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Every year, thousands of people are diagnosed with a rare yet aggressive form of cancer known as mesothelioma. Roughly 80 percent of these cases consist of pleural mesothelioma. Unfortunately, the outlook is often quite bleak for those who receive a mesothelioma diagnosis. However, it’s not hopeless. Doctors and researchers have identified several treatment options.
What is Mesothelioma?
Nobody wants to receive a mesothelioma diagnosis from their doctor; however, it’s important to understand what this disease is and what the options are.
According to Mesotheliomaguide.com, “Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer that forms in the lining of the lung, known as the pleura. Asbestos exposure is the only known cause. Microscopic asbestos fibers can be inhaled and then become embedded or lodged in the pleura.”
Early diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma provides for the best outcomes, though there are no guarantees. It all comes down to catching the disease as soon as possible and then proactively treating it before it has a chance to spread any more.
The Most Common Treatment Options for Mesothelioma
While a doctor and medical team should always be consulted when dealing with a mesothelioma diagnosis, let’s take a look at several of the common treatment options:
- Surgery: If mesothelioma is diagnosed at an early stage, surgery might be used to remove the cancerous tissue. In the case of pleural mesothelioma (affecting the lungs), a procedure called a pleurectomy may be performed to remove part of the lining of the lungs and chest wall. For more advanced stages, surgery may aim to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life rather than cure the disease.
- Chemotherapy: This is often the backbone of mesothelioma treatment, involving drugs that kill cancer cells or prevent them from growing. Chemotherapy can be used before surgery to shrink tumors, after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells, or as the main treatment if surgery isn't an option.
- Radiation Therapy: This treatment uses high-energy rays to target and kill cancer cells. It's often used in conjunction with other treatments and can help control symptoms in later stages of the disease, such as pain caused by tumor growth.
- Targeted Therapy: This form of treatment targets specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer growth and survival. For mesothelioma, researchers are exploring targeted therapies that might improve outcomes, especially for those who do not respond well to conventional treatments.
- Immunotherapy: This newer form of cancer treatment boosts the body's natural defenses to fight cancer. It uses substances made by the body or in a laboratory to improve or restore immune system function, showing promising results in some mesothelioma patients.
- Multimodal Therapy: Often, a combination of these treatments is used to fight mesothelioma effectively. This approach can include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy used in concert to maximize the effectiveness of treatment.
- Clinical Trials: Participating in clinical trials can also be an option for mesothelioma patients. These trials provide access to new treatments and medications not yet available to the public and can be a way to try emerging therapies that might offer better outcomes.
What is the Outlook for Mesothelioma Patients?
While the statistics are always changing, the median survival time is usually 4 to 18 months, depending on the stage of cancer, the patient’s age, and the overall health status of the individual. It also depends on the treatment options used and how aggressive the doctors want to be.
Some patients can survive much longer than the average, with the five year survival rate being 10 percent. (This is much higher than it’s been in the past – so there’s optimism that we could eventually reach a point where the median survival time is actually five years or more in the future.) In order for this to happen, it’s important that doctors are able to diagnose mesothelioma much sooner than they’re currently able to.
Adding it All Up
Mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly cancer, but that doesn’t mean you should just sit back and let it win. By fighting back with a smart, proactive treatment plan that’s spearheaded by your doctor, you can increase your quality of life and short-term prognosis.
Hopefully, this article has given you an overview of some of the different options that exist!