Peritoneal Mesothelioma Treatments

While peritoneal mesothelioma treatment can be difficult because the cancer has usually developed based on the later stages of development, doctors usually recommend treatment for patients in the fight against cancer and support for pain relief. Current treatments used for patients with mesothelioma are surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs and radiation target and kill cancer cells that rapidly divide.

Although not a cure for peritoneal mesothelioma exists, patients may choose to run a combination of treatments, or to participate in clinical trials to relieve pain and improve quality of life. Clinical trials are studies that meet the patients could be involved to test promising drugs and treatments. All possible treatment options and medications must undergo clinical testing before being considered safe and effective.

Some patients with peritoneal mesothelioma may choose intraperitoneal chemotherapy, where medicine is injected directly into the peritoneal cavity immediately after surgery. In some cases, patients first go through radiation therapy can shrink tumors before surgery.

Many patients are not candidates for surgery because mesothelioma is often spread too far, or because the patient's general health is too low to cope with the stress of surgery. These patients may choose to participate in the palliative treatment options that seek to improve the patient, but the effort to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life in patients with peritoneal mesothelioma.