Treatment Options
While there is no cure for malignant mesothelioma, there are a variety of treatment options that can help patients improve their prognosis and reduce symptoms.
Thousands of people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, leading many patients and families down a difficult path of determining a treatment plan. Standard treatments for malignant mesothelioma are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. If possible, treatment plans incorporate a combination of the three and the patient’s age, overall health, and stage of cancer may limit available treatment options.
- Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation are standard treatments for malignant mesothelioma.
- Multimodal therapy is the most recommended option by physicians.
- Palliative treatments help reduce symptoms of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Palliative Care
Palliative care focuses on easing symptoms and improving quality of life, rather than attempting to cure the mesothelioma. While palliative care can be administered to anyone, this treatment is often reserved for those diagnosed at a late stage of mesothelioma. Common palliative treatments include pleurocentesis and paracentesis, which are used to drain excess fluid buildup around the lungs or abdomen. This helps alleviate symptoms associated with the fluid buildup, including chest or abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, and shortness of breath.
Free Mesothelioma Guide
Do you have more questions about mesothelioma treatments? Find the support you and your loved ones need with an information guide that includes the latest mesothelioma treatment options, top mesothelioma doctors and financial compensation assistance.
Types
There are four main types of mesothelioma based on the location in the body where tumors originate—most commonly affecting the lungs.
Stages
Mesothelioma can be categorized into one of four stages, which classify how far the cancer has progressed in the body.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose and is often confused with other diseases. Currently, only a biopsy can definitively confirm mesothelioma.
Prognosis
Unfortunately, mesothelioma has a poor prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of only 9 percent. Most patients have a life-expectancy of about 1 year.
Types
There are four main types of mesothelioma based on the location in the body where tumors originate—most commonly affecting the lungs.
Stages
Mesothelioma can be categorized into one of four stages, which classify how far the cancer has progressed in the body.
Diagnosis
Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose and is often confused with other diseases. Currently, only a biopsy can definitively confirm mesothelioma.
Prognosis
Unfortunately, mesothelioma has a poor prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of only 9 percent. Most patients have a life-expectancy of about 1 year.
We are Here to Help
Want to learn more about mesothelioma? We are here to help patients, caregivers, advocates, and others get the information they need about the disease. Please send us a message or call our support team at (866) 367-8341.
Understand Your Legal Rights
Because so many companies knowingly put employees at risk of asbestos exposure, mesothelioma patients and their loved ones have legal rights. Talk to an attorney to learn about your compensation options.
We are Here to Help
Want to learn more about mesothelioma? We are here to help patients, caregivers, advocates, and others get the information they need about the disease. Please send us a message or call our support team at (866) 367-8341.
Understand Your Legal Rights
Because so many companies knowingly put employees at risk of asbestos exposure, mesothelioma patients and their loved ones have legal rights. Talk to an attorney to learn about your compensation options.
