11 Creative Ways To Write About Treating Mesothelioma How Doctors Treat Mesothelioma    Doctors may combine treatment methods when diagnosing mesothelioma. They might suggest surgery to remove cancerous tissues or to improve symptoms. They could also prescribe chemotherapy drugs like pemetrexed and Cisplatin to shrink tumors or manage symptoms.    They could also opt for the procedure known as pleurodesis to create scars on the lung lining and stay together, preventing fluid build-up. You may be given chemotherapy orally or injected into a vein in order to get all mesothelioma cancer cells.    Surgery    Your doctor might also recommend imaging scans for your chest or abdomen. These tests can help determine whether your symptoms are due to mesothelioma, or another health issue. Your doctor may also require a biopsy in order to collect a small sample of tissue for lab examination. These samples can confirm your type of mesothelioma and assist you in planning your treatment.    The aim of mesothelioma surgeries is to remove as much of the tumor material as possible. This surgery may cure cancer in some cases but is used more often to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients with advanced mesothelioma.    Pleural mesothelioma that has been able to spread to the lining of the chest cavity can lead to fluid accumulation in the lungs, making breathing difficult. Surgeons can insert tubes to drain this fluid (pleurodesis) and inject medicine into the chest to prevent it from re-accumulating (pleurectomy/decortication). This surgery will not cure mesothelioma however it can alleviate symptoms like pressure on the lungs.    Surgery is a method to treat mesothelioma that has spread into the lining of your abdomen (peritoneum). The most common procedure involves a two-part surgery called hyperthermic and cytoreductive intraperitoneal treatment also known as HIPEC. This involves the removal of both tumors as well as a portion of the abdominal tissues surrounding it, including parts from the gallbladder and liver, as well as the pancreas as well as stomach.    Your doctor will recommend tests for pulmonary function prior to mesothelioma surgeries in order to determine the health of your lungs. These tests will let your doctor know whether the operation is safe.    Chemotherapy    For people with mesothelioma of the peritoneal or pleural regions doctors can prescribe chemotherapy drugs to destroy cancer cells in the body. The drugs are administered through a vein, or intravenously, and typically used in combination with surgery and/or radiation therapy. They can also be the only option for those who are not able to undergo surgery due to of their health.    Doctors typically prescribe a mix of drugs called pemetrexed (Alimta) and cisplatin or carboplatin for mesothelioma patients. These drugs are delivered via IV, and they are effective in killing cancerous cells that are growing too fast. They also aid in preventing tumors from regrowing after surgery, or if the cancer has already been spread.    Mesothelioma patients that are receiving chemotherapy should consult their physician for ways to manage potential side effects, such as nausea and vomiting. They must also inform their doctor of any other supplements or medications they are taking, as many medications can interfere with chemotherapy.    When people are diagnosed with mesothelioma they should consult a specialist, such as an oncologist, or pulmonologist, to understand the treatment options that are available to them. Anyone contemplating treatment options should be aware of their objectives, as well as possible adverse effects and the length of time they could last.    If you suffer from recurrent mesothelioma, which is when cancer recurs after treatment, doctors could look at a different medication or targeted therapy to stop tumors from growing. Targeted therapies reduce flow of blood to ensure that tumors don't receive the nutrients they require. A type of targeted therapy known as bevacizumab (Avastin) is commonly used to treat mesothelioma recurrently and other cancers like lung cancer and pancreatic cancer.    Radiation Therapy    Radiation therapy involves the sending of high-energy X rays or particle beams to mesothelioma cells that are malignant, which causes them to die. By shrinking tumors, it has been shown that radiation therapy can enhance the quality of life and extend the life expectancy of patients suffering from pleural cancer. It also stops mesothelioma from reproducing and spreading. This helps to reduce the chance of repeat incidence. It is most effective when used in combination with other treatments, like chemotherapy and surgery.      Radiation oncologists are typically the ones who deliver mesothelioma treatment. They work with the team to ensure you receive the most effective treatment. They will identify the area of your body that they intend to treat using the device, and could use immobilization devices or other molds to keep you in place during treatment.    