Once asbestos cancer has been diagnosed and evaluated to determine the stage of progression and the size of the tumor, a treatment plan will be developed by the health care team and proposed to the patient for his/her consideration. Age of the patient, overall health, and personal desires will also play an important role in the medical options. A patient may decide to aggressively fight the disease, may decide to pursue only those treatments that will contribute to comfort, or may choose a level of treatment and care somewhere in between. All the treatment options have unpleasant side effects but they are administered with the intent to increase life span and/or enhance quality of life.

Surgery to remove the tumor may have been done for diagnostic purposes, or may be pursued after diagnosis as a potentially curative measure. Surgery might also be used for the patient who has opted for only palliative care to relive pain or discomfort. The stage of the cancer, the size of the tumor, and the patient’s desires will determine the extent of the surgery, which may range from very minor to highly invasive.

If chemotherapy is elected as part of the treatment course, it may be administered at home, at the doctor’s office, or in the hospital. Often, chemotherapy is given before surgery to shrink the tumor or to help manage its growth. Chemotherapy may be alternatively or additionally administered after surgery to destroy any potential new growth. For patients who have elected to pursue only palliative care, administration of chemotherapy may be used to shrink a tumor in order to make the patient more comfortable.

Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays to kill cells and shrink tumors. This option may be considered as a palliative treatment or as a follow-up measure in conjunction with surgery and/or chemotherapy to help prevent recurrence. Radiation therapy may be administered externally, internally, or systemically through a pill or injection.

Because asbestos related cancers are so difficult to cure, some patients elect to participate in clinical trials for the safety and effectiveness of new drugs. Cancer trials rarely use placebos so patients will generally receive the untested drug or the standard treatment. Not every patient is eligible for participation, however, and sometimes the need to travel in order to be a part of the study is prohibitive.

Mesothelioma is an onerous opponent and the battle will never be easy. There are weighty considerations with every treatment choice and each patient’s desires deserve to be acknowledged.