Pericardial mesothelioma is usually related to long term asbestos exposure. It generally appears fifteen to forty years after the exposure occurred and its early symptoms are subtle.
Pericardial Mesothelioma is almost always detected at a late stage, treatment options are palliative rather than curative. Any procedures or treatments suggested by doctors are usually to help reduce pain or relieve the symptoms of the disease.
Palliative treatment options may include:
- Radiation Therapy. Used to draining fluid from the pericardium, as a means of relieving pressure on proximal structures, can be used to alleviate symptoms and as a way to obtain a tissue sample for biopsy. This procedure can be used to help prolong life while other treatment modalities are administered.
- Chemotherapy. Used to attempt to reduce cancer cells. This aggressive form of therapy should be carefully considered as it will most likely detract from the patient’s quality of life but offer no cure.
- Radiation Therapy. Used to kill the cancer cells and shrink tumors, but this approach carries with it the risk of damaging the heart and lungs. As well as the more familiar practice of external exposure to radioactive materials, treatment might involve delivering radioactive materials directly to the cancer site through plastic tubing (internal therapy).
- Surgery. Used to attempt to reduce cancer cells. This aggressive form of therapy should be carefully considered as it will most likely detract from the patient’s quality of life but offer no cure.
- Clinical Trial.
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