Pericardial Mesothelioma: The Treatment Method

There are a number of methods for medically treating pericardial mesothelioma. Some even resemble treatments for other ailments of the body. Radiation and chemotherapy are the most widely used and effective forms of treatment for this type of mesothelioma.

Radiation is the number one used method for this type of rare cancer because it has proved to be most effective in many patients. Both treatments, however, run the risk of damaging healthy cells as well as cancerous cells, so it is best to monitor both of these procedures. Some doctors choose to use surgery in order to remove the cancerous cells in order to create more comfort for the patient. This is not a "cure" or 100% removal of cancerous cells and there could still be contaminated areas left untreated. The retained fluid in the pericardial cavity can cause inflammation to the tissue around the heart and great discomfort to the patient.

Unfortunately for most people who are diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma, by the time symptoms of the disease appear, the cancer has progressed to a stage where conventional treatments are largely ineffective for anything other than providing temporary relief of symptoms. The difficulty of diagnosing pericardial mesothelioma at an early stage means that the long-term prognosis for most people with the disease is very poor. The average patient survives just six months post-diagnosis.

Most people diagnosed with this form of mesothelioma are not good candidates for cancer surgery. However, there are rare cases where the cancer is diagnosed early, and surgery can be carried out to remove small, localized pericardial tumors. This type of surgery carries great risk, simply due to the proximity of the heart.