Mesothelioma Treatment Options: Surgery, Chemo & Others

Several treatment options are available for mesothelioma, which are often customized to the cancer stage and the patient’s overall health.

The primary goal of treatment is to either remove or shrink the cancer, alleviate symptoms, or extend survival.

The most common treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy.

Each method offers unique benefits, with treatment plans often combining these approaches to improve patient outcomes.

Surgical Treatment

Surgery plays a significant role in mesothelioma treatment, especially for patients in the earlier stages of the disease.

The primary objective is to remove as much of the cancer as possible to relieve symptoms and potentially extend survival rates.

These surgical treatments include:

• Extra-pleural Pneumonectomy (EPP): A radical procedure that involves the removal of an entire lung, part of the diaphragm, and surrounding tissues.
• Pleurectomy/Decortication (P/D): A less invasive surgery that preserves the lung by removing the lung’s lining and any visible tumors. This surgery is aimed at symptom relief and improving quality of life.
• Cytoreductive Surgery with HIPEC: This procedure is primarily used for peritoneal mesothelioma. It involves removing visible tumors from the abdominal cavity, followed by heated chemotherapy (HIPEC) to target the remaining cancer cells.

After surgery, additional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation are often necessary to help ensure the elimination of remaining cancer cells.

Chemotherapy Treatment

Chemotherapy is a cornerstone in the treatment of mesothelioma, aimed at killing cancer cells and shrinking tumors.

It may be administered before surgery to shrink tumors or after surgery to eliminate residual cancer, and it can also serve as the primary treatment in cases where surgery is not possible.

Common chemotherapy options include:

• Standard Regimen: The most commonly prescribed chemotherapy for mesothelioma is the combination of pemetrexed with cisplatin or carboplatin.
• Additional Drugs: Depending on individual circumstances, drugs like gemcitabine and vinorelbine may be used if the standard regimen is ineffective.

Chemotherapy, though effective in many cases, often comes with side effects like fatigue, nausea, and a weakened immune system, all of which require careful management by healthcare providers.

Radiation Therapy Options

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to target and destroy cancer cells, providing symptom relief or acting as a complement to other treatments like surgery or chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy options include:

• External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT): This is a common form of radiation therapy that uses external beams of radiation aimed at the tumor.
• Brachytherapy: This method involves placing radioactive material directly inside or near the tumor. Although less common, it may be available in specific clinical trials for mesothelioma.

Radiation therapy is particularly beneficial for alleviating pain and managing other symptoms caused by mesothelioma, though its role in disease control is generally supportive.

Immunotherapy Approaches

Immunotherapy is an emerging area of treatment for mesothelioma, leveraging the body’s immune system to recognize and fight cancer cells.

It has shown promising results, especially in patients with advanced disease stages.

Available immunotherapy treatments include:

• Checkpoint Inhibitors: Drugs like nivolumab (Opdivo) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda) inhibit proteins that prevent immune cells from attacking cancer cells. These drugs have shown positive results for patients with advanced mesothelioma who may not respond to other treatments.
• Monoclonal Antibodies: These laboratory-created molecules target specific antigens on cancer cells, triggering a more robust immune response against the tumors.

Immunotherapy is often considered after traditional treatments have been exhausted, offering hope for patients who have not responded to surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.

However, it remains under study, with varying results based on individual cases.

Each treatment option presents different risks, benefits, and outcomes, and deciding which to pursue depends on the patient’s unique situation.

Patients should consult with a medical team experienced in mesothelioma treatment to explore all available options.

Mesothelioma treatment often involves multiple approaches to achieve the best possible outcome.

In addition to primary treatments like surgery and chemotherapy, comprehensive multimodality treatment and supportive palliative care play significant roles in treating this disease.

Comprehensive Multimodality Treatment

Multimodality treatment for mesothelioma involves using a combination of therapies to attack cancer cells from multiple angles.

Multimodal treatment options include:

• Surgery: Often the cornerstone of multimodal treatment, surgery aims to remove as much of the tumor as possible. This is usually followed by chemotherapy or radiation to target any remaining cancer cells.
• Chemotherapy and Radiation: These therapies can be administered before (neoadjuvant) or after (adjuvant) surgery. Neoadjuvant therapy helps shrink tumors, making them easier to remove surgically, while adjuvant therapy targets residual cancer cells to prevent recurrence.
• Immunotherapy: Emerging as a valuable addition to multimodal strategies, immunotherapy drugs like nivolumab and ipilimumab have shown promise in extending survival when combined with traditional treatments.

This personalized approach has improved many mesothelioma patients’ survival rates and quality of life.

