Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects between 2,000 and 3,000 people in the United States annually. Mesothelioma usually occurs in patients who have had asbestos exposure at some point in their lives. This exposure may have been through direct contact or indirect contact where other family members living in the home were exposed to asbestos and brought it home on their clothes or their hair.

Mesothelioma affects the organs in the peritoneum or the body’s abdominal cavity or in the membrane covering the lungs and lining the chest cavity which is called the pleura. Mesothelioma can also affect the pericardium or the membrane that protects the heart. The membranes covering the reproductive organs can also be affected. Very little is known about this form of mesothelioma since it is so rare.

Mesothelioma is a very aggressive form of cancer and is also very rare. Diagnosis of the disease is sometimes difficult because of the time lapse between exposure to asbestos and the occurrence of symptoms. Patients may not have been in contact with asbestos for up to fifty years before symptoms begin to surface. Knowing how to treat mesothelioma may increase a patient’s survival rate or help to improve quality of life.

Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma also known as lung cancer. If a patient has indeed been diagnosed with this form of cancer, the doctors must determine how far along the cancer is and what stage of the disease the patient is in. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is not generally diagnosed until the cancer has spread to advanced stages, palliative care may be the only option. This would allow patients to be made comfortable and increase the quality of life that they now have. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mesothelioma/DS00779/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

Surgery to remove any fluid that has built up in the lungs may be a treatment option for patients with pleural mesothelioma. The accumulation of fluid makes it difficult for patients to breath. To remove the fluid, a surgeon would insert a catheter into the patient’s chest to drain the fluid. Medications can also be injected directly into the chest to stop the fluid buildup. Some other available treatments may include surgery to remove any cancerous tissue in the chest area or surgery to remove the entire lung. Radiation treatments may be given to patients who elect to have the surgery.

Doctors may also prescribe chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a combination of the two. Clinical trials may also be available for some patients. Trials are generally created to test the effectiveness of certain drugs. Check with your doctor to see if there are clinical trials available in your area and if you are able to participate in the trials.

Patients with pericardial mesothelioma may have difficulty finding a treatment plan because of the nature of the disease. This cancer is often in very advanced stages before diagnosis and many patients who are diagnosed with this type of cancer are not generally candidates for surgery. If the cancer is diagnosed early enough, surgery that involves the removal of pericardial tumors may be an option. Due to the proximity of the heart, this surgery carries some risks.

For many patients who are diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma, the prognosis is grim. At this stage of the disease, palliative care may be the only option. Palliative care, also known as hospice care, may help to improve the patient’s quality of life by helping to reduce symptoms caused by the buildup of fluid. One technique that may reduce fluid is a fine needle aspiration. This treatment may help to remove excess fluid in the pericardial area which may alleviate some of the patient’s suffering. Radiation therapy may also be an option for some patients with pericardial mesothelioma; however, again, the proximity of the heart and lungs can make this surgery risky for some.

As in step one, clinical trials may be an option for patients with mesothelioma; however, there is no guarantee that trials are available or that patients will be accepted into any available trials. http://www.mesolink.org/resources/pericardial-mesothelioma.html Check with your doctor or local hospital to inquire about trials for patients with pericardial mesothelioma.

As with pleural and pericardial mesothelioma, one of the unfortunate aspects of peritoneal mesothelioma is the fact that the disease may not be diagnosed until the cancer is in advanced stages. This limits treatment options for patients.

Common types of treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma include surgery to remove the areas affected by cancer. Other treatments include chemotherapy or radiation. Chemotherapy and radiation can target rapidly growing cancer cells, killing them off. Patients may elect to receive a combination of surgery and chemotherapy or radiation to increase their chances of survival.

Another therapy that may be effective for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma is intraperitoneal chemotherapy. This type of treatment involves certain medication being injected directly into the peritoneum following surgery. As well, patients may elect to have radiation treatment before surgery which could help shrink any of the patient’s tumors.

As mentioned above in steps one and two, clinical trials may indeed be alternatives for patients who have been diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. Talk to your medical professional about the availability of clinical trials in your area that may be open to you. http://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/peritoneal.php