The Worst Advice We've Heard About Radiation Treatment For Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Radiation Treatment
Mesothelioma radiation therapy uses X-rays and other energy beams to shrink tumors and prevent their growth or spreading. It can be utilized at any point to prolong the life of patients or alleviate symptoms.
Doctors may also utilize radiation prior to surgery in order to shrink the tumor and make it easier for surgeons to eliminate it. They may also make use of it to kill any cancer cells which remain after surgery and to prevent any repeat.
External beam radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams of X-rays or particles that kill cancerous cells. Mesothelioma tumors typically appear as small areas of tissue, making it hard to aim radiation at the tumor, and save healthy tissue nearby. New methods allow doctors to more precisely target the tumor and limit damage to other parts of the human body. Radiation therapy can be used to destroy cancer cells that remain after surgery or chemotherapy. It can be given alone or as a part of a palliative treatment to reduce mesothelioma symptoms such as breathing difficulties and discomfort.
For external beam radiation therapy, doctors utilize a machine to direct radiation towards the mesothelioma cancer from outside the body of the patient. They first perform the results of a CT scan, MRI or PET scan to identify the exact location of mesothelioma. They then develop a plan to provide radiation to the site while limiting damage to surrounding tissue. The radiation oncologist might mark your skin with tiny dots to help them find the area. They may also mark the area to be treated, referred to as the treatment field.
You'll lie down on a treatment bed and an instrument will be positioned over the part of your body that is affected by mesothelioma. You might be asked to change positions several times throughout your session but you will not feel or see the machine moving around your. During the procedure, you may hear clicking or whirring sounds from the machine. The radiation oncologist will monitor you from a room of observation.
EBRT is usually performed 5 days a week at least once per day for 2-8 weeks. You will receive a number of treatments depending on the goal of your treatment as well as the type of radiation utilized. Some EBRT treatments, such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) makes use of computers to precisely target the tumor and limit radiation exposure on nearby tissues.
Other forms of radiation such as proton beam radiation or SBRT make use of particles instead of X ray. Proton beam radiation can damage DNA in cancer cells, which causes them to die faster than normal cells. This kind of treatment is more precise than EBRT but it's not commonly used to treat mesothelioma.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
Intensity modulated radiation therapy orients the radiation beams with the three-dimensional shape and size of the tumor by using 3-D computed-tomography (CT). This allows for higher doses of radiation to be delivered to the tumor while minimizing exposure to organs and tissues around it. IMRT can also be used to treat other cancers such as prostate cancer, lung cancer tumors of the head and neck and Sarcomas.
In studies involving patients with tumors that are complex, IMRT produces superior dose distributions with lower toxicity in comparison to conventional radiation techniques. Radiation oncologists design their mesothelioma treatment plan and employ IMRT in order to ensure that radiation is directed at the correct part of the body. Radiation oncologists meet with patients and seek informed consent before deciding whether IMRT is going to be suitable for mesothelioma therapies.
Together, the radiation oncologist and medical physicist design an individual IMRT treatment plan for mesothelioma. The radiation therapists then carry out the actual treatment with IMRT. During the sessions, the patient lies on the table. Patients may hear sounds or smell odors coming from the equipment, however they shouldn't feel discomfort. Radiation oncologist and medical scientist remain outside the room for a safe viewing distance.
During the IMRT session the radiation oncologist is able to alter the radiation levels as needed to better focus on the cancer. The radiation oncologist may also alter the intensity of each beam, which can help protect vital structures such as the heart and large blood vessels.
Since nearly a decade an entire team from MSKCC of radiation oncologists has utilized IMRT for the treatment of mesothelioma. Their findings indicate that IMRT improves lung function, life expectancy and reduces long-term adverse effects such as radiation esophagitis and radiopneumonitis. The mesothelioma cases examined had mesothelioma pleural biopsy-proven in the hemithorax, but were not suitable for P/D or resection due to impairment in lung function. They were treated with IMRT to the hemithorax with or without pleurectomy. In the patients who received IMRT the overall survival was 71 percent at one year, and 53 percent after two years.
Brachytherapy
Radiation therapy is used to kill cancerous cells within mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer. It can also shrink tumors to make them easier to remove via surgery. It is a specific treatment that uses narrow beams to prevent damaging healthy tissue nearby.
Radiation can be used alone or in conjunction with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy. A lot of patients with mesothelioma receive supplemental chemotherapy to reduce the risk of cancer recurring after surgery and to enhance the effectiveness of their treatment.
Brachytherapy is the process of placing the radioactive source near or inside a mesothelioma tumor, which allows doctors to deliver a higher dose of radiation to the tumor. Doctors can choose to use a 137Caesium or Iridium source for this treatment that requires hospitalization. The patient is placed in a shielded area with the source for a time of 12-24 hours. The patient might experience temporary side effects as a result of this procedure, such as soreness at the site of the implant, as well as some bleeding from the location where the applicator was inserted.
Another alternative is high-dose (HDR) brachytherapy that involves placing several radioactive sources surrounding the tumor and delivering a higher dose of radiation over longer intervals of time. The treatment is typically carried out over a period of three to five days and requires an inpatient stay. This type of brachytherapy could also have some short-term side effects. This includes bleeding and soreness at the area where the applicators have been placed.
It is often difficult to pinpoint radiation since mesothelioma is often a multi-layered tumor. Modern technology allows radiation therapists to target the tumor more precisely and avoid surrounding tissue.
In certain instances, brachytherapy may be used to treat mesothelioma as a part of preoperative therapy called Neoadjuvant or as an adjuvant after surgery to kill any mesothelioma cancer cells that surgeons were unable to eliminate completely. In addition, some mesothelioma patients are treated with brachytherapy alongside pleurectomy/decortication and conventional radiation therapy as a palliative treatment for their symptoms.
Proton beam radiation
Radiation oncologists target mesothelioma tumours in specific regions of the body. This kind of treatment is more precise and reduces the chance that healthy tissues will be exposed to high levels radiation. Mesothelioma patients must discuss proton beam radiation therapy with their physicians to determine if it's an appropriate treatment for them.
The process of proton beam radiation begins by the radiation oncologist who develops an action plan to treat cancerous tissue. Dosimetrists use computers to calculate the exact dose of radiation required for the region. The doctors also determine which part of the body to place the radiation and how deep into the body it should travel. pleural mesothelioma treatment options send the information on to a physicist. The physicist uses a machine known as synchrotron to accelerate protons into the energy required for treatment.
After the protons reach the treatment room they are directed at the tumor using a method that is similar to a CT scanner. The patient is placed on a table that moves to a position that matches the shape of the tumors. The physicist employs a system to rotate the nozzle of a proton beam around he patient in order to ensure that the radiation reaches the tumor at the best angle.
The proton beam is shaped and directed by a device referred as a Gantry. This device is surrounded with an immobilization frame that keeps the patient in a seated position while they are being treated. A computer controls the gantry, which is monitored by a team of radiation technicians from an adjacent room. The radiation oncologist can change the treatment plan as needed during weekly appointments.
Proton beam radiation penetrates lung tissues less than conventional photon radiation. This means there is a lower chance of developing radiation-related complications, including toxicity and the development of mesothelioma tumors that are resistant to treatment.
The proton beam is utilized to target tumors of mesothelioma in the pleural linings of abdomen and lungs. It is important that patients consult mesothelioma specialists who have prior experience working with proton radiation.