Download The Medical Cure for Mesothelioma

The Medical Cure for Mesothelioma
Although a clinically found cure for mesothelioma does not exist, there are plenty of treatment
options that patients can choose from to combat the cancer. Some of the most common
treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, but the goal of these treatments is
largely dependent on the stage of mesothelioma upon diagnosis.
For example, treatments like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation
can either be used to potentially cure the disease or they can be
used to provide relief from symptoms. A late-stage diagnosis, such
as stage III or IV mesothelioma, will typically receive a palliative
approach – meaning the goal is to alleviate symptoms and improve
life expectancy.
An early diagnosis, such as stage I or II mesothelioma, can be treated with surgeries and other
methods that aim to remove the cancer and send it into remission. Aggressive surgeries that try
to eliminate mesothelioma include:
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Thoracotomy: This procedure removes a portion of the lung.
Pneumonectomy: This procedure removes the entire affected lung.
Extrapleural Pneumonectomy: This procedure removes the lung, the lining of the lungs
and heart, and part of the diaphragm.
Pleurectomy/Decortication: This procedure removes tumors and portions of the pleura
while keeping the lung intact.
Many surgical procedures are followed with chemotherapy and radiation to kill any remaining
cancer cells left behind. In recent years, this multimodal treatment approach has shown to be
the most successful at prolonging survival.
Many patients who do not qualify for surgery have surpassed their expected prognosis by
receiving chemotherapy treatments. Alimta, also called pemetrexed, is the only chemotherapy
drug that has been FDA-approved for the treatment of mesothelioma. It is often combined with
Cisplatin and this approach has demonstrated successful results.
While the side effects of chemotherapy can be tough to handle, most patients agree the
benefits outweigh the risks.
Alternative Treatment
Some patients have managed to surpass their prognosis by either completely avoiding standard
treatment options or uniting alternative therapies with traditional treatment. Considered to be
alternative treatment and experimental, the lifestyle changes these patients made primarily
involved nutritional alterations that helped boost their immune system.
For example, one patient, J.R. O'Connor, survived seven years by taking 100 supplements a day
and following a mind-body therapy regimen. Another patient with peritoneal mesothelioma,
Paul Kraus, has survived 15 years by maintaining a strict vegetarian diet, utilizing nutrient
therapies and herbal remedies, and employing meditation and exercise, among other
modalities.
Bio: Jensen Whitmer has been writing for the Mesothelioma Center for more than three years
and he has an interest in spreading awareness about the hazardous effects of asbestos
exposure.