Mesothelioma Emerging Treatments

A rare form of cancer that is mainly caused by asbestos exposure, mesothelioma affects the linings of the internal organs. It is a spread out and bulky type of cancer, which makes treatment difficult through traditional measures such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. To date, mesothelioma cancer has a 100% mortality rate, and researchers and physicians are striving to find new treatments to prolong and enhance the lives of those who are living with the disease.

Photodynamic therapy is a new approach to treating mesothelioma cancer and is based on using light to kill the cancer cells. In photodynamic therapy, a drug is first administered intravenously that targets and renders the cancerous cells more sensitive in a number of days. The drug is easily eliminated by normal cells, ensuring that they will not be harmed when light therapy is given. After the cells have been given the proper time of exposure to the drug, a special frequency of light laser beams are directed towards the mesothelioma cancer with the intent to eradicate it from the body without having to use more invasive methods. Although there are occasional cases of eye sensitivity and nausea and/or vomiting, the main side effect of photodynamic therapy is skin sensitivity after the procedure is completed.

Gene therapy is a highly scientific way that physicians are potentially able to rid the body of mesothelioma cancer. The basic premise of gene therapy is to add normal genes to the body, replace the existing abnormal genes, and to effectively turn the gene in the body that is causing the cancer on or off. This is possible through the use of a molecule called a �vector,� which carries the desired genes to the affected area of the body. Gene therapy has the potential to render cancer ineffective, or to produce significant symptomatic relief. Gene therapy is still mostly in the research and trial phases, but is believed by many researchers to be a viable alternative in the battle against many different forms of cancer.

Immunotherapy is usually used in conjunction with other forms of traditional therapy, and uses the body�s own immune system to help fight off the mesothelioma cancer. It can either be achieved by stimulating and strengthening the existing immune response, or by delivering man-made immunity proteins into the body. Immunotherapy works by repairing, stimulating, or enhancing the inherent anti-cancer immunity response of the body, and can often result in more energy and less depressive symptoms.

Alternative treatments are usually still not accepted by traditional Western medicine, and may include modalities such as acupuncture, Eastern philosophical treatments, homeopathy, and other more �natural� approaches. The benefit to adopting one or more of these practices is that very few of them cause any unwanted side effects. However, they are not medically accepted as treatment for mesothelioma cancer, but can be used in conjunction with protocols such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Most alternative, sometimes called complementary, therapies focus on treating the whole person and not just the disease, which means that a patient may �feel� better using alternative treatments, while traditional medicine is helping to make their body more healthy. Alternative treatments should only be used with the input of a regular physician.

For more news on Mesothelioma Emerging Treatments visit Yahoo News: Emerging Mesothelioma Treatments or Wikipedia: Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied?.