Mesothelioma Study Shows Promise for Radiation Therapy

According to a recently published study in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, using treatment planning techniques such as intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) could be beneficial for malignant pleural mesothelioma patients.

Pleural mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. The majority of cases take at least 20 years to occur after the initial exposure to asbestos and most patients are unaware of the development of the disease. If the disease is caught early enough, multiple forms of treatment can be used to combat the cancer, known as multimodality therapy.

A multimodality therapy approach involving a surgical procedure called an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), chemotherapy and radiotherapy is often recommended for patients diagnosed during the early stages of pleural mesothelioma. However, planning radiotherapy treatment after EPP can be complicated due to the large target area, the high doses required to prevent recurrence and the proximity of vital organs and other important structures.

V. Gupta and colleagues analyzed the local and nodal (lymph nodes) recurrence in patients treated with EPP and radiotherapy to determine whether IMRT could be used as a treatment method.

The study consisted of 86 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who had undergone radiotherapy and an EPP. The radiotherapy technique included a combination of photons and electrons to maximize the dosage to the targeted area.

The results of the study revealed that only 10 percent of patients developed late grade three pulmonary toxicity and no patients passed away.  V. Gupta and colleagues concluded, “IMRT’s advantages must be balanced against the increased risk of fatal pulmonary toxicity.”

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 8:58 am and is filed under Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.