Treatment, Care and Medications of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma has no treatment and most chemotherapy drugs only have a limited effect against malignant mesothelioma. Various medications are used like a combination of Pemetrexed (Alimta) and chemotherapy drug Carboplatin.These medications are quite effective and have improved the average survival rate by about 15 months. Other combination of mesothelioma drugs including L-NDDP (aroplatin), Cisplatin, Endostatin, Gemcitabine, Interferon Gamma, and Onconase along with pain-killers and anti-depressant medications are also used formesothelioma.
Mesothelioma and Medications
The various drugs and medications which are prescribed for treating mesothelioma are:
- Alimta (Pemetrexed)is a new drug which is given intravenously every three weeks for treating of malignant pleural mesothelioma cancers. It helps in blocking enzymes that promotes the growth of cancerous tumors. This drug helps in improving the average survival time. It has a few side effects like anemia, fatigue, diarrhea, shortness of breath, nausea, upset stomach, lower white blood cell count, loss of appetite, and skin rashes.
- Onconaseis also a new form of chemotherapy drug which causes lesser side-effects as compared to traditional chemotherapy.
- Gemcitabineisanother chemotherapy drug which is used in combination with Cisplatin, Alimta and Epirubicin.
Side effects of Medication for Mesothelioma
Most of the medication for mesothelioma causes various forms of side-effects and some of the prominent side effects are:
- Reduction in bone marrow function causing anemia, risk of bruising or bleeding and more chances of getting infection.
- Restlessness and illness after being administrated chemotherapy which can be managed with the help of anti-sickness drugs
- Bloating resulting in the swelling in ankles or breathlessness due to fluid retention
One of the most prominent treatments for Malignant Mesothelioma is surgery to remove the affected tumor. This however, does not cure the disease or improves the average survival time. Therefore, other treatment options are used like radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy following surgery. Radiation treatments ease some pain associated with the disease.
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