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What's The Ugly Facts About Radiation Treatment For Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Radiation Treatment

The treatment for mesothelioma that is used in radiation therapy uses X rays and other energy beams to shrink tumors, and prevent their growth or spread. It can be administered at any stage of mesothelioma, either as an option to treat the disease and prolong its time or as a palliative treatment to relieve symptoms.

Doctors may also use radiation prior to surgery in order to shrink the tumor and make it easier for surgeons to eliminate it. It is also possible to use it to eliminate any cancerous cells which remain after surgery and to stop the possibility of repeat.

External beam radiation therapy (EBRT)

Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy beams or X-ray particles to kill cancerous cells. It is difficult to target radiation mesothelioma cancers because they tend to be small, with a few areas of tissue. New techniques enable doctors to more precisely target the tumour and minimize damage to the other tissues of the human body. new mesothelioma treatment can also be utilized after chemotherapy or surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. It can be given alone or as a part of a palliative treatment to reduce mesothelioma symptoms like breathing difficulty and discomfort.

For external beam radiation therapy, doctors use a device to direct radiation towards the mesothelioma cancer from outside the patient's body. They first use the results of a CT scan, MRI or PET scan to determine the exact location of mesothelioma. They then devise a strategy for delivering radiation to the area, while limiting damage surrounding tissue. The radiation oncologist may mark your skin with small dots to aid in locating the location. They will also mark the treatment field which is the area that requires treatment.

You'll lie down on a bed for treatment and a machine will be placed over the area of your body that is affected by mesothelioma. During your session you might be asked to move around. But you won't notice or feel any movements. During the procedure, you might hear clicking or whirring sounds from the equipment. The radiation oncologist watches you in a room for observation.

EBRT is usually done five days a week every day, for 2-8 weeks. You will receive a number of treatments based on the goal of your treatment as well as the type of radiation utilized. Some EBRT treatments, such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) makes use of computers to pinpoint the tumor more precisely and limit radiation exposure on nearby tissues.


Other forms of radiation, such as proton-beam radiation, or SBRT make use of particles instead of X ray. Proton beam radiation causes DNA damage in cancer cells, causing them die more quickly than normal cells. This kind of treatment may be more precise than EBRT however it's not yet widely employed for mesothelioma.

Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy employs 3-D computed tomography (CT) images of the patient as well as computerized dose calculations to align radiation beams with the three-dimensional shape of the tumor. This allows for higher doses of radiation to be delivered to the tumor while minimising exposure to the organs and tissues surrounding it. In addition to pleural mesothelioma treatment, IMRT is also used to treat prostate cancer, lung cancer, sarcomas and head and neck tumors.

In studies of patients with tumors that are complex, IMRT produced superior dose distributions and lower toxicity in comparison with conventional radiation techniques. Radiation Oncologists plan their treatment course for mesothelioma and use IMRT to ensure that the radiation is directed towards the correct part of the body. The radiation oncologist consults with the patient and obtains informed consent before determining whether IMRT is suitable for mesothelioma therapy.

The radiation oncologist and medical physicist collaborate to develop an individual IMRT treatment plan for mesothelioma. Radiation therapists carry out the actual IMRT treatment. During the sessions, the patient lies on the table. The patient might hear noises or smell odors from the equipment, however they shouldn't feel discomfort. Medical scientist and radiation oncologist remain outside the room for a safe distance to view.

During the IMRT session, the radiation oncologist can adjust the radiation levels according to the need to focus on the cancer. The radiation oncologist can also alter the intensity of each beam, which helps protect vital structures, such as the heart and large blood vessels.

Since nearly a decade an entire team from MSKCC of radiation oncologists has utilized IMRT for the treatment of mesothelioma. Their results indicate that IMRT improves lung function, survival and minimizes long-term side consequences such as radiation esophagitis and radiopneumonitis. The mesothelioma patients they studied had pleural mesothelioma that was confirmed by biopsy in the hemithorax and were not candidates for resection or P/D because of impaired pulmonary function. They were treated with IMRT to the hemithorax with or without pleurectomy. In the group receiving IMRT, overall survival was 71 % after one year. It was 53 percent at two years.

Brachytherapy

Mesothelioma is a cancer that is aggressive and radiation therapy eliminates cancerous cells. It can also shrink tumors to make them easier to remove via surgery. It is a specific treatment that uses narrow beams in order to avoid damaging healthy tissue around it.

Radiation therapy can be used by itself or with other types of cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy. Many patients with mesothelioma also receive supplemental chemotherapy to reduce the chance of recurrence of cancer after surgery and to make their treatment more effective.

Brachytherapy involves placing an radioactive source close to or inside a mesothelioma tumor, which allows doctors to deliver a higher dose of radiation to the tumor. Doctors can choose to make use of a 137Caesium or Iridium source for this treatment, which requires hospitalization. The patient is kept in a secure area near the source for a duration of 12-24 hours. A patient may experience some short-term side effects from this procedure, such as soreness at the site of the implant as well as some bleeding from the area where the applicator was placed.

Another alternative is high-dose (HDR) brachytherapy that involves placing several radioactive sources in the area around the tumor, and then providing a higher amount of radiation over longer durations of time. The procedure typically takes three to five days and requires an overnight stay in a hospital. This kind of brachytherapy may also have some short-term adverse effects. These include soreness and bleeding at the site where the applicators are placed.

Because mesothelioma typically develops as a multi-layered mass, it can be difficult to treat with radiation. However, the latest technology has enabled radiation specialists to focus the beam towards mesothelioma and away from surrounding tissues.

In certain cases it is possible to use brachytherapy to treat mesothelioma either as part of a preoperative treatment known as neoadjuvant or as an adjuvant after surgery to eliminate any mesothelioma tumors that surgeons were unable to remove completely. In addition, some mesothelioma patients are treated with brachytherapy alongside pleurectomy/decortication and conventional radiation therapy as a palliative treatment for their symptoms.

Proton beam radiation

Radiation oncologists target mesothelioma tumours in specific regions of the body. This type of treatment allows for a more precise approach and reduces the chance of exposing healthy tissue to radiation at high levels. Patients with mesothelioma must discuss proton radiation therapy with their doctor to determine if it is the best option for them.

Radiation oncologists develop a plan for treating cancerous tissue before beginning the proton beam treatment. Dosimetrists make use of an algorithm on computers to calculate the precise dose of radiation required for the area. The doctors also determine where in the body to place radiation and how far into the body it needs to travel. The dosimetrists then send the information to a physicist who uses a machine called a synchrotron to accelerate protons until they reach the energy level that is required to treat.

The protons are directed to the tumor by a system similar to the CT scanner after they enter the treatment room. The patient will be placed on a table that moves to a position that matches the shape of the tumor. The physicist uses a system to rotate the nozzle of a proton beam around he patient in order to ensure that the radiation hits the tumor at the most optimal angle.

A gantry device is used to shape and direct the proton beam. The gantry is surrounded by an immobilization frame that keeps the patient still during treatment. A computer controls the gantry which is monitored by a team of radiation technicians who are located in an adjacent room. The radiation oncologist is able to alter the treatment plan at weekly appointments if needed.

Proton beam radiation penetrates lung tissues less deeply than conventional photon radiation. This means there is a lower chance of developing radiation-related complications, such as toxicity and the growth of mesothelioma cells that are resistant to treatment.

The proton beam is utilized to target tumors of mesothelioma in the pleural linings in the abdomen and lungs. It is crucial for patients to consult with mesothelioma experts who have experience with proton beam radiation.

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