Treatment Options for Malignant Mesothelioma

Localized Malignant Mesothelioma (Stage I)

If the malignant mesothelioma is in one part of the chest lining, treatment will probably be surgery to remove the part of the chest lining with cancer and some of the tissue around it.

vIf localized malignant mesothelioma is found in more than one place in the chest, treatment may be one of the following:

• Pleurectomy and decortication, with or without radiation therapy, as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life.
• Extrapleural pneumonectomy.
• Radiation therapy as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life.
• A clinical trial of anticancer drugs placed directly into the chest after surgery to remove the tumor.
• A clinical trial of combinations of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of a new treatment.

This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Advanced Malignant Mesothelioma (Stage II, Stage III, and Stage IV)

Treatment of advanced malignant mesothelioma may include the following:

• Surgery to drain fluid that has collected in the chest, to reduce discomfort. Pleurodesis may be done to stop more fluid from collecting in the chest.
• Pleurectomy and decortication, as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life.
• Radiation therapy as palliative therapy to relieve pain.
• Chemotherapy with one anticancer drug.
• A clinical trial of combination chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of combinations of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy placed directly into the chest cavity or abdominal cavity to shrink the tumors and keep fluid from building up.

This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Recurrent Malignant Mesothelioma

Treatment of recurrent malignant mesothelioma may include the following:

• A clinical trial of biologic therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of surgery.

This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Source: National Cancer Institute