What happens in the final stages of mesothelioma?
The mesothelioma stage plays a large role when doctors consider treatment options. The mesothelioma stage can determine whether the cancer is curable (removed through surgery) and whether a patient is healthy enough to undergo major surgery or other invasive cancer treatments.
Depending on the extent of the mesothelioma, the patient's personal preferences, and other factors, doctors may decide to focus mesothelioma treatment on either life-long or palliative (symptom-relieving) options.
Stage 1 Mesothelioma Treatment
If the disease is slowly developing and not causing symptoms, doctors may recommend monitoring the mesothelioma closely rather than treating it. If cancer begins to grow rapidly or cause symptoms, the patient's mesothelioma doctor will determine the best treatment.
Stage 1 mesothelioma may be treated with the following:
- chemotherapy
- radiation
- surgery
- other options
Stage 2 Mesothelioma Treatment
Stage 2 mesothelioma patients are often good candidates for curative (life-long) surgery if cancer has not spread far into surrounding tissue.
For stage 2 mesothelioma treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.
Surgery can be especially beneficial for patients with mesothelioma in the early stages. According to the ACS, surgery for early-stage cancer is more likely to show long-term benefits because there is a better chance that most or all of cancer can be removed.
Stage 3 Mesothelioma Treatment
Stage 3 mesothelioma can be more difficult to treat, especially if it has progressed to stage 3B, indicating that it has spread beyond 3A. Many cases of stage 3 mesothelioma are irreversible.
While the ACS reports that mesothelioma doctors disagree about the effectiveness of chemotherapy or radiation therapy for mesothelioma, they are often used as the main treatment for patients who cannot have surgery. These treatments can prolong a patient's life or relieve their symptoms.
The ACS states that surgery can be helpful for late-stage patients, but the benefits are short-lived.
Stage 4 Mesothelioma Treatment
Stage 4 mesothelioma cannot be completely removed by surgery because the cancer is no longer contained in one area. Chemotherapy is usually the main treatment for stage 4 mesothelioma, to relieve symptoms, potentially halt or slow cancer growth, and improve quality of life.
Patients may also benefit from new or experimental treatments through clinical trials, as a treatment for stage 4 mesothelioma is often limited.
Another stage 4 mesothelioma treatments may include:
- Immunotherapy
- Targeted Therapy
- Tumor Treatment Fields (TTF or TTFields)
Patients may also receive palliative care to reduce the pain and discomfort caused by mesothelioma rather than prolong life.
Stage 4 palliative mesothelioma treatment may include:
- Medicine to relieve pain
- Pleurodesis to reduce fluid build-up by sealing the space between the chest cavity and the outer layer of the lungs
- Radiation using high-energy rays to shrink tumors and relieve pain
- Thoracentesis/paracentesis with a smaller needle to reduce fluid build-up