« Complementary and alternative treatment | Home | Mesothelioma diagnostic procedures »
Purposes of mesothelioma chemotherapy
By Eden Ali | June 20, 2007
Mesothelioma chemotherapy could be used to accomplish various aims, but this depend on the cancer stage at the period of mesothelioma diagnosis, the age and the health of mesothelioma patients.
Since mesothelioma chemotherapy is not seen or thought of as a curative treatment of mesothelioma, the aim is:
1. To regulate the mesothelioma cancers by inhibiting its spread or reducing the growth rate.
2. To dry up tumors before to other treatment of mesothelioma, such as surgery. This is known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
3. To kill microscopic disease that may be left after surgery. This is known as adjuvant chemotherapy.
4. To ease symptoms, such as pain. This is known as palliative chemotherapy, and is used in conditions where a dramatic decrease in the tumor is not predicted.
The most usual usage for chemotherapy in mesothelioma patients, is as an alternative for patients who are not undergoing surgery. Alimta (pemetrexed) is a recently new drug endorsed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for usage in combination with Cisplatin in the treatment of mesothelioma in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Alimta is the first drug endorsed peculiarly to mesothelioma.
This is presently the most efficient first-line treatment of mesothelioma patients who cannot undergo surgery.
A multi-aimed antifolate drug, Alimta functions by inhibiting the enzymes essential for DNA replication and cell division.
As regarding treatment, it is essential to talk about Alimta use with your doctor. This discussion should contain all related information as with efficiency, administration, and side effects of the comination of drug.
Importance is also place in the use of vitamin supplement of B12 using injection during the week before the treatment, and also to be used again every 9 weeks, and folacin orally daily and to be repeated 21 days after the last cycle of Alimta.
Topics: Mesothelioma treatment ways |