Mesothelioma Advice

Getting surgery is never easy. For some patients, any surgery is worth the trauma if there's a chance it will improve their condition. But surgery isn't always a good option. Patients with pleural malignant mesothelioma need to consult closely with an expert in this disease so that they are not subjected to surgery that won't significantly affect the lung cancer effects they're suffering from.

In a recent small study researchers compared different ways to stage mesothelioma--that is, tell how far the disease has progressed. One method was to give patients pleurodesis surgery as part of the testing. Sometimes called talc pleurodesis, this is a procedure for treating pleural effusion (fluid in the lungs) in which a powder is introduced into the lining of the lungs. The powder causes irritation on the lining surfaces, and this results in the lining closing the spaces around the lungs--and this then prevents the lungs from accumulating further fluids.

Mesothelioma is a deadly form of lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure. Because doctors have not been very successful in treating it in its later stages, it's important to work with a medical care team that knows when pleurodesis and other types of surgery yield the most promise for lengthening survival or relieving someof the most difficult symptoms. Visit our mesothelioma advice website for more information on Choosing a Care Team.