Mesothelioma Traditional Care

Mesothelioma traditional care can be categorized into the following: The first is surgery which is literally removing the cancer. The second is adiation therapy which emlpoys high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. The third is chemotherapy where powerful anti-cancer drugs are used to fight the disease.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken orally, or it may be put into the body by a syringe into a vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a "systemic treatment" because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. In mesothelioma tradional care, chemotherapy may be put directly into the chest (intrapleural chemotherapy).

Intraoperative photodynamic therapy is a new type of treatment that uses special drugs and light to kill cancer cells during surgery. So, this form of mesothelioma traditional care two techniques are employed together A drug that makes cancer cells more sensitive to light is injected into a vein several days before surgery. During surgery the surgeon tries to remove as much of the cancer as possible. This treatment is being studied for early stages of mesothelioma in the chest.

Surgery is a common component of malignant mesothelioma traditional care. The surgeon may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. Depending on how far the cancer has spread, a lung also may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors and is a consistent feature of mesothelioma traditional care. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

If fluid has accumulated in the chest or abdomen, the doctor may drain the fluid out of the body by putting a needle into the chest or abdomen and using gentle suction to remove the fluid. If fluid is removed from the chest, this is called thoracentesis. If fluid is removed from the abdomen, this is called paracentesis. The doctor may also put drugs through a tube into the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating.

Mesothelioma traditional care will always depend on where the cancer is, how far it has advanced, and the patient's age and general health. Clinical trials are designed to find better ways to treat cancer patients than are available through mesothelioma traditional care and are based on the most up-to-date information. Clinical trials are ongoing in many parts of the world at universities and research hospitals to give hope for future patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma.

For more information on Mesothelioma Traditional Care, please visit MN: Mesothelioma Traditional Care, Mesothelioma Traditional Care, ODP: Mesothelioma Traditional Care or Yahoo! Mesothelioma Traditional Care.

Disclaimer: The content on this Web site has not been endorsed by a licensed physician, and should neither be taken as legal advice nor as medical advice. Please consult your attorney for legal advice; please consult your physician for medical advice.

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