Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, treats cancer by using penetrating beams of high energy or streams of particles called radiation. In treating mesothelioma, radiation may be used aggressively in combination with surgery, or palliatively to control symptoms.
In an aggressive combined modality approach, radiation is used to attack microscopic or residual disease remaining in the chest cavity after extrapleural pnuemonectomy. An example of this is Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which uses x-rays of varying intensities in conjunction with computer generated images to deliver targeted radiation directly to cancer cells while reducing the amount of radiation to surrounding healthy tissue. More on Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT).
Used palliatively, radiation can help control metastases (spread) of the tumor along tracks left by invasive procedures such as thoracoscopy, needle biopsy and chest tube drainage, or to control disease symptoms, such as pain or shortness of breath.
An exciting new development in radiation oncology is tomotherapy. A brief description of steps in the helical tomotherapy process.
Mesothelioma Treatment Radiation Therapy
Alternative Mesothelioma Treatment
People are on the lookout for alternative mesothelioma treatment due to the complex nature and deadliness of mesothelioma. Not only patients, but researchers and doctors are trying to find out new ways to treat mesothelioma. ‘Alternative’ refers to the use of different methods from the traditionally accepted.
Most alternative mesothelioma treatments are not scientifically approved but certain treatments have found to give relief to patients and certain others are found to be of no use. Intraoperative Photodynamic Therapy (IPT), Immunoaugmentative Therapy (IAT) and Gene Therapy are some of the important alternative mesothelioma treatments in modern medicine.
Alternative treatments attack the mesothelioma cancer quite aggressively, with few or no side effects. It works by training the patient's immune system to recognize and destroy the tumor tissue. The method relies on cancer vaccines to stimulate the patient's immune system and destroy tumor cells. Immunoaugmentative Therapy (IAT) works by strengthening and balancing four different proteins found in the blood. Special drugs are administered to kill cancer cells in Intraoperative Photodynamic Therapy (IPT). The drug makes cancer more sensitive to light. Several days before the surgery, it is injected into a vein. A special light is used to detect cancer during surgery. IPT is basically used in the early stages of mesothelioma in the chest. Mutilated genes, which cause mesothelioma, are either replaced or removed in gene therapy. This treatment is at its infant stage but is a promising treatment.
Some types of alternative treatments have been practiced for generations but do not have any scientific backup. Homeopathy is used as an alternative system. An example of homeopathic treatment in mesothelioma is the use of Iscador from mistletoe. Iscador is an herbal medicine used to boost the body's immune system. Specific diet therapy, rich with vitamins and minerals, and metabolic therapy are other types of alternative treatment. Cow or shark cartilage is used as a food supplement in some treatments. Essiac is an herb supplement used. Bach flower is used in aromatic treatment. Other examples of alternative medicine are faith healing, vitamins, herbs, and supplements sold in your local drugstore.
Traditional Mesothelioma Treatment
Traditional mesothelioma treatments are the standard treatments for malignant mesothelioma, which is a cancerous disease affecting the mesothelial cells in tissues of the human body. Treatment methods of mesothelioma diverge due to a number of factors, such as the location of the cancer cell, the stage of the disease, and a patient’s personal choices. In general, traditional mesothelioma treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, or different combinations of these three treatments.
Surgery or surgical treatment is employed to either remove the cancer from the affected organ or alleviate pain. Sometimes, it may be impossible to remove all parts over which the affliction has spread; however surgical intervention may help in reducing pain. Two major types of surgical treatments include “pneumonectomy” and “palliative procedures.”
Pneumonectomy involves the surgical removal of a lung. This method comes in two varieties, “traditional pneumonectomy” in which the diseased lung is removed, and “extrapleural pneumonectomy” wherein the afflicted lung as well as part of the pericardium, diaphragm or parietal pleura on the same side of the chest, are removed.
In palliative procedures, treatment used does not heal mesothelioma, but eases pain and controls symptoms. “Thoracentisis” and “pleurectomy/decortication” are among the various palliative procedures. In thoracentisis, a needle is put into the chest cavity, either to drain fluid for diagnosis, or to drain fluid to relieve pain. Pleurectomy/decortication removes the pleura so as to lessen pain or prevent the recurrence of pleural effusion.
Chemotherapy is another important traditional mesothelioma treatment used to kill cancer cells by injecting medicines intravenously into the ailed areas. This method also involves the use of drugs to keep cancer cells from multiplying. Side effects can be quite severe in this treatment because chemotherapy may even destroy healthy cell in addition to the cancer cells. Nausea, vomiting, fatigue, hair loss, constipation, decreased appetite and mouth sores are some of its side effects.
Radiation treatment (radiation therapy or radiotherapy) uses high-energy rays (like x-rays) to damage mesothelioma cancer cells in a localized area. Although healthy cells may also be affected, they can repair themselves more effectively. The side effects of radiotherapy as a traditional mesothelioma treatment include fatigue, hair loss, skin irritation, nausea and difficult breathing.
New Mesothelioma Treatment
Several new mesothelioma treatments are being developed. Researches mostly revolve around developing new treatments or improving upon the traditional treatments. Hopes are high for mesothelioma patients as new chemotherapy agents and combinations of agents are giving improved results.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new mesothelioma treatment based on the theory that single celled organisms die when exposed to certain frequency of light. For this certain photosensitive drugs are administered intravenously. In a couple of days, the drug concentrates on the diseased cell and destroys it. Skin sensitivity, nausea and vomiting are some of the side effects.
Immunotherapy, sometimes called biological therapy, is another new method in mesothelioma treatment. In this method, the immune system of body is used to treat the disease. The body’s ability to treat itself might be hampered due to certain reasons. Immunotherapy tries to rejuvenate the immune system and there by improving the natural immune system which is the most effective way to combat any disease. The therapy also tries to repair immune systems that are faulty. Biological response modifiers (BRMs) are the substances used in immunotherapy. BRMs naturally occur in the body but it can now be prepared in laboratory and is found to give the same effect as the natural ones.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is new treatment used to improve local control of mesothelioma. In this radiation doses can be administered to tumor without causing damage to nearby normal cells. Treatment at the DNA level is an important breakthrough in science. Gene Therapy tries to correct or replace abnormal genes. Replacement gene therapy and knockout gene therapy are two main types of gene therapy. In replacement gene therapy the mutated or missing gene which causes mesothelioma is replaced. In knockout gene therapy, the gene responsible for tumor is completely eliminated. With more and more information regarding genes being unfolded, gene therapy treatment has a promising future in the treatment of mesothelioma.
Treatments which use some combinations of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, called multimodality therapy, are being researched upon. Heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy and use of pemetrexed drug, brand named Alimta, are some of the new developments in the treatment of mesothelioma.
