An Update To Mesothelioma Cures: Surgery, Radiation & Chemotherapy

The prediction for mesothelioma remains daunting, even though some modest improvements from newer chemotherapy treatments have arisen. Cures are very seldom; treatments at earlier stages have better effect.

Several factors including the continuous mesothelial surface affects the development of mesothelioma. This includes the long period between exposure to asbestos and development of the disease. Patient's age and health status also help treatment.

Reports suggested that surgey, radiation and chemothrapy are amongs the treatment of this type of cancer. Surgery itself has proven to be not giving the desired results. The average survival with surgery is around 12 months. However, don't 100% rely on what the statistics says, a few examples indicate varied success when surgery is conducted in combination with radiation and chemotherapy.

For patients who have better tolerants to a complete surgery, `surgeon usually perform radiation at a consolidative stage. Conducting radiation and chemotherapy after surgery has resulted in an increase of life expectancy with patients surviving more than five years. However, if only radiation is given to cure mesothelioma, situation rarely improves significantly.

In January 2009, the United States FDA approved using conventional therapies - surgery in accordance with radiation or chemotherapy on stage I or II Mesothelioma. This is then measured by Duke University in a nationwide research study; the research concluded almost 50 point increase in remission rates.