Request Free Legal Consultation
Mesothelioma chemotherapy
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be suggested for either part or all of your treatment. Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs or medications to eliminate rapidly spreading cancer cells in the body. Used since the 1950s to treat many different cancer types, this type of treatment differs from surgery and radiation in that it targets cancer cells in the entire body, rather than a specific area such as the lungs or colon.
Chemotherapy can be administered in pill form or it can be injected into a vein or muscle. In the case of mesothelioma, chemotherapy drugs may also be injected directly into the chest or abdomen. There are three main ways in which chemotherapy is used:
- To control or cure cancer by reducing or eliminating cancerous growths
- To relieve the uncomfortable physical symptoms of cancer by reducing or eliminating cancerous growths
- To prevent recurrence of the cancer following surgery or radiation (called adjuvant or neo-adjuvant therapy)
Side Effects of Mesothelioma Chemotherapy
Although mesothelioma chemotherapy treatment can kill cancer cells, it may also damage some healthy, normal cells. Chemotherapy can harm the blood-producing cells in the bone marrow and cause you to have low blood cell counts. This can lead to an increased risk of infection, bleeding or bruising, or fatigue and shortness of breath. Other temporary mesothelioma chemotherapy side effects may include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of hair
- Mouth sores
More than 100 different kinds of anticancer agents are used in chemotherapy today. Doctors may use a combination of several different chemotherapy drugs in treating one mesothelioma patient. You can read more about the drugs used to treat this type of cancer in the Mesothelioma Treatment Drugs section.
Become a Fan on Facebook 