When treating mesothelioma, doctors often recommend more than one treatment, known as multimodality therapy. In the case of early stage malignant pleural mesothelioma, mesothelioma therapies include extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), chemotherapy, and radiotherapy (RT).
A recent study was performed on 86 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma to learn about the effects of RT, and if advanced mesothelioma treatment planning techniques, such as intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) would be beneficial. The study was performed from 1993 to 2008 on patients who underwent EPP followed by hemithoracic RT.
The results showed that no patients died of RT, but that several might have benefitted from receiving IMRT instead of the photon-electron technique they originally received. The study indicated that some patients may receive better coverage from receiving IMRT. The study, published in The Journal of Thoracic Oncology, concluded that the advantages of IMRT should be balanced against the increased risk of fatal pulmonary toxicity.
Consulting with your mesothelioma doctor is critical to determining the best treatment options. There are many medical terms to learn and research to perform to understand what treatment path is the best for you. To maintain all your research and documentation in one place, consider requesting our complimentary Mesothelioma Information Guide. It will help you stay organized and provide one place to document all your notes and medical information.
Tags: mesothelioma, mesothelioma research, mesothelioma treatment
