Mesothelioma Treatment by Stage

There are five stages in mesothelioma. Stage one is when the cancer is discovered in the lung, chest cavity, or diaphragm. Stage one is also called localized mesothelioma. If the mesothelioma is caught in stage one, there are a few treatment options.

The most common treatment option for stage one patients is to surgically remove the cancer. The two types of surgeries most commonly used are called, pleurectomy/decortication or extrapleural pneumonectomy. The doctor may observe other options such as chemotherapy and radiation especially in post surgery.

The next two stages of mesothelioma, stage two and three, have no known cure. When mesothelioma has progressed to these stages there are still a few options to help with discomfort and possibly delay the growth of the cancer. These options are thoracentesis, which is the process of removing fluid from the chest cavity, chemotherapy, and radiation. There are other surgeries that can also add relief, such as removing part of the growing tumor. Another option in these stages of mesothelioma is to enroll in clinical trials. A clinical trial aims and tests new treatments for mesothelioma and other forms of cancer.

By stages four and five of mesothelioma the prognosis is not at all favorable. The cancer has reached this stage because it has now spread to other organs. Once the cancer has reached these stages the main thing to focus on is how to keep the patient comfortable.

Things such as pain management should be of greatest importance. Hospice is also important. Hospice is when a nurse comes into the home of the cancer patient and helps to take care of him/her. The nurse can report any changes in pain and discomfort to the physician and also help to talk to the patient and the family of the patient. Some other options for stages four and five of mesothelioma would be clinical trials, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. These options would usually only be used to ease discomfort in the patient.

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