Peritoneal mesothelioma treatment

The choice of treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma will depend on a number of factors. These include the stage of your cancer, any other medical conditions you may have, and your general fitness. Unfortunately, cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy do not always work well for mesothelioma. Doctors and researchers are working to improve mesothelioma treatment all the time. You may be offered treatment as part of a clinical trial.

Surgery is not often possible for peritoneal mesothelioma. If it is possible, removing the lining of the abdomen (the peritoneum) aims to reduce symptoms. You may have chemotherapy into a vein. People with early stage peritoneal mesothelioma may have chemotherapy directly into the abdomen at the same time as surgery, or soon afterwards.

Unfortunately peritoneal mesothelioma is often diagnosed when it is quite advanced. Some people with very advanced peritoneal mesothelioma may be too ill to cope with intensive chemotherapy. But you can still have treatment to try to relieve symptoms such as pain, weight loss and other symptoms such as fluid in the abdomen.

 

Surgery is not often possible for peritoneal mesothelioma as you need to be very fit for this type of major operation. If surgery is possible, the operation is called a peritonectomy. This means removing the part of the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen) in which the mesothelioma is growing. This aims to reduce symptoms.

You may have a technique known as cytoreductive surgery. Cytoreductive surgery involves the surgeon carrying out up to 6 different peritonectomy procedures, to remove as much of the cancer as possible. At the same time as the surgery, and afterwards, heated chemotherapy is given straight into the peritoneal cavity. Doctors have achieved some promising results using these techniques - an Australian overview of trials showed survival rates of between 2 and 3 years for some patiemts. .

Some people with peritoneal mesothelioma may have anti-cancer drugs injected into a vein. Depending on the type of chemotherapy drugs used, this treatment can be given weekly or every two to three weeks. Usually the treatment is given as an outpatient. It aims to shrink the mesothelioma and keep it under control for as long as possible but chemotherapy given like this does not work very well for many people with mesothelioma. Research is continuing to try to fine better ways of using chemotherapy.

For people who are fit and have early stage peritoneal mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be given directly into the abdomen at the same time as cytoreductive surgery, or soon afterwards. The doctor makes a small cut in the wall of your abdomen. Then they put a tube called a catheter through the opening and into your tummy (abdomen). The chemotherapy is given into your abdominal cavity through the catheter. It is usually heated to a few degrees above body temperature first. This is called hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIIC).