Abdominal Mesothelioma Treatment
Researchers and doctors are working together to improve treatment of mesothelioma. Most commonly, treatment includes radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy.
Doctors diagnose peritoneal asbestosis using an examination of the body and a tissue sample. A surgeon inserts an needle into the chest's skin or abdomen to collect tissue or fluid.
Cytoreduction
Cytoreduction is the most effective treatment for patients suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma. In this procedure, doctors eliminate the lining from the abdominal cavity, as well as any visible tumors or cancerous tissues. This surgery is performed by a surgeon through an incision made within the bellybutton or through small incisions made on the abdomen. The procedure can last up to 12 hours. The surgery is often combined with HIPEC which involves chemotherapy drugs that are heated and circulated through the abdominal cavity following surgery.
Cytoreduction using HIPEC is a complex mesothelioma treatment that is only available through mesothelioma centers. It can dramatically improve the patient's prognosis. It is not recommended for all mesothelioma patients, especially those with advanced cancer.
Specialists in mesothelioma use a medical exam to determine whether a patient is eligible. They will use the CT scan and biopsy results to determine how far the cancer has spread within the body. Then, they will determine whether the patient is eligible for HIPEC Cytoreduction.
Doctors may also include chemotherapy for systemic use to the surgical plan. This is usually performed prior to cytoreductive surgery, or within the first month after the procedure. Patients should not return to work for at least six weeks following this kind of mesothelioma treatment.
Doctors may have to combine five surgical procedures during mesothelioma cytoreduction in order to completely eliminate cancer cells. They also need to remove the fluid and any dead mesothelioma cells. Doctors will usually perform a procedure known as laparotomy or open abdominal surgery, to access the peritoneal cavity. There is a possibility that they will need to perform a different procedure like a colectomy, or bowel dissection.
A recent study published in the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery found that a delay in mesothelioma cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC results in reduced long-term survival rates. The researchers recommend that people with peritoneal mesothelioma receive immediate referral to a hospital which offers this procedure. The authors also suggest that health insurers offer this procedure to patients with mesothelioma. In certain instances, veterans are able to receive this treatment via VA benefits.
Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC)
As a component of surgical cytoreduction, HIPEC involves bathing the abdominal cavity with heated chemotherapy to kill any cancerous cells left after surgery. In this procedure, surgeons insert catheters into the abdomen and connect them to an infusion pump that circulates the solution of chemotherapy to and from the patient's body. The procedure can last between 30 minutes and 120 minutes. During the treatment, doctors move the patient's body from side to side to ensure that the medication is absorbed into all areas of the abdominal cavity. Following the chemotherapy, the doctors drain the fluid out of the body, and stitch the surgical wound, and then transport the patient to intensive treatment.
Doctors utilize a combination chemotherapy drug during HIPEC. This includes carboplatin, doxorubicin and cisplatin. Depending on the type and stage, they may also use another type of chemotherapy drug. They can also alter the dosages to boost their effectiveness. During the HIPEC treatment, the surgical team will carefully monitor the patient's temperature and blood pressure to ensure that these crucial body functions are not affected.
During HIPEC surgery, surgeons will also employ a cooling system to keep the patient's internal temperature stable. This is important because the high levels of heat can cause a higher toxicity for certain chemotherapy drugs.
As part of a multimodal approach HIPEC has shown promising results for mesothelioma patients. It can increase survival rates by an impressive amount, particularly in younger people with smaller tumors. It is also used to treat malignant ascites which is an accumulation of fluid within the abdominal cavity that is caused by mesothelioma of various types. It is however a heavy procedure that should only be performed in university centers with experienced mesothelioma specialists. Patients should be aware that this kind of treatment may take months to complete. During this time, patients should get plenty of sleep and follow the advice from their treatment team to promote healing and avoid complications. They should also exercise within their limits and consume an appropriate diet to aid their body in recovering.
Targeted therapy
Mesothelioma, a tumor that is cancerous that develops in an extremely thin layer of tissues covering most of your internal organs. It affects the tissue lining your chest and abdomen (peritoneum). Mesothelioma is typically found in the pleura surrounding your lungs, but it can also be found in the peritoneum surrounding your heart or testicles. Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma decades before symptoms develop.
The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are abdominal pain, swelling of the abdomen as well as weight loss, fluid buildup in the abdomen (ascites) and fatigue. Most patients experience these symptoms for several months before their doctor diagnoses mesothelioma.
There are many treatment options for peritoneal mesothelioma but targeted therapy is the most promising. This kind of treatment targets genetic mutations that cause mesothelioma. These medications can kill cancerous cells without harming healthy cells.
Your doctor will determine whether you are a candidate for targeted therapy by performing an examination of the biopsy or by examining the results of other tests. The doctor will determine if the tumor is the molecular target that the treatment was designed to target. This can be accomplished with blood tests or a tumor sample, or computed tomography scans.
If doctors discover an area of interest, they'll match it up with one of the targeted treatments. These drugs can stop cancer cells from growing, or instruct them to self destruct. They can be taken in pill form or injected via an intravenous drip.
Targeted therapy may be used on its own or combined with other types of treatment such as radiation and surgery. In some instances, it may be used in combination with immunotherapy agents such as Yervoy, Opdivo or Tecentriq. These medications can stimulate your immune system to fight cancer.
Your doctor will set up regular appointments to check on your progress. They will check your condition through tests of blood and X-rays to determine the effectiveness of the targeted therapy has been. They will also inquire about how you are handling any side effects from the medication. The doctors will determine whether you should continue with targeted therapy or change to another medication.
Radiation therapy
Mesothelioma may begin in the tissues that cover the lung (pleura) or, less often, in the tissues in the abdomen (peritoneum). The cancer begins to develop and spread once symptoms begin to show. The majority of patients were exposed to asbestos while working.
Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed in later stages, after the patient has persistent symptoms that can be due to a different disease or a condition. Mesothelioma treatment aims to manage the tumor while keeping symptoms under control.
Doctors utilize a system known as the peritoneal cancer index, to determine how advanced a person's mesothelioma. The system divides the abdomen into 13 sections and assigns a number (0-3) depending on the extent of tumor growth. Doctors then add the numbers to identify the mesothelioma stage. Stage 1 is the least advanced mesothelioma stage. mesothelioma treatments is the most advanced stage.
For peritoneal mesothelioma doctors also take into consideration the size of the primary tumor as well as how much it has spread. They also take into consideration whether the cancer has gotten to the lymph nodes or other organs, a process known as metastasis.
In general the worse the prognosis, more extensive mesothelioma will be. There are a variety of treatments that can improve the quality of life of patients.
The first step towards an optimistic mesothelioma outlook is finding an experienced mesothelioma specialist. This specialist can select the most appropriate treatment for a patient's cancer stage and mesothelioma type.
Another treatment option is targeted therapy, which uses drugs to kill cancerous cells or stop them from spreading. These drugs can be absorbed in pill form or intravenously. Targeted therapy can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with other treatments.
At UPMC doctors also offer the most cutting-edge surgical procedure known as HIPEC. This procedure involves a surgeon removing mesothelioma-like tumors that are visible in and around the abdominal cavity. Then, the heated chemotherapy is in the abdomen. The goal of HIPEC is to eliminate any mesothelioma traces that remain.
Mesothelioma treatment is most effective when it begins as soon as possible. People with peritoneal mesothelioma should consult an experienced mesothelioma cancer oncologist to schedule a consultation.