There are a variety of new and alternative approaches to treating malignant mesothelioma. These therapies often work in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments or include a completely different approach. Below is a list of some of the newest treatment options for patients suffering from mesothelioma.
Immunotherapy, also known as biological therapy, is a more recent approach to cancer treatment, including the treatment of mesothelioma. Immunotherapy is the use of the body’s own defense mechanisms to fight tumor cells. Medical experts are exploring how elements of the immune system can be restored, enhanced, mimicked, and manipulated to destroy cancerous cells.
Photodynamic therapy for the treatment of mesothelioma is based on the idea that single-celled organisms will die when exposed to light at a specific frequency if they have first been treated with certain photosensitive drugs. In PDT, the drug concentrates in the area of cancerous cells, while being eliminated from normal cells. The diseased cells are then exposed to a laser light, which activates the photosensitizing agent. Once the light is delivered to the cancer site, an active form of oxygen kills the surrounding cancer cells.
IMRT is a radiation technique, which allows x-rays to be delivered to complex shapes and to tumors with close proximity to vital organs. IMRT uses rays of different frequencies in conjunction with computer generated images to plan and emit targeted radiation directly to diseased tissue, while decreasing the amount of radiation to surrounding healthy cells.
New chemotherapy agents and combinations of agents are being developed and tested to improve treatment results for patients with mesothelioma.
Gene therapy for the treatment of mesothelioma works to modify and correct an individual’s genes at the DNA level. This treatment also includes replacement gene therapy, which replaces a diseased or missing gene with a normal copy to control cell growth and division. Knockout gene therapy targets genes that may induce tumor growth to make them inactive.
There is a wide range of alternative and holistic approaches to treating mesothelioma including acupuncture, homeopathy, herbs, massages, etc. These therapies may be used as an alternative form of treatment or in conjunction to traditional treatments.