MESOTHELIOMA SURGERY & NEW CURE FOR MESOTHELIOMA

 Mesothelioma surgery:

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart. It is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos, a mineral that was widely used in construction and industrial materials until the 1980s. Surgery is one of the main treatment options for mesothelioma, and it can provide the best chance for a cure, especially in early-stage cases.

The most common surgical procedure for mesothelioma is pleurectomy and decortication (P/D). This procedure involves removing the affected lining of the lung and the tumor. The goal of P/D is to remove as much of the tumor as possible while preserving the lung. This procedure is typically used for patients with early-stage mesothelioma, and it can provide a significant improvement in symptoms and quality of life.

For more advanced stages, extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) can be done which is the removal of the affected lung, the lining around the lung, the diaphragm, and the lining around the heart. This procedure is more invasive than P/D and is associated with a higher risk of complications. It is typically reserved for patients with more advanced-stage mesothelioma who are healthy enough to tolerate the procedure.

It is important to note that surgery for mesothelioma is considered major surgery and it's only considered for patients who are healthy enough to tolerate the procedure. A patient's overall health and fitness will be taken into consideration before surgery.

The decision to undergo surgery for mesothelioma should be made in consultation with a team of specialists, including a thoracic surgeon, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist. They will be able to evaluate your individual situation and determine the best course of action for you.

After surgery, patients will typically require a period of recovery and rehabilitation. During this time, they may receive physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other forms of supportive care to help them regain their strength and mobility.

In conclusion, surgery is one of the main treatment options for mesothelioma and it can provide the best chance for a cure, especially in early-stage cases. The most common surgical procedure for mesothelioma is pleurectomy and decortication (P/D), and for more advanced stages, extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) can be done. It is important to consult with a team of specialists to evaluate your individual situation and determine the best course of action for you. After surgery, patients will typically require a period of recovery and rehabilitation.

New cure for mesothelioma:

Mesothelioma is an uncommon and violent type of cancer that has an effect on the lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart. It is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos, a mineral that was widely used in construction and industrial materials until the 1980s. Despite years of research, there is currently no cure for mesothelioma, and treatment options are limited. However, there are ongoing efforts to develop new therapies and treatments that may offer hope to patients with this disease.

One area of research that has shown promise is immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a category of cancer behavior that uses the body's own resistant system to fight the disease. There are several different types of immunotherapy, including checkpoint inhibitors, which block proteins on cancer cells that allow them to evade the immune system, and CAR-T cell therapy, which absorb genetically adjust a patient's own resistant cells to attack cancer cells.

Recent clinical trials have shown that immunotherapy can be effective in treating mesothelioma. In one study, a combination of the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab and the chemotherapy drug cisplatin was found to be more effective than cisplatin alone in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Another study found that nivolumab, another checkpoint inhibitor, improved progression-free survival in patients with mesothelioma who had previously received chemotherapy.

Another promising treatment is the use of gene therapy; it's an experimental treatment that involves using a virus to deliver healthy copies of genes to cancer cells. This can help to correct genetic mutations that are driving the cancer's growth. In the case of mesothelioma, researchers are investigating the use of gene therapy to deliver a protein called mesothelin, which is often over expressed in mesothelioma cells.

In addition to these experimental treatments, there are other therapies that may be effective in treating mesothelioma. For example, a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy is often used to treat this disease. Surgery can help to remove the tumor, radiation therapy can kill cancer cells, and chemotherapy can help to shrink the tumor and prevent it from spreading.

It's important to note that new treatments for mesothelioma are still in the experimental stage and may not be widely available yet. Also, not every treatment will work for everyone, and the decision to undergo a particular treatment should be made in consultation with a team of specialists, including a thoracic surgeon, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist.

In conclusion, while there is no cure for mesothelioma, researchers are actively working on developing new therapies that may offer hope to patients with this disease. These include immunotherapy, gene therapy, and other experimental treatments. However, it's important to note that these treatments are still in the early stages of development and may not be widely available yet. The decision to undergo a particular treatment should be made in consultation with a team of specialists, who will be able to evaluate your individual situation and determine the best course of action for you.