Mesothelioma Radiation

In addition to chemotherapy and surgery, radiation therapy is one of the three most commonly used treatments for mesothelioma.

Radiation therapy makes use of a type of radiation called "ionizing radiation," which is used to kill existing cancer cells and control the growth of new cancer cells. Depending on the nature of the patient's condition and their type of asbestos cancer, radiation therapy may be used as a stand-alone treatment or may be used in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy.

In addition, mesothelioma radiation may be used either as a curative treatment or as a palliative treatment. In the latter case, the purpose of radiation therapy is not to cure the patient, but simply to provide relief from pain and other symptoms of the cancer. This is often the case for mesothelioma patients that are prescribed radiation therapy.

There are three main types of radiation therapy: external beam radiotherapy, unsealed source radiation therapy, and brachytherapy. In most cases, only external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy are used to treat mesothelioma. The type of radiation treatment a patient receives depends on several factors, including the type of mesothelioma, the stage of the disease, and whether other treatment options are also viable.

External Beam Radiotherapy

External beam radiotherapy is the most common type of radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer. During this procedure, the patient sits or lies down to expose the area that requires treatment, and an external source of radiation is directed at the treatment area.

Over the course of a series of treatments, mesothelioma tumors are bombarded with radiation to kill cancer cells and limit the growth and spread of these cells. However, in most cases involving mesothelioma radiation, the treatment is not able to completely eradicate all tumor cells. As such, this type of therapy is usually given to provide the patient with some relief from pain and other symptoms associated with mesothelioma, such as shortness of breath and coughing.

Due to the nature of the treatment, it is common for healthy tissue near the treatment area to be affected by radiation. This damage causes side effects such as skin irritation, pain near the treatment site, digestive problems, and difficulty swallowing.

External beam radiotherapy is rarely effective as a stand-alone treatment for mesothelioma and is most often used in conjunction with chemotherapy or surgery.

Mesothelioma Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy, also known as sealed source radiation therapy, is a procedure that involves the implantation of tiny radioactive rods in or near tumors of mesothelioma and other types of cancer such as breast, cervical, and prostate cancer. This treatment method allows the delivery of a highly-concentrated and closely targeted dose of radiation to mesothelioma tumors that might be resistant to other types of radiation therapy.

This type of radiation therapy is beneficial because it causes little damage to healthy cells surrounding the affected area and is less invasive than traditional radiation.

Patients with mesothelioma may receive either temporary or permanent brachytherapy treatment. For temporary treatment, radioactive seeds are placed within tumors for a short time and are then removed. In the case of permanent treatment, the seeds are not removed, but are simply left within tumors and eventually cease the emission of radiation.

Unsealed Source Radiation Therapy

Treatment with unsealed source radiation involves the administration of soluble forms of radioactive substances. This type of treatment is administered either orally or via injection, but is only used to treat very specific types of cancer. For example, patients with thyroid cancer are often treated with a solution of radioactive iodine.

One major disadvantage of unsealed source radiation therapy is that people who receive this treatment are considered to be radioactive for the duration of the treatment and for several weeks after - this means they can actually pose a health risk to other people. Note that this is not a treatment that is used for patients with mesothelioma.

Doctor Match Program

One of the most important factors in improving a mesothelioma patient's life expectancy is their selection of doctor and treatment facility. Asbestos.com's Doctor Match Program is now helping patients get matched with top mesothelioma specialists around the country. If you wish to take advantage of this free service please call us at (800) 549-0544 or click here to visit our doctor match page.

Sources:

1. Dodson, R. and Hammar, S. Asbestos: Risk Assessment, Epidemiology, and Health Effects. Taylor & Francis: Boca Raton. 2006.
2. Galateau-Salle, Francoise. Pathology of Malignant Mesothelioma. Springer-Verlag London Limited: London. 2006.
3. Pass, I., Vogelzang, N., Carbone, M. Malignant Mesothelioma: Advances in Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Transitional Therapies. Springer: New York. 2005.
4. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ProstateCancer/DetailedGuide/prostate-cancer-treating-radiation-therapy
5. http://www.americanbrachytherapy.org/aboutBrachytherapy/BrachyFAQFinal2.pdf

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