Treating mesothelioma requires your medical team to understand many factors, including the type of mesothelioma you have, the stage it is in, and your overall health. These factors are determined through various tests, thereby giving your doctor the information needed to make appropriate decisions about your mesothelioma treatment plan.

Once all the information is gathered, a decision needs to be made about the type of chemotherapy drugs you are given. It was believed that mesothelioma did not respond well to chemotherapy until the early 2000′s, when pemetrexed (Alimta) came on the scene showing great promise in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Many times chemotherapy drugs are given in combination, as in the case of Alimta and Cisplatin, with the hope of providing the best treatment.

There are several classes of chemotherapy drugs, including:

• Alkylating agents – these were among the first chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer. They attack cell DNA preventing cell replication and typically work best on slow growing cancers.
• Antimetabolites – these cause cell death by preventing nutrients from reaching the cell, and work well on rapidly growing cells
• Plant alkaloids – these are derived from plants and prevent cancer cells from dividing. Some plant alkaloids work throughout the cell cycle, while others a cycle specific.
• Antitumor antibiotic – these bind with the cell DNA and stop RNA synthesis needed for cell survival, and are not cell cycle specific. Commonly used antitumor

Chemotherapy drugs can be administered intravenously, intramuscularly, orally or topically. The means of administration will depend upon the cancer type and the chemotherapy drug type. They can be given in a doctor’s office, cancer center, or hospital. Side effects include nausea, weight loss, hair loss, bruising easily, fatigue and vomiting. It is important to discuss all side effects with your doctor regardless of how small they may seem.

In order to receive proper treatment, it may be wise for you to consider speaking with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer to understand all your medical, legal and financial options. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Mesothelioma has a long latency period that can span decades. Additionally, the symptoms are often similar to common ailments, such as the cold or flu. These two factors make mesothelioma difficult to diagnose, and often the diagnosis comes in the late stages of the cancer, but not always.

Mesothelioma treatment must begin quickly upon receiving a diagnosis. While there are multiple treatments that are often given in combination, there are only two main types of mesothelioma surgery to remove tumors.

Pleurectomy / Decortication

The less extensive of the two surgeries, pleurectomy / decortication removes the pleura where the majority of the tumor is located. It is frequently used as a palliative procedure to relieve symptoms such as fluid buildup and difficulty breathing. Many surgeons are familiar with this procedure since it is also used on lung cancer patients.

Extrapleural Pneumonectomy (EPP)

EPP is major surgery that removes the tumor, lung and lining around the heart (pericardium) and portions of the diaphragm. The diaphragm and pericardium are reconstructed with man-made materials. This surgery is difficult and should only be performed by an experienced surgeon, typically in a large cancer center. The patient must be in good overall health and have good lung function. Unfortunately, major complications occur in as many as one in four people. There will be a fairly long hospital stay after the surgery to ensure the patient is recovering and there is no infection.

Treating mesothelioma is expensive, often costing well into the six-figure range. In order to receive proper treatment, it may be wise for you to consider speaking with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer to understand all your medical, legal and financial options. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Chemotherapy has long been used to treat many types of cancer, including mesothelioma. However, there are typically side effects, including nausea, vomiting, weight loss, hair loss, and fatigue, just to name a few. Some side effects are more severe. So why would you want to use chemotherapy drugs as part of your mesothelioma treatment?

It is important to first understand how the cell cycle works. Cells go from a resting phase through active growing phases and then into mitosis, or cell division. Normal cells cease dividing when they are in contact with like cells, which is known as inhibition. Cancerous cells lose this ability and no longer have normal checks and balances to keep them in control. Therefore, cancerous tumors grow in an aggressive manner, overtaking normal cells around them.

Chemotherapy drugs typically work by damaging the RNA or DNA that tells the cell how to replicate during division. Cells that are unable to divide eventually die. The faster the cells divide, the greater chance the chemotherapy will kill these cells, thereby causing a cancerous tumor to shrink. The drugs also cause apoptosis, or self-death of the cell.

Chemotherapy drugs affect cells in two ways. Drugs that affect cells when they are dividing are called cell-cycle specific. Those that affect cells at rest are called cell-cycle non-specific. Your oncologist will determine how to schedule your chemotherapy based on the cell type, division rate, and how effective the drug is likely to be, which is why chemotherapy treatment is often given in cycles.

Chemotherapy drugs, along with many mesothelioma treatment procedures, can be very expensive. Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure, typically while on the job. In order to receive proper treatment, it may be wise for you to consider speaking with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer to understand all your medical, legal and financial options. Contact us today for a free consultation.