CHEMOTHERAPY and RADIATION TREATMENT
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to treat cancer. Cancer cells divide and multiply rapidly; chemotherapy works to prevent cancer cells from multiplying and in this way shrink or eliminate a tumor. Chemotherapy may be administered orally by a pill, or, more commonly, intravenously (through a vein). Sometimes a catheter and port may be implanted into a large vein and left there for as long as the chemotherapy treatment goes on. Chemotherapy for mesothelioma may also be administered intrapleurally (directly into the pleural cavity) or intraperitoneally (directly into the abdominal cavity).
In treating mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be used as the primary treatment in an attempt to shrink the tumor or at least stop or slow its growth. It may be used as an adjuvant treatment (in conjunction with other treatment), usually with surgery. In this case, the chemotherapy may be used before surgery to shrink the tumor to a more manageable size for the surgeon to remove, or after surgery to destroy any of the tumor which may remain. Chemotherapy may also be used as a palliative treatment in an attempt to relieve pain and other symptoms of mesothelioma.
The preferred chemotherapy drugs for treating mesothelioma are a combination of Alimta and Cisplatin. Other chemotherapy drugs are sometimes used, but Alimta/cisplatin has quickly become the standard. Alimta is a fairly new drug, and it is the first drug to be approved by the FDA specifically for the treatment of mesothelioma. The Alimta/cisplatin combination is now generally considered to be the most effective method for treating mesothelioma, particularly for those who are not candidates for surgery. The chemotherapy is usually administered on an outpatient basis every three weeks. These three week cycles are repeated usually for at least several months. How many cycles someone is given depends on the tumor's response and any side effects that may develop.
As with any medical treatment, obviously the potential use of Alimta must be discussed with your doctor. The effectiveness and potential side effects need to be weighed. Side effects are usually relatively minor, but some people do experience more significant degrees of nausea, vomiting and fatigue. These can be managed by your doctor though, often with vitamin supplement injections, steroid pills or medications.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is sometimes used as the main treatment for mesothelioma, especially for those whose general health is too poor to undergo surgery. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells.
External beam radiation therapy uses radiation delivered from outside the body that is focused on the cancer. This is the preferred type of radiation therapy to treat mesothelioma. These treatments are much like getting a diagnostic x-ray except for a longer time. A typical course of treatment takes anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks of daily treatments (5 days a week). In general, though, mesothelioma is not helped much by radiotherapy because it is relatively resistant to the effects of radiation.
More commonly, radiation is used as an adjuvant therapy in conjunction with surgery. In this way, radiation may be used to kill small deposits of cancer that cannot be seen and removed during surgery. Radiation therapy can also be used to ease symptoms of mesothelioma such as shortness of breath, pain, bleeding and difficulty swallowing.
Side effects of radiation therapy may include fatigue and mild skin changes that resemble sunburn. Usually, these side effects are temporary.
If you have any questions regarding treatment options or your legal rights, please contact us.