The Evolution of Mesothelioma Treatments Over the Years

Receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis can cause panic, sorrow, and despair for both patients and their loved ones. 

To this day, the prospect of survival for those with this rare form of cancer is especially challenging because there is currently no cure available for mesothelioma cancer. 

But research and treatment options have developed significantly over the years. Because of that, it is important to understand how treatment options for mesothelioma have evolved- and what is available for you today. Here’s what you should know.

Mesothelioma, Rare or Trending?

Today we know that almost all occurrences of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos exposure in some form, over 80% of all mesothelioma cases. According to the European Respiratory Review, the first pleural tumor was reported all the way back in 1767 but it took almost two additional centuries (1931) for the first medical recognition of mesothelioma as a specific type of cancer. 

Asbestos suspected as a carcinogen since the 1930

Even then, 1930s medical research was making strides in the publication of research acknowledging the risks associated with the human body when exposed to asbestos, but much of this research was suppressed and denied by the asbestos industry. This information became harder to ignore as the general public began to experience these asbestos-related diseases and cancers, either firsthand or by their friends and family. Finally, in 1960, a published medical study made the connection between crocidolite asbestos mines and various workers who were developing what we now know as mesothelioma.

This information was a huge leap in our understanding of asbestos dangers, but it was still assumed that only some kinds of asbestos could lead to something as severe as mesothelioma. Today, we now know that all forms of asbestos exposure, regardless of type or source of exposure, can lead to mesothelioma. Recently, the CDC shared startling statistics that 20% of all mesothelioma fatalities were comprised of homemakers, showing that secondhand exposure risks for asbestos can lead to mesothelioma in family members of workers, as well as those who may live in a contaminated environment with no work history of asbestos in the family.

What is Mesothelioma?

It’s important to know that mesothelioma is a broad term used to describe four types of cancer. Mesothelioma is caused by the cancerous formation of the body’s protective layer of tissue, known as the mesothelium. 

The four types include cancer of the mesothelium surrounding the lungs, abdomen, heart, and testicles. However, pleural mesothelioma, cancer of the mesothelium surrounding the lungs, accounts for over 70 percent of all cases and is typically what is referred to simply as mesothelioma.

The Prospect of Mesothelioma Treatment

Treating mesothelioma is now considered a comprehensive approach, but early on, treatments were quite simplistic due to the lack of knowledge about this specific type of cancer. In general, the treatment options were almost identical to treating lung cancer. What this translates to is the evolution of mesothelioma from a broad approach of the lung to a specific approach to the location of the tumor with more pinpoint accuracy. 

MD Anderson, the leading cancer institute in the United States, follows the following treatment plan for mesothelioma patients. In general, treatment plans move from broad to specific. While many of the same methods overlap with other types of cancer treatments, further options are often used to treat mesothelioma more specifically. 

Chemotherapy and Surgery

Mesothelioma treatment usually begins with chemotherapy as a pre-surgery treatment approach to directly kill cancerous cells. Surgery alone is not likely to cure patients either, but cancer can be reduced by removing tumors at a microscopic level. MD Anderson uses two types of surgery for this:

Extrapleural Pneumonectomy (EPP)

This surgery is an extensive artificial rebuilding of the diaphragm and pericardium, achieved by removing the lung lining, and chest wall, affected lung, diaphragm, and pericardium. In other words, this aggressive surgical approach removes one entire lung and replaces the area with artificial material.

Pleurectomy/Decortication (P/D)

This approach is almost identical to EPP, except for the lung removal process. Due to its safer nature, this surgery is preferred for older patients or those with other health complications.

Another kind of chemotherapy is called Hyperthermic Intrathoracic Chemotherapy (HITHOC). HITHOC is a supplemental chemotherapy treatment used after tumor removal. Not all medical facilities are equipped to offer this kind of treatment, and some are suspicious of the possibility of adverse health effects, particularly in relation to the duration of anesthesia required. With that said, it is a more aggressive option that will depend on availability and medical history of patients.

Radiation and Immunotherapy

After chemotherapy and surgical removal is completed, radiation treatment uses high-energy beams to kill additional cells at the microscopic level that could not be removed during surgery. intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) uses 3D technology for highly targeted radiation and allows for “minimizing side effects”. 

Think of this as a kind of 3D printing, where IMRT can duplicate precise tumor shapes and dimensions with radiation beams.Immunotherapy takes it a step further with adoptive cellular therapy, cancer vaccines, cytokine therapy, and monoclonal antibodies. 

Medication

It is also worth noting that Johns Hopkins has developed experimental medical treatment for mesothelioma called Durvalumab, a cancer medication which resulted in doubling the survival rate of trial patients. Along with Johns Hopkins, MD Anderson is developing its own cancer medication such as Vudalimab to help increase survival rates in mesothelioma patients, though these are also still under clinical trials.

Compensation Options

It’s important to note that every patient is different. Depending on when mesothelioma is diagnosed, age of the patient, and medical history, each person may begin treatment in various states of health. For especially debilitating conditions, the treatment approach may vary. This will be determined by the medical professional you choose to use and the kind of technology available.

Beyond this, it has to be stressed that none of these treatment options are considered as cures for mesothelioma. The overall goal of treatment today aims at increasing survival rates and decreasing adverse side effects.

The ongoing challenge of mesothelioma treatment is cost. Cutting-edge treatment is simply not affordable to the average person. The good news is, there are compensation options available for mesothelioma patients. While litigation is a challenging long-term battle that mesothelioma victims do not have time for, asbestos trusts exist as ways to receive fast and easy compensation without the need to file for a lawsuit.  To determine your eligibility risk-free, a qualified asbestos claims attorney can help you through the entire process.