Mesothelioma treatment can vary depending on several factors, including:

• The location of the cancer
• How far mesothelioma has progressed
• How far the cancer has spread
• The patient’s age, physical health and desires

If you have a malignant mesothelioma, you may require surgery to remove the cancerous pleura (in the chest) or peritoneum (in the abdomen). In some cases, you may need to have a lung removed as well. Other types of mesothelioma treatment include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and a relatively new form of treatment called photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy is still under investigation for treatment of malignant mesothelioma. For this therapy, you’ll be given special medicines that make cancer cells very sensitive to light. You’ll then undergo surgery, during which the surgeon shines a strong laser light on the cancer cells to kill them.

If malignant mesothelioma is very widespread, treatment may be limited to measures that help relieve any uncomfortable symptoms. For instance, pain can be treated with narcotic painkillers, and shortness of breath can be treated by administering oxygen.

When to Call Your Doctor

You should call call your doctor if you experience any of the following:

• You have an unexplained or persistent cough.
• You have shortness of breath.
• You develop chest pain.
• You develop unexplained or persistent abdominal pain or nausea.
• You notice any swelling in your abdomen.
• You lose weight unintentionally.
• You feel overly tired or weak, or you lose your appetite.
• You develop an unexplained or persistent fever, chills or sweats.