Exposure to asbestos has been proven to have detrimental effects to the health of those who are exposed to it. The danger is that the fibers get lodged in the lungs and the body reacts by developing cancerous tissues which will spread through to the rest of the body. One of the major cancers which develop as a result of asbestos exposure is mesothelioma. This disease has been known to have a latency period of 20 years or more. As a result, the diagnosis often will not happen until the later stages of the disease making treatment very difficult.

It is important to note when looking at treatment options for asbestos related mesothelioma that there is no cure as of yet for mesothelioma. The best that modern science has to offer are different treatment methods which alleviate some of the symptoms and have been proven to slow down the development of the disease. By combining treatment methods it is possible to extend the life of the average patient for years if not decades. It is enough to give many of those who thought they were getting a death sentence some hope.

Surgery Options

If it is possible to catch the asbestos related mesothelioma in stage I or II, it is possible to use surgery to remove cancerous tissues and restore the patient to health. While it is likely that the tissues will regenerate, at least the surgery will offer some relief in the interim which will allow the patient to feel mostly normal. Sometimes surgery is used just to treat the minor symptoms which a patient might be feeling along with other methods.

Chemotherapy

This treatment method is used to eliminate cancer cells throughout the body. It is generally used after surgery. The newer chemo drugs are very useful in eliminating the cancer cells from the body at least for a while. The drugs work by stopping cell division and killing off some of the cells which have already developed. As a result the cancer can be slowed down if not put into remission.

Gene Therapy

Treating asbestos related mesothelioma has shown some promise when using gene therapy. This is where the body’s genes are manipulated either through a virus or immunotherapy. In both cases, the body is ‘tricked’ into fighting off the cancer. In one case, the virus will cause the cancer to start to produce a protein which will ultimately lead to the death of the cells. In the immunotherapy method, the body is made to recognize the cancer cells as being harmful so that it will attack the cells and kill off the cancer.

Photodymanic Therapy

This treatment method is only useful in certain kinds of cancers. Any form which has been metastasized will not be able to be treated through this method. Pleural mesothelioma and some forms of lung cancer from asbestos can be treated through this method. In this method, light is used to administer medication to the patient. The cells which absorb the medication will be killed off.