pericardial mesothelioma
Of all the cancers caused by asbestos dust (mesothelioma), pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest, representing a fraction of all cases (5%). It is a cancer that grows on the pericardium (the lining of the heart). This is a delicate film ', and any infection in the pericardium may have consequences fatal.
Once a person has been diagnosed with mesothelioma pericardial that features three different treatment options. These are radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. Pericardial mesothelioma is extremely difficult to treat (due to the complexities involved in the removal of tumors of the pericardium), and the odds patient survival are slim. The three methods have a success rate mainly due to the fact that pericardial mesothelioma is detected at stages of maturity. (The reason for this is because in the early stages of cancer symptoms resemble those of diseases such as pneumonia). The prognosis for a patient receiving at this point (maturity) is generally less than a year.
Before treatment, the patient requires a medical evaluation to determine which of the three treatments are appropriate for him / her. Data such as age, weight, medical history, and general welfare will be considered before starting treatment. So, How to treat pericardial mesothelioma?
Radiation – As with all cancer treatments using this method, large doses of radiation are used to kill cancer cells in the pericardium. The disadvantage of radiotherapy is that not only is killing the cancer cells but also affect vital organs near the heart, ie the lungs. The heart is also damaged (due to large doses of radiation).
Surgery – We can break this down into two parts: aggressive surgery and palliative procedures. Aggressive surgery involves the removal of the cancer cell. Since these are very close to the heart and lungs, so it is an extremely precarious and requires a skilled surgeon.
Palliative procedures are used in the latest stage of pericardial mesothelioma and serve the sole purpose of reducing symptoms. Usually at this stage the cancer is virtually incurable.
Chemotherapy – This is the most widely used cancer therapies involving the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Unfortunately, most drugs used have a low success rate with pericardial mesothelioma. Investigations are ongoing to reach a cocktail of drugs which have a result more favorable.
No other form of treatment that involves the use of three treatment options mentioned above. It is known as dual therapy. Surgery used to kill cancer cells, then chemotherapy and radiation used to kill the remaining cells. The success rate of this method is higher than only the use of radiation, surgery or chemotherapy alone, but can be dangerous.
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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Treatment Options for Pericardial Mesothelioma
Pericardial Mesothelioma
