The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF) notes that the preferred approach to this type of cancer involves combining surgery with either chemotherapy or radiation mesothelioma therapy treatment. Radiation treatments may also be used as the main treatment for patients whose health is too poor to undergo surgery.

Radiation mesothelioma therapy treatment uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells. There are two types of radiation treatment: external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy.

External beam radiation therapy uses radiation from outside the body that is focused on the cancer. This is the preferred type of radiation mesothelioma therapy treatment according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Patients undergo these treatments five days a week for three-five weeks.

The ACS says that brachytherapy places radioactive material directly into the chest or abdomen at the site of the mesothelioma, but this is rarely used.

Like chemotherapy, radiation mesothelioma therapy treatments can be used in addition to surgery to destroy small deposits of cancer that cannot be seen and removed during surgery. Radiation therapy can also be used simply to relieve symptoms like shortness of breath, pain, bleeding, and difficulty swallowing.

After the removal of fluid buildup, radiation mesothelioma therapy treatments placed directly into the chest may help prevent fluid from coming back. Doctors also may use radiation to prevent the occurrence of mesothelioma in the area of surgical incisions.

Also like chemotherapy, radiation mesothelioma therapy treatments can produce side effects. These may include:

• Fatigue
• Mild skin irritations resembling sunburn
• Possible lung damage leading to difficulty breathing
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea