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Mesothelioma Treatment Information At present time, there are a number of treatments available to Mesothelioma patients. The treatment to be used depends on several factors including how far the disease has progressed, the age of the patient and the type and location of Mesothelioma. In this article, we will examine the three most popular types of treatment. The first type of treatment is Pneumonectomy. This is a surgical procedure that is used for patients with Pleural Mesothelioma. Basically this type of Mesothelioma is the most common type. It attacks the lungs and respiratory areas of the body. It is called Pleural because it affects the lining of the lungs and ribs. That lining is also known as the pleural. During the Pneumonectomy, the damaged and diseased lung is removed. If after the removal of the lung, it is determined that the disease has spread, then another surgery may be needed. The second time around, the patient may have parts of the lung as well as the diaphragm removed. This surgery comes with a high risk factor. There are many things a doctor will look at when deciding on this type of surgery such as the patient’s overall health, smoking habits and the extent to which the patient was exposed to the asbestos. Radiation is the second treatment type. Radiation treats the affected areas but doesn’t expose the parts of the cells or tissue that is healthy. Radiation is not only used for Mesothelioma but other types of cancer as well. It is a type of treatment that works pretty quickly. It works through the placements of radioactive sources in the affected area, which then give out radiation to kill off the abnormal cells. The radiation keeps on working for about a year, killing the tumor during this time. This type of treatment can be used in conjunction with surgery or if the patient is not well enough for surgery, it can be used alone. The third type of Mesothelioma treatment is Chemotherapy. This is a tough type of treatment to go through. My mom had lung cancer and went through chemotherapy. I was young at the time, but I remember how sick she was after doing the treatments. Chemotherapy can be given by either swallowing a pill or injection. The reason that chemo makes patients so sick is that they have high toxicity levels. Side effects from this treatment include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue and weight loss. There are medications that can be given after chemo treatment to help reduce the side effects. Now chemotherapy is not directed at any one area of the body so it has to work its way around to find the diseased area. Sometimes a treatment will be used by itself or it will be used in conjunction with another treatment type. All Text Copyright © Safety2005.org |
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