When patients begin to experience symptoms they tend to mimic those of benign illnesses by appearing as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, weight loss and non-localized pain. It can take a long time for doctors to get to the point where they suspect cancer at all, running tests for pneumonia and heart related illnesses.
By the time mesothelioma is suspected, the patient has run out of treatment options for reduction of the cancer with the only thing left to do is be made comfortable. If you have been exposed to asbestos at any time in your life it should be written in your medical history file in case you experience any symptoms that may indicate mesothelioma.
Treatment Options
Depending on the type of mesothelioma you have and its’ spread inside your body, there are a number of treatment options in front of you. Sometimes the cancer is caught early during a routine exam or while looking into some other problem. These are the cases that have the best prognosis because the cancer has spread very little and can possibly be eradicated. In cases where mesothelioma is detected later some treatments work and others are not advised. If the cancer is widespread and affects other areas and organs there is little that can be done other than keep the patient comfortable.
Traditional Therapy: Surgery When mesothelioma is caught before it metastasizes spreads to other parts of the body), it can be removed and possibly eradicated altogether. These cases are incredibly rare and are often found while treating another problem or during a routine examination. Initially, mesothelioma is localized and confined, it is when the cancer begins to spread that symptoms develop but by the time it is diagnosed it is usually too late for surgical measures. Unfortunately, surgery is not a failsafe option. It has a high rate of recurrence which makes joint therapies with surgery a necessity.
Traditional Therapy: Chemotherapy
Anti-cancer drugs and chemicals are used to destroy cancerous cells. These drugs are focused on cancerous cells but also tend to destroy normal, healthy cells in the process. By itself, chemotherapy is not much of a threat to mesothelioma, but when used with other therapies (such as surgery) it can greatly reduce tumor size and number.
This relieves the symptoms and works toward curing the disease. Chemotherapy can be administered directly into the affected cavity or through the bloodstream to reach the whole body. Chemotherapy is known for its severe side effects which have to be controlled through the use of other medicines.
Traditional Therapy: Radiation Therapy Radiation therapy (or radio therapy) is often used in conjunction with surgery and/or chemotherapy to reduce the size and number of cancerous tumors. There are very few studies that have reviewed the effectiveness of radiation therapy on its own but it is widely believed that in some cases radiation therapy could be effective on its own.
Alternative Therapy: Immuno-Augmentive Therapy
Immuno-Augmentive therapy is a method that attempts to restore and increase the body’s immune response to fight off the cancer. There is no better way to fight any disease than what defenses the body has naturally.
If properly stimulated, they can defeat any invader to the system. Most people’s immune system has been gradually beaten down by mesothelioma and cannot put up much of a fight when the disease metastasizes. Augmenting the body’s immune system increases the chance of recovery and restoring the patient’s internal balance.
Traditional Therapy: Antineoplastins This treatment uses naturally occurring peptides (antineoplastons) to reprogram cancer cells. Cancer cells replicate themselves and have life spans that are abnormal which causes them to build up and spread. Reprogramming the cells to behave normally can reduce the tumor size, spread and strength.
Traditional Therapy: Gerson Therapy Gerson Therapy is a homeopathic form of therapy that aims at detoxifying the body to stimulate the immune response. The patient is given a diet of fresh, raw juices and other raw foods in conjunction with various enemas (including coffee) in an attempt to detoxify the body and enable it to fight off the cancerous cells.
Traditional Therapy: Biological Therapy Biological therapy works to help your immune system fight off the cancer cells rather than attacking them. This therapy can slow the growth of cancerous cells and make it easy for your body to eliminate them from the system which keeps the cancer from continuing to spread.
Traditional Therapy: Phototherapy
Photodynamic therapy uses a photosynthesizing agent and a light of a specific wavelength to produce oxygen which kills cancerous cells in a specif region of the body. The agent is injected into the patient and becomes absorbed by body cells everywhere.
Once the agent has spread sufficiently and has left the non-cancerous cells (about 48 -72 hours), the area of the tumor is exposed to the light. The light produces an active type of oxygen that destroys the cells. It also destroys blood vessels in the area which removes the tumor’s source of nourishment. Additionally, this treatment often boosts the immune response and enables the body to fight off the remaining cancerous cells.
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