Treatment by Stage - Difficult Choices for You and Your Mesothelioma Doctor to Make

A mesothelioma doctor may vary the treatment of a mesothelioma victim depending on the stage of the mesothelioma injury. Mesothelioma treatment depends on where the cancer is, how far it has spread, and the victim's age and general health.

Standard mesothelioma treatment by a mesothelioma doctor may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Not all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may have more side effects than are desired. For these reasons, clinical trials are designed to find better ways to treat cancer patients and are based on the most up-to-date information. Clinical trials are ongoing in many parts of the country for many patients with malignant mesothelioma. To learn more about clinical trials, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615.

If the cancer is only in one place in the chest or abdomen, treatment will probably be surgery to remove part of the pleura and some of the tissue around it.

If the cancer is found in a larger part of the pleura, treatment may be one of the following:

1. Surgery to remove the pleura and the tissue near it to relieve symptoms, with or without radiation therapy after surgery.
2. Surgery to remove sections of the pleura, the lung, part of the diaphragm, and part of the lining around the heart.
3. External beam radiation therapy to relieve symptoms.
4. A clinical trial of surgery followed by chemotherapy given inside the chest.
5. A clinical trial of surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy

Treatment may be one of the following:

1. Draining of fluid in the chest or abdomen (thoracentesis or paracentesis) to reduce discomfort. Drugs also may be put into the chest or abdomen to prevent further collection of fluid.
2. Surgery to relieve symptoms.
3. Radiation therapy to relieve symptoms.
4. Chemotherapy.
5. A clinical trial of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
6. Chemotherapy given in the chest or abdomen.

Treatment depends on many factors, including where the cancer came back and what treatment the patient received before. Clinical trials are testing new treatments.