Mesothelioma Treatments

Mesothelioma Medical Information
Prognosis of mesothelioma is difficult to assess consistently because there is great variability in the time before diagnosis and the rate of disease progression. Various surgical procedures may be possible in selected patients, providing long-term survival without cure. In large retrospective series of pleural mesothelioma patients, important prognostic factors were found to be stage, age, performance status, and histology. For patients treated with aggressive surgical approaches, factors associated with improved long-term survival include epithelial histology, negative lymph nodes, and negative surgical margins. For those patients treated with aggressive surgical approaches, nodal status is an important prognostic factor] Median survival for malignant local pleural disease has been reported as 16 months and extensive disease as 5 months. In some instances the tumor grows through the diaphragm making the site of origin difficult to assess. Cautious interpretation of treatment results in this disease is imperative because of the selection differences among series. Effusions, both pleural and peritoneal, represent major symptomatic problems for at least two thirds of the patients.
Over the past several months and years, several new therapies and treatment options have become available to victims of mesothelioma. The treatment options iinclude Alimta, immunotherapy, gene therapy, photodynamic therapy and other multimodality therapies. Whether these treatment options will be available to a mesothelioma patient will depend on several factors including the age of the patient, the staging of the cancer and the overall health of the mesothelioma victim. Your doctor will be in the best position to determine whether you or your loved one is a good candidate for any of these procedures. We have provided a brief list and synopsis of these procedures in order that you can familiarize yourself with them and be in a position to make the best informed decision on your cancer treatment.
ALIMTA
Alimta is a relatively new type of cancer treatment developed by Eli Lilly. In the past, mesothelioma patients had to meet strict criteria in order to qualify to participate in the clinical trials of this treatment. However, the good news for patients and their families is that this procedure has recently been approved by the FDA and is the first treatment proven to significantly increase the length of survival in patients while at the same time alleviating significant symptoms associated with this disease.
The information provided here is to give you a brief overview of the treatment options available to you. Having said that, we are very happy to discuss this procedure with you at great length. We have seen the wonderful effects it has had on our clients for years and will be happy to connect you with some of the leading oncologists in the country that have spear headed the research of this new procedure.
IMMUNOTHERAPY
This type therapy requires the removal of a patient's affected cells, activation of those cells and reintroduction into the infected peritoneum. This procedure is often done in conjunction with other forms of chemotherapy. It is generally thought that patients in the very early stages of mesothelioma, would benefit the most from this procedure. In fact, initial studies have shown that in some cases the procedure has been successful in "shrinking" the mesothelioma tumor. This type of procedure is really in its infant stage and requires more studies before it is recommended for all patients.
GENE THERAPY
Gene Therapy is really a work in progress. The study surrounding this type of therapy has showed tremendous results in animals, but the affects of the treatment in human trials have been much less successful. This type of Therapy is one that your doctor would need to look at very closely in order to determine if you or a loved one would be a viable candidate. Often times this type of therapy is done in combination with other chemotherapy options. Unfortunately, the results have not been consistent.
PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY
This type of new therapy involves ingesting a drug that makes the cancerous cells extremely sensitive to particular wave lengths of lights. This requires a surgical procedure, and to date, the procedure has not had any definitive results showing increased survival rates.