Mesothelioma Treatment by Stage

Mesothelioma treatment - whether with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a combination of the three - is determined by the stage of mesothelioma a patient's cancer has reached, along with the general condition of the patient's health and his or her age.

Stage I Mesothelioma Treatment

Stage I mesothelioma may still be curable, so doctors should not rule out curative surgery, such as an extrapleural pneumonectomy, for a patient diagnosed at this early stage. The most common treatment for patients with stage I pleural mesothelioma, however, is a pleurectomy / decortication. Patients suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma may benefit from similar surgeries at this stage. Post-operative radiation therapy may be prescribed for surgical patients. If the health of a stage I patient is too weak to withstand surgery, he or she may be prescribed radiation therapy alone.

Stage II Mesothelioma Treatment

Often supplemental therapy after surgery is prescribed for patients diagnosed with stage II mesothelioma. After surgery is performed to remove as much as the cancerous tissue as possible, the patient may undergo radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of the two. This therapy is prescribed in an attempt to destroy residual cancer cells that could not be removed by surgery, as well as to further ease the symptoms of mesothelioma.

Stage III Mesothelioma Treatment

Treatment for patients diagnosed with stage III mesothelioma tends to involve the same procedures available to stage II mesothelioma patients.

Stage IV Mesothelioma Treatment

A diagnosis of stage IV mesothelioma confirms that the patient's disease is terminal. Thus, treatment at this stage should focus on pain management and supportive care.