Discussing All Treatment Options for Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is kind of cancer, which is caused when somebody comes in the contact with asbestos. Asbestos can cause cancer at three places in the body. Commonly lungs get affected because of the inhalation of asbestos and this type of Mesothelioma is called pleural mesothelioma. Cancer in the lungs can also invade cancer in other parts of the body which are heart and the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer in heart is called pericardial mesothelioma and cancer in gastrointestinal tract is called peritonial mesothelioma.

Commonly used treatment options for treating these cancers are as follows. The first one is the new form of treatment called Photodynamic Therapy. In this form of therapy photosensitive drugs are injected intravenously to kill diseased cells in the body. Second method is being used worldwide called Immunotherapy. It is also known as Biological Therapy in some countries. Immune system of patient's body is used to treat the disease by stimulating it against the cancer with the help of Biological Response Modifiers. Biological Response Modifiers are synthesized naturally in the body but these days some companies are manufacturing synthetic Biological Response Modifiers.

Doctors use third type of therapy called Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy as an additional therapy. This therapy controls mesothelioma locally. Fourth therapy called Gene Therapy is the advanced therapy. In this therapy DNA is used to treat many incurable diseases. Responsible gene for the disease is either replaced by new gene called replacement gene therapy or completely removed from the DNA called knockout gene therapy.

Mesothelioma is not cured by using just one method; all the methods mentioned above are used in combination. The choice of the treatment is based on many factors like the stage of the cancer, age of the patient as well as his own choice. Some other alternatives used in addition with traditional treatments like massage, acupuncture, and hypnosis etc. Before going for the treatment of Mesothelioma, a patient has to undergo much diagnosis because the symptoms of this disease are similar to other respiratory disease.