Malignant Mesothelioma Treatments - Mesothelioma Gene Therapy

Malignant Mesothelioma Treatments - Therapies

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Mesothelioma treatments have been unsuccessful in combating malignant mesothelioma. The primary causative factor for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. The long latency period (30 to 40 years) between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma diagnosis allows mesothelioma cancer to grow to an advanced and uncontrollable stage. The average post-diagnosis survival time is between one and two years.

Malignant mesothelioma treatments are broken into two categories; traditional mesothelioma treatments and new mesothelioma treatments.

Traditional mesothelioma treatments are used to treat a variety of cancers, including asbestos lung cancer, lymphomas, sarcomas and others. Traditional mesothelioma treatments include:

Traditional mesothelioma treatments are often used in conjunction with one another so as to attack cancer cells on multiple fronts.

New mesothelioma treatments are still being researched and tested and some have already been implemented (with little success). The primary focus of new mesothelioma treatments revolves around the research and development of new chemotherapy drugs. New mesothelioma treatments include:

New mesothelioma treatments can be used in conjunction with one another or with traditional methods of treatment; typically surgery.

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy

Mesothelioma chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer using anticancer drugs. Mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs are used to slow the uncontrolled division of cancer cells, while also initiating programmed cellular death.

Mesothelioma chemotherapy treatments are often used in conjunction with surgical treatments. Mesothelioma chemotherapy can be administered prior to surgery to slow the spread of a tumor, or used postoperatively to kill lingering cancer cells.

Mesothelioma chemotherapy treatments fall into the category of both traditional and new mesothelioma treatments. A great deal of research revolves around the development and implementation of new mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs that are based on scientific advancements.

Some of the more noteworthy mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs currently garnering a great deal of attention are:

Mesothelioma Radiation Therapy

Mesothelioma radiation therapy is another member of both traditional and new mesothelioma treatment modalities. Mesothelioma radiation therapy uses high-energy beams (gamma / x-rays) to treat malignant cells.

Traditional mesothelioma radiation therapies are often harmful to healthy tissue surrounding cancer cells. New mesothelioma radiation therapy, called intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), is designed to target cancer cells while limiting the amount of healthy tissue affected by the high-energy radiation beams.

Mesothelioma radiation therapy can be used in conjunction with surgery and mesothelioma chemotherapy treatments. For example, malignant mesothelioma sufferers could undergo chemotherapy treatments for several weeks prior to surgery. Postoperative radiation therapy could then be used to kill any lingering cancer cells.

Mesothelioma Gene Therapy

Mesothelioma gene therapy is a new type of mesothelioma treatment. Still in its early stages, mesothelioma gene therapy would ideally correct malignant mesothelioma at the DNA level by compensating for irregular genes responsible for the disease.

There are two types of mesothelioma gene therapy being researched for use against malignant mesothelioma; replacement gene therapy and knockout gene therapy.

Replacement gene therapy replaces an abnormal or missing gene. For example, a tumor suppressor gene can be replaced in a cancer patient so as to keep cell growth and division under control.

Knockout gene therapy is somewhat similar to certain mesothelioma chemotherapy treatments in that it targets genes that assist in tumor growth in effort to inhibit their action.

Mesothelioma Detection

Mesothelioma is often detected as pleural mesothelioma following a CT scan or x-ray of the chest. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma. Early mesothelioma detection can allow for more options in terms of mesothelioma treatment; however, no treatment has been successful in combating the fatal disease.

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