotherapy to prevent cancerous cell division, is typically recommended. The stage, or maturity level, at which mesothelioma is diagnosed greatly affects a patient's prognosis and treatment options. The earlier the cancer is found and treated, the more likely a patient will positively respond to treatment.
Mesothelioma Guide
More doctors are now approaching mesothelioma as a curable disease. To learn about the options for your type and stage request a free guide.
Mesothelioma Clinical Trials
Many patients elect to participate in clinical trials as a way of building mesothelioma hope. Clinical trials are conducted to test up-and-coming treatments and medications before they are released and recommended to the public as a safe and effective way to treat an illness. The three stages of clinical trials test new drugs extensively, from the correct dosage required to the effectiveness of the drug. To participate in a clinical trial, a patient must first qualify for the study and meet specific qualifications.
Clinical trials are imperative in the search for mesothelioma cures. As results and information are gathered from a study, the knowledge gained helps medical professionals come closer to the discovery of a cure. Each successful clinical trial renews mesothelioma hope for all patients around the world.
Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), a ground-breaking surgical procedure performed involves the removal of the lung and its coverings and the coverings of the heart and diaphragm. This surgery has resulted in disease-free and long-term survival and yielded the greatest amount of cytoreduction, or decrease in the number of cancerous cells.
Another procedure performed he is intracavitary chemotherapy. Though currently under evaluation, the procedure has demonstrated encouraging results for mesothelioma patients. Intracavitary chemotherapy is completed while the patient is in surgery. Surgery to remove the tumor is completed and the chemotherapy is administered into the chest and abdominal cavity, contacting surfaces containing tumor cells and killing them. Healthy cells are preserved as a cytoprotective agent is utilized throughout the procedure.
he also founded the International Pleural Mesothelioma Program, which focuses on developing new treatment strategies and researching the causes of mesothelioma in effort to aid in the development of improved care for mesothelioma patients.
Progress made by Dr. and other passionate medical professionals help strengthen mesothelioma hope and keep the search for a cure alive. The research completed on mesothelioma and the studies conducted will help scientists and doctors increase the survival rate of patients as they come closer to the discovery of mesothelioma cures.
Mesothelioma Prognosis and Survival
Though many patients and their loved ones often get discouraged if the prognosis following a mesothelioma diagnosis comes back poor, it is important to remember that a number of patients have survived much longer than their initial prognosis suggested. Prognosis is generally poor because most patients do not exhibit symptoms of mesothelioma until 20 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos occurred, allowing the cancer to develop and mature in the body.
The development of tests to aid in early diagnosis, such as the Mesomark blood test, will hopefully help mesothelioma patients receive treatment in the earlier stages of the cancer. Early diagnosis results in greater treatment options available to mesothelioma patients which can greatly improve a patient's prognosis.
Research reveals that mesothelioma patients who have survived for many years with the disease have commonly participated in some sort of therapy to enhance their immune system. Participation in clinical trials in immunology and other alternative therapies relating to the immune system have yielded positive results in some instances.
Researchers theorize that mesothelioma likely results from immune suppression and mesothelioma survivors that participated in treatments to improve the immune system may have experienced positive results because of this participation.
Mesothelioma Hope
Many patients and their loved ones may enjoy reading "Lean on Me - Cancer Through a Carer's Eyes," a touching story by Lorraine Kember about her husband's battle with mesothelioma. Reading about the emotions the Kember family experienced may help provide insight into the road ahead for those newly diagnosed. To receive a complimentary copy of this book, click here.
Mesothelioma Nutrition
Without a current cure for mesothelioma, patients battling the cancer often want to fight it in every way possible. Nutritious eating is a wonderful way to instill mesothelioma hope and equip the immune system with positive fuel. The food and nutrients that we put into our bodies greatly affect our ability to heal and fight disease.
Eating a balanced diet consisting of whole grains, proteins, dairy, fruits and vegetables enables the body to function properly and adequately fight infection and illness. Eating nutritious food while actively fighting mesothelioma through treatment may not cure the cancer, but fighting the disease from every angle will give patients the best possible outlook.
Mesothelioma patients undergoing various treatments may have additional nutritional concerns. Nutrition during chemotherapy is extremely important as the drugs used during treatment kill cancer cells, but simultaneously affect healthy cells as well, leaving the body in a weakened state.
Many patients may experience side effects from the treatment, including nausea and diarrhea. Mild flavored foods such as whole grain toast may settle the stomach and be easier to keep down during treatment. To combat constipation, patients should select foods with a large amount of fiber such as apples, oatmeal and broccoli. Ensuring adequate protein consumption is also important and many patients include egg whites, beans, milk and lean meats in their daily diet.
