Saturday, May 9, 2009

Discussing All the Treatment Options for Mesothelioma


Asbestos can cause cancer at three places in the body after coming in contact with the body. Commonly lungs get affected because of the inhalation of asbestos causing pleural mesothelioma. Cancer in the lungs can also invade cancer in heart and the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer caused by asbestos in heart is called pericardial mesothelioma and cancer caused by asbestos in gastrointestinal tract is called peritonial mesothelioma.

Here we will discuss the treatment options of Mesothelioma. There are many Mesothelioma options the first one out of them is the new form of treatment called Photodynamic Therapy. In this form of therapy photosensitive drugs are injected intravenously in the body of the patient. These drugs kill the diseased cells in the body.

Second method, which is used is used worldwide is called Immunotherapy. In some countries, it is also known as Biological Therapy. Immune system of patient’s body is stimulated against the cancer with the help of Biological Response Modifiers. Biological Response Modifiers are synthesized naturally in the body but these days some companies are manufacturing synthetic Biological Response Modifiers.

Third type of therapy used by the doctors is called Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy and it is used as an additional therapy. This therapy controls mesothelioma locally.

Fourth therapy used to treat this disease is called Gene Therapy. It is the advanced therapy. In this therapy DNA is used to treat many incurable diseases. This therapy is used in two ways- one is replacement gene therapy in which gene responsible for the disease is replaced by a new gene. Another is knockout gene therapy in which responsible gene is completely from the body.

Mesothelioma is not cured by using just one method; all the methods mentioned above are used in combination. Some other alternatives used in addition with traditional treatments like massage, acupuncture, and hypnosis etc.

The choice of the treatment is based on many factors like the stage of the cancer, age of the patient as well as his own choice. Before going for the treatment of Mesothelioma, a patient has to undergo much diagnosis because the symptoms of this disease are similar to other respiratory disease.

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