Treatment for mesothelioma

Treatment

Sadly, there is no cure for mesothelioma at present. But treatment is aimed at slowing down the disease and easing symptoms. Treatment depends on the staging and grading of your disease. Staging refers to the size of the tumour and if it has spread beyond where it first grew or not. Grading refers to how quickly the disease might grow.

Your doctor can advise you of the best treatment for you. The types of treatment include:

• Surgery
• Pleurodesis
• Radiotherapy
• Chemotherapy

Surgery

Sometimes mesothelioma can be removed by surgery. This is normally done under general anaesthetic. Sadly, surgery is often not an option because mesothelioma may have spread by the time it is diagnosed.

Pleurodesis

The build-up of fluid between the pleura can be removed during a thoracoscopy (pleural aspiration). During this treatment, your doctor can put medicationinto the pleura, causing scarring and preventing further build-up of fluid. This is known as pleurodesis. This will help you to feel less breathless.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is the use of powerful X-rays to cure or control cancer. With mesothelioma, it can be used to control symptoms and also to shrink the tumour. Normally the chest is marked with a pen beforehand, so that the X-rays are sent to the same area of the lungs each time. You will be asked to sit very still in front of a machine that gives off the X-rays. This treatment is quick and painless. Your doctor and nurses will discuss with you how much radiotherapy you need.

For more information on radiotherapy see our booklet Understanding Radiotherapy, which you can download from our "Important cancer information booklets" list on the right hand side of this page, or learn more about radiotherapy here.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to control the symptoms of the disease or slow down the growth of the tumour. Chemotherapy can be given through a plastic tube (cannula) put into your vein or in tablet form. The side-effects of the drugs can vary a lot and depend on the individual. Sometimes mesothelioma is treated with a combination of drugs. Your doctor or nurses can discuss your chemotherapy drugs with you in more detail.

For more information on chemotherapy see our booklet Understanding Chemotherapy, which you can download from our "Important cancer information booklets" list on the right hand side of this page, or learn more about chemotherapy here.

Call our National Cancer Helpline

Freephone 1800 200 700 to talk to a specialist cancer nurse
It's open Monday-Thursday from 9am to 7pm and Friday from 9am to 5pm