2011 New Advances in Mesothelioma Radiation Therapy
Mesothelioma is a serious cancer, most commonly found in the outer lining of the lungs called the mesothelium that occurs in individuals exposed to airborne asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma is highly aggressive and is resistant to many standard cancer treatments making it a difficult disease to treat effectively. Even after decades of mesothelioma treatments, there are still no cures for the disease and historical methods for controlling its progression have not been very effective. The prognosis for patients is usually grim: the average survival time varies from 4 – 18 months after diagnosis. 1. Radiation This is one of the primary treatments for mesothelioma, lung cancer and many other cancers. It is used to control the growth or spread of the cancer, attempt to cure cancer and for palliative care to reduce pain or other symptoms caused by cancer. Now, according to the National Lung Cancer Partnership, advances in radiation therapy have made this treatment opt...