During radiation, doctors monitor your condition through video and audio connections. The treatment itself takes just a few minutes each session, but the setup time can be as long as a few hours. You will probably need to schedule several sessions over a period of time.    A computer program is used to deliver precise doses of radiation during mesothelioma treatments known as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). It can offer better outcomes for patients, because it allows radiation oncologists to better target tumors and avoid healthy tissue around.    The most popular kind of mesothelioma-related radiation is external beam radiation (EBRT). This treatment uses a linear accelerator to deliver ionizing radiation therapy. Radiation oncologists are able to focus on specific areas of the abdomen and chest with this method of treatment. They typically apply it before or during extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) surgery for mesothelioma pleural. They may also use it prior to or following pleurectomy with décortication (P/D) which is a lung-sparing surgery for peritoneal msothelioma.    Endobronchial ultrasound-guided needle aspiration    In this test, doctors employ a narrow flexible tube that is able to look into the airways of your lungs and includes an ultrasound probe attached to it. The probe produces computer-generated, three-dimensional images of structures in the body, including lymph nodes as well as any tumors that may be present. Doctors will then be able to identify abnormalities, such as mesothelioma and then collect tissue or fluid samples to check for cancer cells. Doctors may also inject a dye into your blood to highlight areas they are testing. This helps doctors determine the extent to which mesothelioma is spreading in your body.    This procedure is for confirming a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma, and determining if you are at a stage where surgical treatment would be necessary. It is also used to determine if your mesothelioma has metastasized to lymph nodes, which will help your doctor plan the best course of treatment for you.    EBUS-TBNA is a combination of endoscopic visualization and high frequency ultrasound imaging to allow the doctor to locate the lymph node lesions that need to be examined and collect cytological samples. Studies have demonstrated that EBUS TBNA is an easier and less accurate alternative to mediastinoscopy for the staging of MPM.    The EBUS-TBNA procedure was 94.6% sensitive and 100 100% specific, in comparison to a sensitivity of 50% for traditional transbronchial aspiration. The EBUS TBNA procedure led to a complete characterization of underlying lesions, for example, the diagnosis of sarcoidosis (34 epithelioid 7 biphasic, and 1 sarcomatoid) in all 48 evaluated cases. The sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA for diagnosing metastatic nodal disease is comparable to that of MRI in this patient population, but its utility is dependent on the precision of the rapid on-site evaluation.    Mediastinoscopy    The procedure involves examining the chest area between the lung and the sternum, or breastbone. Mesothelioma typically develops in this area and doctors utilize mediastinoscopy to diagnose the condition, as well as other pleural disorders, like sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. Once the patient is numb with local anesthesia, doctors insert a lighted instrument known as a mediastinoscope into their chest cavity. well differentiated papillary mesothelioma treatment can take samples of tissue and look for cancer signs like enlarged lymph nodes.    Doctors may also use needles to remove fluid from the pleura (the lung's lining) for examination under a microscope. Typically, this procedure occurs when a patient experiences symptoms such as wheezing or difficulty breathing. This procedure is called a needle biopsy and is less invasive than surgery mesothelioma removal.    Our mesothelioma specialists are able to perform a more in-depth surgical procedure known as mediastinoscopy. In this procedure, a physician makes a small cut in the neck and inserts a bronchoscope or similar tool into the trachea and lungs to look for any abnormalities or lymph nodes that have enlarged. The doctor can collect a sample of tissue and send it to a laboratory for analysis.    Mediastinoscopy is an outpatient procedure meaning that the patient can go home after the procedure. It is important to know the risks associated with surgery before you decide whether it is suitable for you. This involves serious risks, such as bleeding, blood clots within the lungs or lung, lung damage, changes in heart rhythm and pneumonia. Additionally the surgical site may be painful for a few days following the procedure. The doctor can cover the incision with glue or tape-like strips in order to help it heal.