There are many medical treatments available to patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Some are geared towards extending survival and others towards boosting quality of life. All involve a certain measure of risk and are subject to study to determine their safety and effectiveness. One treatment being analyzed is the use of prophylactic radiation following invasive procedures to see whether it prevents metastatic pleural mesothelioma. The issue remains unresolved.
Metastatic Pleural Mesothelioma Can Hasten Patient Death
Malignant pleural mesothelioma takes the form of tumors that form in patient’s pleural lining. Those tumors grow and some of their cells eventually metastasize, spreading to other parts of the body and leading to greater sickness and faster death.
Metastatic pleural mesothelioma can, inadvertently, be facilitated by interventional procedures meant to either diagnose mesothelioma, assess the impact of treatment, or improve patient health or quality of life. When needles and other tools are inserted into the chest wall and then withdrawn, they can transport mesothelioma cells that seed themselves along the paths that these tools have taken, thus spreading the disease.
Researchers Study Use of Tract Irradiation in Mesothelioma Patients
In an attempt to solve the problem of carrying mesothelioma cells to different, unaffected parts of the body, researchers have explored the use of radiation delivered immediately after the surgical procedure is completed. This protocol is known as prophylactic irradiation, and the idea is that it will kill cells that have traveled to the paths created by the invasive procedures. The studies have yielded conflicting results.
While one study recently conducted by researchers from the National University of Singapore found that the procedure reduced the occurrence of procedure tract metastases in 737 pleural mesothelioma patients, a United Kingdom analysis of roughly half that number of patients found no reduction in occurrence. They did, however, find that 6 in 10 patients suffered radiation dermatitis following the treatment. Further study is clearly required to resolve this question and determine what is best for patients.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, you need as much information as possible. For assistance and support, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