Supportive Palliative Care

Supportive palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life for mesothelioma patients by managing symptoms and providing emotional and psychological support.

Key components of supportive palliative care include:

• Symptom Management: Palliative care provides treatments to relieve pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and fatigue. Techniques like thoracentesis or pleurodesis can help manage fluid buildup in the lungs.
• Emotional and Psychological Support: Counseling and support groups are integral parts of palliative care, helping patients and their families cope with the emotional challenges of a mesothelioma diagnosis.
• Complementary Therapies: These techniques may include relaxation, nutritional support, and physical therapy to enhance overall well-being.

Palliative care can be provided alongside curative treatments at any stage of mesothelioma to provide relief and comfort while the disease is advanced.

Mesothelioma treatments can be expensive and overwhelming.

If you or a family member is facing a mesothelioma diagnosis, you may have legal options.

Contact TruLaw using the chat on this page for a free consultation to discuss your eligibility for compensation.

The future of mesothelioma treatment is filled with potential as researchers continue exploring innovative therapies to improve survival rates and patients’ quality of life.

Many emerging treatments are currently being tested in clinical trials, hoping these advancements will lead to more effective options for those facing this challenging disease.

Emerging Treatments and Clinical Trials

Ongoing research in mesothelioma treatment reveals promising experimental therapies that may one day transform standard care.

These treatments focus on attacking the cancer in novel ways and expanding the therapeutic options available to patients.

Several of the most promising emerging treatments include:

• Cancer Vaccines: Designed to stimulate the immune system to recognize and destroy mesothelioma cells, cancer vaccines offer hope for long-term disease control. The WT1 vaccine, for example, has demonstrated promising results in clinical trials, extending median survival times compared to conventional therapies.
• Gene Therapy: By modifying the genetic material within cancer cells, gene therapy aims to disrupt the mechanisms that allow the cells to grow and spread. Research focuses on targeting mutations, such as those found in the BAP1 gene associated with mesothelioma.
• Virotherapy: This treatment involves using modified viruses to attack cancer cells directly or to boost the body’s immune response against tumors. Early studies suggest that virotherapy could lead to better disease responses and more prolonged survival in some mesothelioma patients.
• Photodynamic Therapy (PDT): PDT uses light-sensitive drugs activated by specific wavelengths of light to kill cancer cells. This therapy has shown promising results when combined with immunotherapy, significantly reducing tumors in preclinical animal models.
• Anti-Angiogenic Drugs: These drugs prevent tumors from developing the blood vessels they need to grow. Bevacizumab (Avastin) is one example that, combined with chemotherapy, has shown the potential to improve outcomes for mesothelioma patients.
• Tumor-Treating Fields (TTFields): TTFields are an innovative therapy that uses electric fields to disrupt cancer cell division. Already approved for use with chemotherapy, they have shown significant promise in extending survival rates in mesothelioma patients participating in clinical trials.

Clinical Trials: The Gateway to Innovation

Clinical trials are critical in the development of new mesothelioma treatments. They offer a way to test the safety and efficacy of experimental therapies in a controlled setting.

They provide access to cutting-edge treatments that are not yet widely available and are crucial for advancing medical science in the fight against mesothelioma.

Participating in a clinical trial may offer patients:

• Access to experimental therapies that are otherwise unavailable.
• The opportunity to contribute to the advancement of future mesothelioma treatments.
• A chance to potentially improve outcomes, especially for patients who have not responded to conventional therapies.

Clinical trials are an essential pathway for patients and researchers alike, helping to ensure that future treatments for mesothelioma become more effective and tailored to individual needs.

As these therapies continue to evolve, there is hope that one or more of these emerging treatments will revolutionize the management of this devastating disease.

Mesothelioma lawsuits are being filed by individuals across the country who were diagnosed with this aggressive cancer after being exposed to asbestos.

Trulaw is currently accepting clients with mesothelioma claims.

A few reasons to choose TruLaw for your Mesothelioma lawsuit include:

• If We Don’t Win, You Don’t Pay: The mesothelioma lawyers at TruLaw and our partner firms operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only get paid if you win.
• Expertise: We have years of experience handling toxic tort cases similar to mesothelioma lawsuits, which helps us anticipate what we can expect to see in your case and the regulations we will be required to meet.
• Successful Track Record: TruLaw and our partner law firms have helped our clients recover billions of dollars in compensation through verdicts and negotiated settlements.

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma after asbestos exposure, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and seek compensation.

Contact TruLaw using the chat on this page to receive an instant case evaluation that can determine if you qualify to join others in pursuing compensation today.