Patients undergoing radiation therapy may also experience side effects such as vomiting and loss of appetite. Since radiation can zap energy, it is important to eat nutritious foods with healthy calories to fuel the body properly. Limiting the amount of salt, alcohol and caffeine ingested during treatment is also very important. Speaking with a doctor or a nutritionist can help a patient receive guidance about proper nutrition and recommended foods to eat or avoid during radiation.
It is also important for those recovering from cancer to be mindful of their diet. Additional information about nutrition and cancer recovery can be found in the Mesothelioma Cancer and Nutrition section of our Web site.
Surviving Mesothelioma
If cancer is caught early enough, curative treatment options can be more effective. A number of mesothelioma survivors have experienced success with aggressive treatment options. For more information on mesothelioma treatments and top doctors, please fill out this form to receive a comprehensive packet in the mail, or call a Mesothelioma Patient Advocate at (800) 615-2270.
Mesothelioma Treatments
While there is currently no cure for malignant mesothelioma, treatments are available which can manage the disease in some patients and provide pain relief for others.
The most common treatments for mesothelioma are surgery and chemotherapy. Radiation therapy can be used in conjunction with either therapy, but hasn’t shown to be as effective as a primary treatment modality as surgery or chemotherapy.
Upon receiving a diagnosis of mesothelioma, a patient will undergo a work-up to determine his or her “performance status,” which is a measure of overall patient health. This description helps the doctor generate a treatment regimen tailored to the patient.
There are a number of factors that will impact the doctor’s development of a treatment regimen:
Location of disease (pleural / peritoneal / pericardial / tunica vaginalis)
Histological subtype of the disease
Stage of disease
Patient performance status
Other patient factors may also come into play
The information provided throughout this website is for your information only, and should NOT take the place of a full medical diagnosis.
As in all forms of cancer treatment, there are traditional modalities for the treatment of mesothelioma, as well as experimental, non-traditional options.
Traditional Mesothelioma Treatment Options
Surgery (physical removal of the cancer)
There are several types of surgeries that may be available for mesothelioma. The disease type, stage and the individual’s age and condition will determine if and what type of surgery may be performed.
Chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer)
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. These drugs target rapidly-dividing cells and attempt to inhibit this division of cells. Chemotherapy may be used as the primary treatment to mesothelioma, or it may be used as part of a multi-modal approach.
Radiation Therapy (using high-dose x-rays to kill cancer cells)
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays help to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. The radiation may come from outside the body from a machine (external radiation) or from radioactive materials placed directly in or around cancer cells through thin plastic tubes (internal or implant radiation).
Multi-modal treatment refers to the combination of two or more treatment modalities in treating patients. This often means the combination of surgery and chemotherapy, but may involve other variants as well: surgery and radiation, chemotherapy and radiation. When the three modalities mentioned here are used together, this is known as tri-modal therapy.
Non-Traditional Mesothelioma Treatment Options
Along with these traditional modes of mesothelioma treatment, there are more experimental forms of treatment that are the subject of pre-clinical studies and of clinical trials. None of the following therapies have been proven as effective as the traditional modes, but each mode offers a potentially new means of mesothelioma treatment.
Photodynamic Therapy
Photodynamic therapy destroys cancer cells by using the energy from light and may also be effective when combined with surgery. Although this treatment is in the experimental stage for mesothelioma, it has shown promising results in treating other cancers.
Gene Therapy
This is a new treatment, currently in clinical trials. This approach allows treatment to target tumors, rather than destroying healthy cells which is the negative of traditional chemotherapy.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy (or biological therapy) treats cancer by using the body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells. Another name often applies to this therapy: biological response modifiers (BRMs).
Mesothelioma Treatment
Listen to an audio summary on Mesothelioma Treatment.
If there’s one thing we know about mesothelioma treatment, it’s this: we’re still being challenged to arrive at efficacy.
Despite years of research since the disease was first identified, it’s still difficult to identify the best approach to treating the disease, says David Rice, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon and nationally known mesothelioma expert who practices at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.
The very rareness of the cancer—only about 3,000 people a year are diagnosed in the United States—makes it difficult to run the kind of research studies needed to compare treatments and determine the ideal therapy at each stage of the disease. “There isn’t a lot of evidence-based science in this disease,” Dr admits. So when his patients ask him what the best treatment is for the disease, he tells them what we tell you in this section, adding that “we don’t have a reliable cure for this disease.”
Thus, a major goal of treatment is to reduce pain and suffering and prolong a patient’s life as long as possible while providing them with the highest quality of life possible.
Choosing the right mesothelioma doctor is an important first step in planning for treatment.
