| Mesothelioma is a cancerous disease that | | | | |
| affects the serous linings of various | | | | CHEMOTHERAPY: |
| internal organs in the human body. Among | | | | |
| them, the lungs, heart and the stomach are | | | | Chemotherapy is a "systematic treatment" of |
| the mostly affected. | | | | Mesothelioma that uses drugs, chemicals and |
| | | | medicines in an efficient manner to kill |
| It is estimated that each year, 2,000 new | | | | cancer cells. It is given to patients in |
| cases of Mesothelioma are reported. The | | | | either pills form or is injected directly |
| patients suffering from this cancerous | | | | into the body. In some cases, the medicines |
| disease have had prior exposure to asbestos, | | | | are directly inserted into the chest, known |
| which is considered to be the only known | | | | as intrapleural chemotherapy, or into the |
| cause of Mesothelioma. Mesotheliomic patients | | | | abdomen, known as intraperitoneal |
| are often told of the short survival duration | | | | chemotherapy, to destroy the growth of |
| of 6 - 12 months. But doctors specialized in | | | | cancerous cells. It is also given to patients |
| treating malignant Mesothelioma at leading | | | | before and after a surgery to limit the |
| cancer centers expect better survival rates. | | | | growth of Mesothelioma cancer. |
| Though Mesothelioma causes immense pain and | | | | |
| suffering to the victim along with short life | | | | The widely used pemetrexed, Alimta Â(R), |
| expectancy, certain treatments have resulted | | | | is given in combination of Cisplatin (a |
| in the successful reduction and removal of | | | | standard platinum compound) to treat pleural |
| the cancerous tumors of Mesothelioma. | | | | Mesothelioma. The drug was approved by the |
| | | | U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in |
| Treatment of Mesothelioma depends on many | | | | February, 2004. The working of this drug is |
| factors, including the stage of the cancer, | | | | simple: it enters the blood stream of a |
| the circulation of the malignant cells, | | | | patient and kills the cancer cells throughout |
| pathology reports determining the nature of | | | | the body, while stopping the malignant cell |
| the cancer cells and patient's age and | | | | growth. The drug has some side-effects for |
| health. Following is a detail description of | | | | which vitamin B 12 and folic acid is given to |
| the options for Mesothelioma Treatment. | | | | the patients undergoing this treatment. |