Mesothelioma Help

Peritoneal mesothelioma treatment

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Your choice of treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma will depend on a number of factors. These include

The stage of your cancer
Any other medical conditions you may have
Your general fitness

Unfortunately mesothelioma does not always respond to cancer treatments. Doctors and researchers are working to improve mesothelioma treatment all the time. You may be offered treatment as part of a clinical trial and not as a standard treatment. The results of the trials will be used to improve treatment in the future. There is information about taking part in a clinical trial in CancerHelp UK.

Mesothelioma treatment is designed to treat the immediate area of the primary mesothelioma growth or the whole body. Whole body treatments are called systemic treatments. Localised treatments include surgery and radiotherapy. Systemic treatments act on cancer cells no matter where they may be in the body and include chemotherapy.

Surgery

Surgery is not possible for everyone with peritoneal mesothelioma. If surgery is possible, the operation is called a peritonectomy. This means removing the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen) where the mesothelioma has started growing. In recent years some doctors have been developing a technique known as cytoreductive surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma. Cytoreductive surgery involves the surgeon carrying out up to 6 different peritonectomy procedures, to remove as much of the cancer as possible. At the same time, or shortly after, chemotherapy may be given straight into the peritoneal cavity. Doctors have achieved some promising results using these techniques; in one review, about half of the patients who had been treated in this way were still alive 5 years after. But this is still very experimental treatment and, if it is available, may only be so as part of a clinical trial.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs, which are usually injected into a vein. For mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be given directly into the abdomen. Depending on the type of chemotherapy drugs used, this treatment can be given weekly or every two to three weeks. Usually the treatment is given as an outpatient. But it can be given at the same time as cytoreductive surgery, or soon after. The doctor has to make a small cut in the wall of your abdomen. Then the doctor puts a tube called a catheter through the opening and into your tummy (abdomen). The chemotherapy is given into your abdominal cavity through the catheter. Some studies have suggested that this can work better if it is heated to a few degrees above body temperature first. This is called hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIIC). But this is still very experimental treatment and, if it is available, may only be so as part of a clinical trial. Chemotherapy for peritoneal mesothelioma is given to help control symptoms and to try to slow the cancer down.

Supportive care (Palliative care)
Unfortunately peritoneal mesothelioma is often diagnosed when it is quite advanced. Some people may be too ill to cope with intensive chemotherapy. But you can still have treatment to try to relieve symptoms such as pain, weight loss and other symptoms such as fluid in the abdomen.

With more advanced peritoneal mesothelioma, fluid may collect inside your abdomen. If too much fluid collects, it makes your abdomen swell. This can be uncomfortable and heavy.

draining ascites

You can have the fluid drained off. This is called abdominal paracentesis. It is sometimes called an ascitic tap.

Your care will be managed by a palliative care team। This is a team of doctors and nurses who are expert in controlling the symptoms of advanced cancer. The team may also include a physiotherapist and a dietician.

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk

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