There are certain factors that influence the type of treatment a patient with malignant mesothelioma may undergo. These include the type of cancer, the location of the cancer, the stage or extent to which it has spread at diagnosis, whether the cancer can be removed by surgery, the amount of fluid collected in the chest or abdomen, and whether the cancer has occurred for the first time or has come back (recurrent malignant mesothelioma). As with other cancers, the patientï¿bf½s general health at the time of diagnosis may also determine how aggressively the cancer can be treated. In general, patients with better general health tend to withstand the insults of anti-cancer treatment better than those who are in poor health.
Standard treatment of malignant mesothelioma may include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Surgery is used to treat early, localized disease by removing the tumor mass. It may also be used to offer symptomatic relief in pleural mesothelioma by removal of the pleura (pleurectomy or decortication). Pleurodesis is a surgical method used to obliterate the space between the pleural membranes where fluid collects. Chemotherapy may range from single-drug therapy to multi-drug therapy. It is used to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing them or by stopping their further division. Radiotherapy is used to provide symptomatic relief, particularly relief from severe pain.
While some treatments for malignant mesothelioma are standard, other treatments are investigational and are only available if a patient enrolls in a clinical trial. Besides the methods described above, some clinical trials are using biotherapy, which is a form of treatment that stimulates the patientï¿bf½s immune system to fight the cancer. Median survival time after diagnosis with malignant mesothelioma is between one and two years; this is why many patients opt to enroll in clinical trials. The National Cancer Institute website provides information on ongoing clinical trials and enrollment criteria.
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Mesothelioma Treatment Costs
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The costs of treating malignant mesothelioma are extremely high; estimates range from $150,000 to over $ 1 million. The most commonly used anti-cancer drugs used to treat malignant mesothelioma are AlimtaÒ and cisplatin. The combined cost of these drugs for one treatment cycle is approximately...
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An Introduction To Mesothelioma Treatment
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Conventional therapies are of little use in Mesothelioma Treatment. The survival time after diagnosis is around 6 to 12 months. The spread of malignant cells to the underlying tissue and other organs in the pleural cavity, the pleural cavity encouraging local metastasis by exfoliated cells,...
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Mesothelioma Treatment Forums
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Mesothelioma is the term used for a cancerous tumor, which involves the mesothelioma cells of lungs, heart or abdominal organs. Medical specialists in mesothelioma provide treatment to the patients after assessing the stage of the mesothelioma in their specific case. They analyze the location of...
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Clinical Mesothelioma Symptoms
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Many people who have clinical symptoms of mesothelioma have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. This is because symptoms tend to present late in most cases. The majority of people have symptoms for only two or three months before a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma...
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Mesothelioma Treatment Options
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Mesothelioma treatment options vary according to the age and over-all health of the patient, and the extent of the disease. Treatment options are often determined by the intensity of damage caused by the tumor. There are three staging systems currently in use for pleural mesothelioma....
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Malignant Mesothelioma Research
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Malignant mesotheliomas are highly aggressive cancers, usually linked to asbestos exposure. Most patients survive approximately one year after diagnosis, and only seven percent of patients make it past five years. If not diagnosed early, these cancers are extremely difficult to treat. However, early diagnosis is...
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Mesothelioma Treatment Websites
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Mesothelioma is an unusual form of cancer of the mesothelial cells that line the lungs, heart and the stomach. In recent times, in the U.S, there has been an alarming rise in the occurrence of mesothelioma cases mainly caused by a mineral called asbestos. Mesothelioma...
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Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Survival Rate
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma. Many factors may be involved in determining the survival rate for this aggressive cancer; some are better understood than others. Estimates of median survival time range from one to two years; survival depends on...
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A Guide To Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma is neoplasm arising from the serosal lining of the peritoneal and pericardial cavities. Primary tumors arising from the peritoneal mesothelioma are extremely rare. The accurate diagnosis of the diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma is important because it almost invariably has a fatal outcome. In...
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Advanced Mesothelioma Symptoms
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Mesothelioma symptoms tend to develop gradually, and earlier symptoms are often confused for illnesses that are more amenable to treatment. For example, the cough, difficulty breathing, and chest pain experienced in pleural mesothelioma is often seen in lung infections such as pneumonia. Typically, once symptoms...