Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment: Purposes, Procedures, and Side Effects

Malignant mesothelioma treatments are necessary for individuals diagnosed with this rare cancer. Treatment may be recommended for patient comfort or as a curative measure to reduce the amount of cancer in the body. Treatment for malignant mesothelioma cancer varies in invasiveness and effectiveness depending on the stage at which the patient’s cancer has reached prior to treatment. Malignant mesothelioma treatment typically includes traditional modalities of treatment because much is still unknown about how asbestos causes cells to mutate. The mystery surrounding asbestos related cancers also lends to the varied results of treatments of malignant mesothelioma.

The most common forms of treatment include surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. These three are often combined to increase the effectiveness of treatment, as well as other forms of cancer treatment. Some treatments are administered for specific types of malignant mesothelioma, while others are often recommended for treatment of all of the types of malignant mesothelioma. For example, peritoneal malignant mesothelioma treatment options often avoid general radiation treatments because of the harmful effects of radiation on other digestive organs. Chemotherapy, however, may be employed for all types of cancers and mesothelioma cancer, specifically.

Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment Options: Curative Treatments Snapshot

The table below provides a snapshot of the most widely recommended malignant mesothelioma treatments, which are further described on this page. Surgery, followed immediately by chemotherapy and radiation are the preferred treatment methods whenever possible.

Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment Options: Curative Treatment Definitions

Surgery is the preferred method of treatment in most cases. This malignant mesothelioma treatment option allows surgeons to remove specific cancer cell masses.

Purpose: The purpose of nearly all malignant mesothelioma surgery treatment is to remove cancer cells, therefore slowing the growth and spread of cancer and extending the patient’s life while reducing the number of symptoms. Surgery is sometimes employed to reduce symptoms only, however.

Surgical Procedures

Pleurectomy\Peritonectomy

Purpose: Surgical removal of all of the mesothelium (lining) of the lungs, chest cavity, heart, abdominal walls, or any organ within the abdomen or removal of a portion of the mesothelium with cancer cells. Because malignant mesothelioma occurs primarily in this outer protective layer within the body cavity, patients who have been diagnosed at early stages may best benefit from the removal of the affected structure.

Side Effects and Complications: In patients with immune deficiencies, this surgery may cause infection. There are many routine surgical complication possibilities and side effects, including:

• Bleeding
• Air Leaks (if the lung is punctured, for example)
• Post-Op Chest Pain, especially if a drain port is present
• Chest Discomfort, sometimes for years

Pneumonectomy and Extrapleural Pneumonectomy

Purpose: As a malignant mesothelioma treatment, a pneumonectomy offers an option to remove much of the cancer present on and near the lungs. This isn’t a desirable surgery, as it includes removing the entire lung. If an extrapleural pneumonectomy is performed, an entire lung is removed as well as any other portion of the chest that may contain the cancer including the heart lining (pericardium or pericardial sac) and the chest lining.

Side Effects and Complications: Minor side effects include nausea and vomiting, some infections (though infection can become dangerous), bleeding, bruising, pain and scarring, numbness at incision site. Major complications may also occur, including any of the following. Not all possible complications are listed and major complications are more likely to occur if the patient has another condition such as heart disease, lung disease in the remaining lung, obesity, diabetes, or if the patient is a smoker.

• Bronchopleural fistula
• Irregular heart-beat
• Shortness of breath or unable to breathe without mechanical assistance
• Lung collapse
• Cardiovascular Reactions (Heart attack or failure)
• Stroke
• Blood clots

Tumor Resection

Purpose: Remove cancer cell clusters through a surgical incision. This procedure is the most preferred method of malignant mesothelioma treatment for Stage I diagnoses. Tumor resection is often performed through a small incision between the ribs through which surgeons may strategically remove affected tissue masses (tumors).

Side effects and Complications: The most common side effects of tumor resection are those associated with any surgery. (These are listed above, under Pleurectomy\Peritonectomy.)

Chemical and Radioactive Treatments

Chemotherapy and Radiation, Brachytherapy

Purpose: Chemotherapy and radiation are preferred as a follow up treatment to surgery that removes a large portion of the cancer, but may serve as the only malignant mesothelioma treatment option available to those that suffer late stage mesothelioma. Chemotherapy and radiation are used in combination to shrink the size of tumors by killing cancer cells. Chemotherapy uses chemicals injected directly into the cancer site to destroy cancer cells, while radiation therapy uses radioactive waves to accomplish the same.

Most forms of general radiation (applied from outside of the body) are ineffective on their own and are not recommended for use in the abdomen where radiation may cause significant damage to other organs. Brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy that is less harmful than general radiation. This malignant mesothelioma treatment involves placing radioactive material in the immediate vicinity of the cancer, inside of the body cavity and is less harmful to the rest of the body and healthy cells.

Side Effects and Complications: Chemotherapy and radiation therapy comes with harsh side-effects in many cases and especially if used as treatment over an extended period of time. The list of side effects and complications for these treatments is lengthy, but the most common are listed below.

• Fatigue and Flu-like symptoms
• Pain
• Sores in the Throat or Mouth if orally administered (Chemotherapy)
• Digestive system weakness\damage
• Skin irritations
• Weight loss
• Hair Loss
• Kidney\Bladder Dysfunctions
• Anemia\ Blood Clotting Issues (Low Platelet count)
• Compromised Immune Systems\Infection

Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment Options: Other Symptom Treatments (Complimentary)

Complimentary malignant mesothelioma treatments options for patients who are suffering from severely debilitating symptoms are another consideration following diagnosis or worsening of symptoms. The table below defines those most commonly employed as complimentary malignant pleural mesothelioma treatments. Many of the symptoms and treatments listed here for malignant pleural mesothelioma are common to other types of mesothelioma, especially those cancers which occur in the abdomen and the peritoneum.

Alternative therapy malignant mesothelioma treatments may also be considered by an individual diagnosed with mesothelioma. The emotional toll of living with a life-threatening illness can be astounding. Non-medicinal malignant mesothelioma treatments can further help to reduce stress and anxiety as well as some mild pain, nausea symptoms, and the side-effects of traditional medicinal treatments.