Mesothelioma Trials
Treatment
for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer,
the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general
health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation
therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are
combined.
Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor
may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and
some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural
mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called
a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle
below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
Radiation
therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy
rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy
affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation
may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting
materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes
into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal
radiation therapy).
Chemotherapy
is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout
the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given
by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are
also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy
directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use
a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up
in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid
from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid
from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given
through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating.
Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving
symptoms.
Because mesothelioma is very hard to control,
the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical
trials (research studies with people) that are designed
to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments.
Before any new treatment can be recommended for general
use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether
the treatment is safe for patients and effective against
the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important
treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.
People interested in taking part in a clinical
trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical
trials is available from the Cancer Information Service
(CIS) (see below) at 18004CANCER. Information specialists
at the CIS use PDQ®, NCI's cancer information
database, to identify and provide detailed information about
specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have the
option of searching for clinical trials on their own.
People
considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI
booklet Taking Part in Clinical Trials: What Cancer Patients
Need To Know. This booklet describes how research studies
are carried out and explains their possible benefits and
risks.
