Mesothelioma Treatment: Radiation

Mesothelioma is a deadly type of cancer that forms in the lining of the body’s organs, known as the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is most prominently found in the lining near the lungs, known as the pleura, but may be found in other parts of the body. The second most prominent type of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma, found in the lining of the stomach. Both kind of mesothelioma may spread to other organs if left unchecked.

Mesothelioma is known to be caused from exposure to the building material known as asbestos. This fibrous material was once widely used, but since discovering its potential dangers, it is has been greatly restricted. However, the removal process, known as asbestos abatement, can be a very difficult and dangerous.

One of the reasons that mesothelioma is such a deadly disease is that is has a very long latency period. Typically, it is many decades after the initial asbestos exposure when the first symptoms of mesothelioma appear. Even more difficult is it shares many of the same early symptoms as lung cancer.

Sadly, there is currently no cure for any form of mesothelioma. However, treatments plans do exist in order to extend the patient’s life and to increase his or her quality of life. These treatment plans are based on treatments for other types of cancer, though they are not as effective when dealing with mesothelioma. Currently researchers are developing more specialized methods of treatment.

The three main methods of treating mesothelioma include:

• Chemotherapy
• Surgery
• Radiation Therapy

Many people are familiar with the process of chemotherapy and surgery. Radiation therapy, however, is less well known.

Radiation therapy as a cancer treatment is a somewhat complicated process. In this case, radiation therapy refers to the using of ionizing radiation as a treatment for mesothelioma. When used on other forms of cancer, it may be used as a primary form of treatment and often can be used as a curative approach. However, when used as a treatment for mesothelioma, its effectiveness is due in part to its function in a multimodal treatment system.

Radiation is the term used to describe the energy emitted from a body, such as an atom as it move from a state of high energy to a state of lower energy. The two basic forms of radiation are ionizing radiation, where the radiation can alter the atomic structure of an atom through ionization, and non-ionizing radiation, which cannot alter the structure of an atom. Radiation therapy uses ionizing radiation as a way to treat the spread of cancer.

Cancer spreads using the cancer cells to reproduce and divide rapidly. Radiation therapy using ionizing radiation works to create instabilities in the DNA of the target cells, making it difficult for that cell to divide and reproduce. If the cancer cells are not able to reproduce, the development of cancer in that part of the body is slowed. In some forms of cancer, radiation therapy may result in the cancerous tumor disappearing completely.

Aside from the extraordinarily long latency period, another difficulty presented by mesothelioma is its unusual morphology and behavior pattern. Instead of causing the formation of one large tumor, mesothelioma results in the formation of several small tumors. This makes it difficult as there is no single focal point in which to guide the ionizing radiation. Due to this, it is not advisable to use radiation therapy as the only source of treatment.

Still, radiation therapy is an important and valuable part of mesothelioma treatment. It may be used to slow the spread of the disease, albeit in a smaller context than other cancer treatments. This is particularly useful when combining radiation therapy and surgical techniques. The ionizing radiation may be used to prevent tumors from spreading to the points of surgical excision.

Radiation therapy also may be used to a palliative purpose. This process has been shown to be effective at drastically reducing the pain associated with advanced forms of mesothelioma, specifically pleural mesothelioma.

There are certain risks associated with radiation therapy as a treatment for mesothelioma. Just as the ionizing radiation can damage the DNA in cancer cells, it may also affect healthy cells. Due to the irregularity of mesothelioma tumors, it is important for medical professionals to avoid irradiating the healthy cells located near the cancer cells.

Also, as with most forms of treatment and medication, there are possible side effects associated with radiation therapy. Some of these side effects include:

• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Decrease in white blood cell count

Before a patient begins receiving radiation therapy, or any other form of cancer treatment, he or she should consult his or her primary care physicians for more information on the potential risks and benefits.

Though mesothelioma currently has no cure, these treatment plans can help extend the patient’s life and greatly reduce the pain and discomfort associated with this disease.