MesoRC: Mesothelioma Resource Center

Mesothelioma Information
• What is mesothelioma?
• Mesothelioma medical glossary
• Mesothelioma causes
• Mesothelioma types
• Mesothelioma symptoms
• Mesothelioma risk factors
• Worldwide exposure
• Mesothelioma awareness

Mesothelioma Diagnosis and Treatment
• Diagnosed with mesothelioma
• Mesothelioma stages
• Mesothelioma research
• Mesothelioma treatment
• Mesothelioma clinical trials
• Mesothelioma doctors & healthcare professionals
• Importance of seeing a specialist
• Communicating with your doctor
• Mesothelioma treatment centers
• Choosing a treatment center
• Mesothelioma pain & management
• Diet & nutrition tips
• Exercise & mesothelioma
• Traveling with mesothelioma

Caring For a Loved One
• A loved ones' diagnosis
• Learning to cope
• Caregiver tips
• Mesothelioma support groups
• Getting organized
• Advanced care planning
• Financial planning
• Financial assistance
• Hospice care
• Benefits of companion pets
• Benefits of online support
• Holiday guide for patients
• Holiday guide for caregivers

Radiation is one of the standard treatments used for mesothelioma patients today. This type of therapy is not itself a curative treatment for mesothelioma. However, when used in conjunction with chemotherapy and/or surgery, radiation can help to lessen some of the uncomfortable symptoms associated with mesothelioma.

What is Radiation Therapy?

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays or particles to damage or kill cancer cells in a defined part of the body. It is generally not effective in destroying cancer cells that have already spread to other areas. Since radiologists must protect a patient’s vital tissues and organs while administering doses of radiation strong enough to kill the target mesothelioma cells, radiation treatment has traditionally been a challenge. But newer, advanced techniques are allowing doctors to deliver radiation more precisely to the affected area while keeping healthy tissue safe. 

Types of Radiation Treatments:

External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT)

EBRT is a painless procedure that involves delivering radiation to a patient from a machine outside of the body—similar to getting an x-ray, only more intense. This is the most common form of radiation treatment for mesothelioma. External beam radiation sessions last just a few minutes and are typically given 5 days a week over a period of 5 to 6 weeks. In some cases, ERBT may be accompanied by a “boost,” or additional concentrated radiation treatment administered directly to a small cancerous area.

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

Typically used after the lung and pleura have been removed through surgery, IMRT uses a special machine that moves slowly around the mesothelioma patient as it delivers radiation. This sophisticated technique allows high doses of radiation to be administered to the entire chest cavity with great accuracy. The intensity of the beams can be adjusted to help minimize the impact of radiation on normal, healthy body tissue and organs. It is thought that IMRT treatments may be less toxic to the patient and improve health outcomes when compared with external beam radiotherapy.

Brachytherapy

The term “brachy” comes from the Greek word meaning “short range.” Unlike external beam radiation therapy which delivers radiation at long range, brachytherapy delivers radiation at very close range. With this form of radiation treatment for mesothelioma, the radiologist places a customized radioactive implant directly into the chest or the abdomen at the site of the tumor. This is done by weaving tiny radioactive “seeds” into a flexible mesh material. These seed implants deliver highly targeted radiation to the cancerous area over a period of 12 weeks. Brachytherapy, also referred to as Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) is considered to be more convenient than traditional radiation treatments and has the added advantage of reducing the exposure of health body tissue to radiation.

Palliative Radiation Treatment

Radiation treatment for mesothelioma is often used with the goal of easing (palliating) uncomfortable physical symptoms caused by the cancer. Radiation therapy has been found to bring relief to patients who are experiencing shortness of breath, pain at the cancer site, bleeding, and difficulty swallowing. 

Possible Side Effects and Complications of Radiation Treatment

Side effects of radiation treatment for mesothelioma may range from mild to severe, and tend to disappear once treatment has ended. Using radiation therapy in combination with chemotherapy may worsen the side effects of chemotherapy. Some common side effects of radiation include:

• fatigue
• changes to the skin that resemble sunburn
• damage to lungs that leads to breathing problems
• nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

Complications of radiation treatment are rare, but include pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs), pericarditis (inflammation of the sack surrounding the heart) and cardiac tamponade (compression of the heart). In most cases, there are ways to eliminate or minimize these symptoms.