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Sunday, September 13, 2009

Mesothelioma Treatment Exposed

Mesothelioma is a deadly condition that is marked by the growth of cancerous cells on the mesothelium. Treatment procedures are in existence, but many factors decide the affectivity of the treatment options. In this short article, I will be explaining some of these treatment options. Mesothelioma is known to occur in stages. If the condition is diagnosed at an earlier stage, then there is room for survival. Moreover, the chances are slight. Unlike the other types of cancers that are in existence on this day, the condition is difficult to be diagnosed. Let us ponder over some of the available treatment options.
The most important type of cure is surgery. This is usually done during the initial stages and is the most recommended form of mesothelioma treatment. The procedure involves removing the cancerous cells from the regions affected using suitable surgical measures. The process might get complicated in certain situations. The surgery might be the direct cause of malignant forms of mesothelioma as seen on some of the patients. For example, benign mesothelioma can transform to pleural mesothelioma when certain surgeries go complicated. Please make a note of the point that surgery is helpful only on the onset of the cancer cell growth.
The second form of mesothelioma treatment is chemotherapy. The treatment procedure is simple - chemicals are injected to the body of the patient. These chemicals are designed in such a manner that they are known to act on specific cancerous cells only. The doctor might recommend chemotherapy when surgical procedures do not work out to be feasible for the patient. Chemotherapy might be beneficial to some of the patients, but it does come with lots of disadvantages. The body should properly respond to the chemotherapy. If it does not, the treatment is futile. Doctors who are taking care of the patient always keep a tab on the progress achieved by them.
When chemotherapy is not working as intended, doctors shift to another form of mesothelioma treatment. It is known as the radiation therapy. Specialized rays are used in this procedure to burn away the cancer causing cells. This is an expensive procedure and is usually recommended only during the most advanced stages of the disease. Doctors usually subject the patient to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It is effective for some of the patients, but for others the situation might remain the same. The above-mentioned treatment options are used in conjunction according to the extent of growth of the cancer cells.
As I had mentioned earlier, once the condition is diagnosed, the treatment options can be started. These days, doctors make use of SMRP tests to diagnose the condition. The mesothelium cells that are attacked by the cancerous agents release a specific compound as a byproduct. If the presence of this compound is revealed in the blood tests, then doctors may urge for more advanced tests to assimilate the situation. Some of the researchers have questioned the integrity of these types of tests. It is better to discuss with the doctor about the mesothelioma prognosis and reach to a suitable decision.

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