MESOTHELIOMA SURGERY

Mesothelioma is often diagnosed in its later stages, when surgery is no longer an option

August 18, 2010 – The most common mesothelioma treatment options are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Mesothelioma doctors frequently employ a combination of these procedures that are tailored to the patient’s condition and the stage that the cancer is in.

When mesothelioma is diagnosed, surgery treatments include three main types: diagnostic surgery, curative surgery and palliative surgery.

Only curative surgery can potentially remove all cancer from a patient with mesothelioma. For curative surgery to be effective, an early diagnosis is especially important.

Due to mesothelioma’s long latency period, the disease is not usually diagnosed until it reaches Stage III or IV, when surgery is no longer an option. Surgery can only be performed during mesothelioma stages I and II of the disease. Treatment options during the later stages of mesothelioma concentrate on relieving painful symptoms.

Mesothelioma surgery options

Surgical procedures involved in the treatment and diagnosis of mesothelioma are divided into these three categories:

• Diagnostic Surgery is used to confirm whether or not cancer is present and where it is located. This is typically non-invasive.
• Curative Surgery is carried out with the intention of removing as much cancer as possible, with hopes of curing the patient. Radiation therapy or chemotherapy is often administered following curative surgery.
• Palliative Surgery involves the removal of cancerous tissue and is used to provide symptomatic relief, but does not offer a cure. Surgery to relieve symptoms is often done in cases where the tumor has already spread or when the patient is too sick to go through more involved surgery.

According to the American Cancer Society, in most cases of mesothelioma the cancer is diagnosed in its later stages, when surgery may no longer be an option. If your doctor recommends surgery, ask for details about the operation and what the goal is.

Clinical trials offer the latest medical options

Another treatment option related to surgery can include participation in a mesothelioma clinical trial at one of the nation’s leading mesothelioma cancer centers.

The recently established Mesothelioma Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, for example, offers mesothelioma patients access to the newest experimental treatments. The center has the endorsement of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health, which has designated it “a center of excellence in the management of mesothelioma.”

Legal options are also available

The New York City-based law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg specializes in providing mesothelioma legal support and obtaining maximum compensation for workers diagnosed with asbestos illnesses.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis and seek free guidance on your eligibility to receive mesothelioma compensation, you are urged to contact Weitz & Luxenberg through the communication form at left.