Mesothelioma Treatment: ChemotherapyChemotherapy refers to the use of drugs and other chemical agents to fight cancer. It is one of the major modalities used in the treatment of nearly all forms of the disease, including mesothelioma. Chemotherapy is the most commonly deployed therapeutic modality for mesothelioma treatment because most patients are diagnosed only in the disease’s later stages and are not eligible for curative surgery. For these patients, chemotherapy represents their best chance to control symptoms and to extend life. Although it has not demonstrated the same life-saving efficacy that it has for other forms of cancer, recent advances in the chemotherapy agents administered to mesothelioma patients have led to longer survival times for some patient groups. The following pages provide a detailed introduction to the practice of chemotherapy for mesothelioma treatment. For people who are interested in an overview of chemotherapy itself, we provide an introduction to the basic biological principles that underlie its use and potential effectiveness, as well information on the major factors involved with its administration. This information applies to mesothelioma treatment as well as to cancer treatment in general. We also provide information on the specific use of chemotherapy in the treatment of mesothelioma. We have a page that describes the chemotherapy standard of care for pleural mesothelioma, which is combination therapy using pemetrexed and cisplatin, as well one that provides an overview of some of the different groups of chemotherapy drugs that are available. This page describes the basic differences between these various groups and it details a number of the individual drugs that have previously been deployed for treatment. It also provides information on some recently developed agents that researchers are still investigating for mesothelioma treatment. Related InformationTo learn more about chemotherapy and how it is used to treat mesothelioma, please read the following pages: |
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Mesothelioma is a serious cancer that
occurs in individuals exposed to
asbestos. 
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