Researchers reveal promising results in mesothelioma treatments

One of the worst realizations of being diagnosed with mesothelioma is that it is a very aggressive cancer and it moves very quickly. It is not uncommon for victims to go decades before being diagnosed, which only results in a shorter amount of a time that a person may be able to seek effective treatment for this illness.

There have been efforts made to eradicate the cause of mesothelioma, which is caused by exposure to toxic asbestos, but that remains a difficult task given the negligence of many employers and property owners. This means that many people will continue to be affected by mesothelioma for years to come. It is for this reason that doctors and researchers are trying to figure out better ways of diagnosing patients with this devastating illness. They are also working to develop better treatment methods that can extend a person’s life and alleviate some of the symptoms of mesothelioma.

One such course of treatment has shown positive results in two different recent studies involving peritoneal mesothelioma. According to reports, peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer in a person’s abdominal wall and doctors have found some success treating the condition with surgery to remove the cancer and heated chemotherapy drugs. The two recent studies indicated that there are certain factors that can increase the efficacy of these courses of treatment.

Some of the factors that can increase a person’s survival rate after being treated for peritoneal mesothelioma with this method include age, completeness of surgery, certain drug treatments and gender. Specifically, women under the age of 60 who have low-grade tumors completely removed and are treated with cisplatin respond better to the treatment and have more favorable outcomes.

Medical research into effective treatments and diagnoses for mesothelioma is always changing and improving. However, these treatments and medical visits can end up being quite costly for patients. It is for this reason that victims of mesothelioma often pursue compensation from the negligent party that exposed them to asbestos in the first place.

Source: Surviving Mesothelioma, “Studies Confirm Success Factors for Mesothelioma Surgery,” April 3, 2013