Mesothelioma Treatment

Archive for the ‘Mesothelioma Surgery’ Category

Pleurodesis
Pleurodesis is a process that is sometimes used to control the pleural effusion or concentration of fluid between the lung and the lining layer. Pleurodesis can close spaces between the lungs and the outer layer, thus reducing the possibility of fluid accumulation. There are two methods of pleurodesis. In the first, a tube inserted into the chest drains fluids.

After the fluids have been drained, injected a sclerosing agent (a material that causes tissue scarring or hardening), such as a sterile powder like talc through the chest tube into the pleural space. Sclerosing agent distributes itself over time, while the patient is asked to move to allow better distribution of the agent.

Once this is achieved, a suction tube connected to the tube and inserted. The suction causes the two pleural layers meet, as it happens to collapse a plastic bag, and this allows the two layers heal together. The second method uses a thoracoscopic pleurodesis, in which a small incision or several small incisions in the skin and a thoracoscope is inserted through the same, to get a better picture of the pleura. The sclerosing agent is then applied.

The purpose of surgery is to remove most visible portion of the tumor, possibly knowing that microscopic remnants remain. Because this remnant, surgery should be combined with other forms of treatment. Sometimes, when the tumor warrants, offered chemotherapy to shrink the tumor before surgery. After surgery, the patient usually start more chemotherapy or radiation therapy. This is called multimodal treatment based on surgery.

The doctor will determine if you are a candidate for surgery after a comprehensive evaluation, which take into account several factors, including your general health, your heart, if one lung is committed (or the tumor contained in the abdomen) and the other lung in good condition.

Several types of surgery for the treatment of mesothelioma, and both must be performed in specialized centers with experience:
Pleurectomy / decortication – This procedure is the least radical of the two, and involves removing the pleura (the lining of the lung cavity that contains it) and that surrounds the tumor and not allowing the lung to expand. Its objective is to recover the functionality of the lung, and reduce the amount of tumor significantly. Read the rest of this entry »

Before considering any treatment for malignant mesothelioma, to assess your overall health. The tests are done to ensure that the cancer has not spread to distant sites and to assess how well your lungs and heart. Lung tests detect signs of lung injury by snuff or other diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These tests determine the level of risk they would do surgery, especially if it is necessary to remove a lung.

The surgery of malignant mesothelioma could aim to control long-term cancer (aggressive surgery) or relief of symptoms (palliative treatment).

* Aggressive surgery: a procedure called extrapleural pneumonectomy involves removal of the pleura, lung, diaphragm and pericardium. The goal of this surgery, very complicated and aggressive is to remove as much tumor as possible. Not all centers will perform this procedure because it is very complex and has a high risk of death within 30 days after surgery. This procedure is usually performed on younger patients with good general health with stage I disease Patients are evaluated carefully to determine their willingness to tolerate surgery.

* Palliative treatments: When malignant mesothelioma is advanced, one can resort to palliative treatment to relieve or control symptoms such as shortness of breath caused by fluid or tumor pressing on the lung or other organs. These treatments do not cure the disease, and are detailed below:

- You can use a treatment called thoracentesis to treat fluid accumulation (pleural fluid) in pleural mesothelioma. A needle is inserted into the chest to drain the fluid, relieving breathlessness and pain. Talc may be injected into the pleural space to try to stop the accumulation of fluid in that region. This treatment is called pleurodesis with talc powder. There are other similar treatments to relieve fluid buildup (ascites) in peritoneal mesothelioma (paracentesis).

- treatment called pleurectomy and decortication is the surgical removal of the pleura. This treatment may be performed to reduce pain caused by the tumor or to prevent fluid buildup. In case of peritoneal mesothelioma usually the goal of surgery is to relieve symptoms.

The pleura in a double layer covering the lung
The pleura is a membrane consisting of two thin sheets (visceral and parietal). They are the lungs and the inside of the chest cavity. In case of illness the space between the two pleural (pleural cavity) may fill with fluid, which causes breathing difficulties.

Asbestos case
It is assumed that about half of all malignant mesothelioma is caused by asbestos dust. Mesothelioma can develop decades after exposure to asbestos. If the asbestos dust may cause cancer should notify the appropriate accident insurance of the employer with whom the patient was exposed to dust, even if the patient is retired.

The lungs ‘walled’
The pleural mesothelioma is spread across the pleura and may invade nearby organs like the lungs or diaphragm. Arise breathing problems, coughing and chest pain. For the diagnosis is used in radiography, computed tomography or other methods of examination of the chest. It also collects fluid from the pleural cavity.

Surgery, radio and chemotherapy
The type of treatment depends on the spread of cancer. Typically, therapy is a combination of surgery, radio and chemotherapy. If pleural mesothelioma is diagnosed in a very advanced stage of recovery is not possible.

Pleural metastases
Much more frequent pleural mesothelioma are pleural metastasis, ie secondary tumors. Pleural metastases arise mostly from malignant tumors of lung, breast, stomach and esophagus.