Patients may have limited mesothelioma treatment options because often the disease will not be detected until it has spread to other parts of the body, eliminating a patient’s eligibility for surgery and some types of localized radiation. However, patients who find themselves in this pool will be relieved to hear that malignant mesothelioma, in almost any stage, can be treated with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is by far the most common treatment used in cases of malignant mesothelioma and, not coincidentally, has the widest margins of patient eligibility.
Chemotherapy is commonly associated with cancer treatment but not everyone knows exactly how chemotherapy works. Chemotherapy uses cytotoxic (meaning cell-toxic) drugs in targeted dosages to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. Cytoxic drugs will be introduced to the body, either intravenously or orally, and act upon the cancer cells. Portions of the cancer cells will die, slowing growth and further spread of the cancer. What makes chemotherapy so useful in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma are the drug’s ability to act upon cancer cells anywhere, as opposed to a localized treatment such as surgery or radiation. What this means is that chemotherapy is still a very viable option even for patient’s whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Chemotherapy is not without some significant side effects however. Just as the cytoxic drugs act upon cancer cells, they almost certainly act upon some healthy cells as well. When healthy cells are damaged, often some difficult side effects will appear. Nausea, fatigue, anemia, hair loss, and sexual/reproductive side effects are all commonly associated with chemotherapy. For patients of malignant mesothelioma, the precise drug cocktail as certified by the Food and Drug Administration is some balance of Alimta and Cisplatin. Generally, side effects with this regimen are limited to some nausea, fatigue, and hair loss, though others may occur depending on the general health of the patient and other factors.
If you have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, it is important you give all treatments, including chemotherapy, thorough consideration. While chemotherapy and other mesothelioma treatments will not cure the disease, these treatments can provide you with energy to battle the disease as well as important time with your family and loved ones. Chemotherapy is not for all patients. Some patients specific health circumstances may dictate that another treatment be used for their case of malignant mesothelioma. Whatever the cases, it is important you speak with your physician and cancer specialists to determine what treatment is best for you.