Wait for the Link show ....
Please Wait.... 20 seconds
Success Rate of Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma
Nearly 20 percent of mesothelioma patients who are treated with chemotherapy only live 2 years, while only 4 percent live at least 5 years. However, patients who combined chemotherapy with other forms of treatment have a much better survival rate.
How Chemotherapy Treats Mesothelioma
There are two primary goals when using chemotherapy to treat mesothelioma: to kill cancer cells, and to reduce symptoms.
Killing Cancer Cells: The main goal of chemotherapy is to attack and kill rapidly dividing cancer cells. Unfortunately, it can also kill other fast-growing cells, leading to certain side effects like hair loss.
Reducing Symptoms: Chemotherapy can be used to shrink tumors, which helps to alleviate common symptoms. Unlike surgery and radiation, which target a particular location, chemotherapy destroys cells that have spread throughout the body.
Years ago, doctors opted for single chemotherapy treatments for the disease. Unfortunately, they yielded little more than approximately a 15% success rate, providing minimal relief to mesothelioma patients.
More recently, doctors have discovered that administering multiple chemotherapy drugs together is more effective than providing single doses. A mesothelioma patient’s specific treatment plan will depend on their diagnosis.
Request a Free Guide on Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Treatments
What to Expect During Chemotherapy Treatment
How chemotherapy is administered will vary depending on mesothelioma type and stage, the patient’s overall health, and the type of chemotherapy drug(s) administered.
Chemotherapy drugs may be administered in two ways:
Systemic
Intraoperative
Systemic
Drugs are carried through the bloodstream after being swallowed in pill form or injected intravenously (through an IV). Typically, chemotherapy drugs are available in pill form only during clinical trials.
Chemotherapy Treatment Options
Chemotherapy is often used in conjunction with radiation and/or surgery to improve effectiveness and, hopefully, the patient’s chance of survival. This is known as multimodal therapy.
Chemotherapy can be administered at different points in a patient’s treatment plan.
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Intraoperative Chemotherapy
Adjuvant Chemotherapy
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Drugs are administered before surgery in order to shrink the tumors, making them easier to remove.
Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Many patients are concerned about the side effects of chemotherapy. Different drugs have different side effects – for example, although many people associate hair loss as a side effect of chemotherapy, not all chemotherapy drugs cause the loss of hair.
Another side effect of chemotherapy is what has come to be known as “chemo brain.” Patients may have difficulty concentrating, thinking, or remembering names, dates, and events. It may also take more time to finish projects or remembering common words.
Your doctor will be able to tell you what side effects are possible based on your specific treatment plan.
Nearly 20 percent of mesothelioma patients who are treated with chemotherapy only live 2 years, while only 4 percent live at least 5 years. However, patients who combined chemotherapy with other forms of treatment have a much better survival rate.
How Chemotherapy Treats Mesothelioma
There are two primary goals when using chemotherapy to treat mesothelioma: to kill cancer cells, and to reduce symptoms.
Killing Cancer Cells: The main goal of chemotherapy is to attack and kill rapidly dividing cancer cells. Unfortunately, it can also kill other fast-growing cells, leading to certain side effects like hair loss.
Reducing Symptoms: Chemotherapy can be used to shrink tumors, which helps to alleviate common symptoms. Unlike surgery and radiation, which target a particular location, chemotherapy destroys cells that have spread throughout the body.
Years ago, doctors opted for single chemotherapy treatments for the disease. Unfortunately, they yielded little more than approximately a 15% success rate, providing minimal relief to mesothelioma patients.
More recently, doctors have discovered that administering multiple chemotherapy drugs together is more effective than providing single doses. A mesothelioma patient’s specific treatment plan will depend on their diagnosis.
Request a Free Guide on Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Treatments
What to Expect During Chemotherapy Treatment
How chemotherapy is administered will vary depending on mesothelioma type and stage, the patient’s overall health, and the type of chemotherapy drug(s) administered.
Chemotherapy drugs may be administered in two ways:
Systemic
Intraoperative
Systemic
Drugs are carried through the bloodstream after being swallowed in pill form or injected intravenously (through an IV). Typically, chemotherapy drugs are available in pill form only during clinical trials.
Chemotherapy Treatment Options
Chemotherapy is often used in conjunction with radiation and/or surgery to improve effectiveness and, hopefully, the patient’s chance of survival. This is known as multimodal therapy.
Chemotherapy can be administered at different points in a patient’s treatment plan.
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Intraoperative Chemotherapy
Adjuvant Chemotherapy
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Drugs are administered before surgery in order to shrink the tumors, making them easier to remove.
Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Many patients are concerned about the side effects of chemotherapy. Different drugs have different side effects – for example, although many people associate hair loss as a side effect of chemotherapy, not all chemotherapy drugs cause the loss of hair.
Another side effect of chemotherapy is what has come to be known as “chemo brain.” Patients may have difficulty concentrating, thinking, or remembering names, dates, and events. It may also take more time to finish projects or remembering common words.
Your doctor will be able to tell you what side effects are possible based on your specific treatment plan.