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Mesothelioma surgery
There are two main types of mesothelioma surgery: curative and palliative. Curative surgery is used when the patient is in fairly good health and the tumor has not spread, or metastasized, beyond one isolated area. This type of surgery is not likely to cure, but may extend a patient's life. Palliative surgery is used when the mesothelioma has spread and cannot be removed completely—or if the patient’s health is too poor to endure major surgery. It is performed primarily to relieve pain and discomfort.
Curative Mesothelioma Surgery
Potentially curative surgical procedures for pleural mesothelioma include:
- Extrapleural pneumonectomy: A complex, difficult operation that removes the pleural lining from the chest wall, diaphragm, and pericardium, as well as the whole lung on the side of the tumor. This type of surgery is most frequently used in patients with localized malignant mesothelioma of the epithelioid type.
- Pleurectomy/decortication: This is a less extensive procedure which removes the pleura—the area containing most of the cancerous growth. This type of mesothelioma surgery can help control the buildup of excess fluid, improve breathing, and reduce pain caused by the cancer.
Palliative Mesothelioma Surgery
While also used as a curative surgery for pleural mesothelioma, pleurectomy/decortication can help control the buildup of excess fluid, improve breathing, and reduce pain caused by the cancer.
Because the abdomen is such a complex space containing many fragile organs, surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma is more complicated. Most mesothelioma surgery performed in the abdominal space focuses on de-bulking, or decreasing the size of tumors. Although the tumors associated with peritoneal mesothelioma are often too extensive to remove entirely, surgical treatment can help relieve symptoms suffered by the patient.
Side Effects of Mesothelioma Surgery
While mesothelioma offers varying degrees of success in treating mesothelioma, it can be accompanied by serious or life-threatening side-effects. Some potential side effects of surgery include:
- Hemorrhage
- Lung infection
- Collection of infected fluid in the chest
- Heart arrhythmia
- Chest or abdominal pain
- Digestive problems
- Nerve damage
Mesothelioma surgery may also contaminate new areas with cancer cells, causing the cancer to grow in additional places in the body. If you or a loved one has had surgery as part of mesothelioma treatment, you may want to share your story with others in the Mesothelioma Discussion Board.
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