Mesothelioma Cancer Radiation
Radiation is one of the most common ways to treat mesothelioma - a cancer caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers - and remains one of the most effective. As with any type of cancer, the use of radiation has become standard practice along with options such as surgery in order to directly combat the spread of tumors and possibly remove them from the body. Mesothelioma sufferers often require a broad array of treatments in order to combat their cancer as finding mesothelioma before it has spread to distant sites in the body can be difficult.
Not only can asbestos fibers remain in a body indefinitely, but the symptoms of mesothelioma (chest pain, shortness of breath, pain in the abdomen) can indicate a wide variety of ailments. Many doctors will not think to check for mesothelioma unless a patent discloses previous exposure to asbestos. But despite challenges in locating this kind of cancer, advances in radiation are helping to address the disease and help patients not only reduce their suffering but live longer and healthier lives.
External Radiation
There are several forms of radiation therapy used to treat mesothelioma, and the most familiar is external radiation, in which a radiation source is used to target areas in the body that have cancerous cells and kill them, forcing tumors to shrink and hopefully allowing doctors to surgically remove them. In external radiation, a patient is typically given treatments four to five times per week over the course of several months. The treatment itself is administered with the patient lying flat and with shields over their body to cover areas that do not require radiation. Using a specially-designed rotating machine, medical professionals are able to deliver bursts of radiation to affected areas.
Brachytherapy
Another option for mesothelioma radiation treatments is brachytherapy, in which a patient has small radioactive rods or seeds implanted near tumor sites. These tiny radioactive materials are able to deliver radiation to a much smaller and more specific area, limiting damage done to healthy tissue surrounding tumors. While this method is showing efficacy in dealing with a number of cancers, it has not been as thoroughly tested as external radiation therapy for mesothelioma.
Radiation Side Effects
A patient undergoing either form of mesothelioma radiation therapy should be prepared for a number of side effects including fatigue, change in eating habits, dry mouth and skin irritation. No matter how targeted the radiation dose administered, some healthy cells will be killed in the process and a patient's body can quickly become exhausted trying to repair the damage that has been done. As treatments improve the amount and severity of side effects are decreasing, and surgical techniques to remove tumors are quickly becoming more precise.
There are a broad range of treatment options for mesothelioma in order to both length the lifespan of a patient or if they are in the early stages of the cancer, treat and hopefully remove the tumors entirely. For more information about radiation therapy treatments for mesothelioma, contact us today.