There are a number of mesothelioma experts, like Dr, practicing in specialized clinics throughout the country. Each of these cancer specialists has an acute knowledge of the behavior and pathology of malignant mesothelioma and its treatment. It is likely that if you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you will be referred by your personal physician to a larger scale comprehensive cancer center.
The most important consideration in mesothelioma treatment is the cancer stage and type, said Dr. Rice. Treatment decisions also depend on whether the cancer is localized to the chest or has spread to the chest wall, diaphragm, or lymph nodes, your age and overall health, and the center where you’re being treated. Learn more about finding a doctor here.
Conventional treatments for mesothelioma involve surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
As with most solid tumors, doctors turn to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to manage mesothelioma. When exploring the various treatment options available with your doctor it is important to be informed about the risk and benefits of each one before making a final decision.
Surgery
Only about 1 in 5 patients with metastatic pleural mesothelioma undergo surgery. There are two main surgeries: pleurectomy/decortication, in which the surgeon tries to remove as much of the tumor from around the lung as possible, and the more radical extrapleural pneumonectomy, in which the lung itself is removed.
There is a lot of debate as to which is “best,” said Dr, although studies find that most long-term survivors have had surgery. He personally believes that pneumonectomy is best for tumor control if followed with radiation. Studies find it prevents tumor recurrence in the chest in 80 to 85 percent of patients who have the surgery.
However, Dr. noted, it is a long, intensive operation with a 55 percent complication rate and a 3 percent risk of death, higher in some institutions. “So you only want to perform that surgery if the patient has a reasonably good prognosis,” said he. Translation: it doesn’t appear that the cancer has spread outside the chest.
Patients best suited for pneumonectomy are younger, with the epithelial form of the disease, no obvious lymph gland involvement, and are otherwise healthy enough to withstand the rigor of the procedure. Dr. actually waits until he has the patient’s chest open in the operating room and biopsies the lymph nodes before deciding which procedure to perform.
Pleurectomy/decortication has a higher failure rate, with the tumor recurring in the chest cavity 50 to 80 percent of the time. However, that rate may change with improved radiotherapy techniques, he said. The reason for the high recurrence is that it’s impossible to completely remove the tumor without removing the lung.
However, he noted, there is no difference in survival rates between the two surgeries. Part of the reason is that the cancer has often spread to other parts of the body by the time it is diagnosed even if it appears to be confined to the chest.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy, also known as systemic therapy, uses oral or infusion-based medications to kill cancer cells throughout your body. Chemotherapy is used both before and after surgery, as well as in people who can’t handle surgery. It is also used in the palliative setting to reduce pain and improve quality of life.
The most commonly used chemotherapy drugs for mesothelioma are cisplatin combined with pemetrexed (Alimta) or raltitrexed (Tomudex). Other combinations include gemcitabine, carboplatin or oxaliplatin.
If you can’t manage combination therapy, your doctor may start on just one drug. Sometimes, your doctor may infuse the medication directly into your chest cavity, a procedure called pleural chemotherapy, or, abdomen, called intraperitoneal chemotherapy. You may also get a second course of chemotherapy, called “second-line” chemotherapy, with pemetrexed or other drugs, raltitrexed plus oxaliplatin, or the triple drug combination of irinotecan, cisplatin and mitomycin.
Some centers are beginning to provide intraperitoneal chemotherapy before surgery, followed by chemotherapy shortly after surgery. You can learn more about this approach here. There is also work underway to personalize chemotherapy based on the genetic characteristics of your tumor.
Radiation
Radiation can be an important part of mesothelioma treatment. The problem is that because the cancer is near the heart and lungs, it’s challenging to provide the kind of high-dose, intensive therapy needed to shrink the tumor. However, a newer option, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), which can more accurately target cancer cells and avoid healthy tissue, may provide better results when performed by experienced clinicians.
Investigational therapies are being explored through clinical and surgical trials at many of the nation’s top cancer centers.
There are more than 50 studies on new therapies for mesothelioma in the U.S. that are looking for volunteers. Researchers are investigating new targeted drugs and chemotherapies, as well as new protocols for giving the medications; immunotherapy, which harnesses the power of the immune system to fight the disease; phototherapy, in which you are injected with a drug that bonds to cancer cells and is activated by high-intensity light; genetic therapies; and novel radiotherapy techniques like tomotherapy to treat the disease. Learn more about participating in a clinical trial here.
At some point, the management of the disease will shift from trying to cure the disease to trying to keep the patient as comfortable as possible for as long as possible.
This is the palliative care stage, when many people enter a hospice program. The primary goal at this stage is maximizing patient comfort. Medication to help with pain, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms that may be experienced is a mainstay. So is emotional and spiritual support for you and your family.
Alternative therapies for mesothelioma can be used to ease side effects of traditional cancer treatment.
