The Mesothelioma Program at Penn Medicine offers more mesothelioma treatment options then most medical centers around the world. Our expert mesothelioma team works one-on-one with you and your family to tailor a cutting-edge care plan to your goals.
Different Treatments for Mesothelioma
Treatment for mesothelioma depends on factors such as the type and stage of tumor, your overall health, and your personal preferences. Our doctors often recommend a combination of treatments for the best results.
Surgical Interventions
Careful mesothelioma diagnosis and staging helps your doctor determine whether surgery is right for you. Depending on the location and stage of mesothelioma, your doctor may recommend:
- Extrapleural pneumonectomy: During this operation, the surgeon removes the lung, pericardium (membrane covering the heart), part of the diaphragm (muscle between the lungs and abdomen), and part of the membrane lining the chest.
- Radical pleurectomy and decortication: This is the removal of the lining around the lungs along with parts of the lung affected by mesothelioma. This approach spares most of the lung.
- Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS): A surgeon makes tiny incisions in the chest, then inserts a tiny camera (thoracoscope). Your surgeon watches images form the camera on a video monitor to guide the procedure. VATS procedures can remove tumors or an entire lobe from the lung.
- Cytoreductive surgery: Sometimes called debulking surgery, the surgeon removes as much of a tumor as possible from the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum). Debulking is often combined with peritonectomy (removal of the peritoneum) and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) infused into the abdomen at the time of surgery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (chemo) uses anti-cancer drugs to fight mesothelioma. Chemo can be used alone or in combination with other treatments.
Your doctor may recommend having chemotherapy before surgery to shrink tumors and reduce the risk of cancer spread (metastasis). This strategy is known as neoadjuvant therapy.
After surgery, chemotherapy is often used to destroy any remaining cancer cells and lower the chances of the cancer coming back. This is called adjuvant therapy. Chemotherapy can be used by itself when mesothelioma can't be removed with surgery. It may also be combined with radiation therapy.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is a powerful technology that uses high-energy beams to target cancer cells and slow or stop tumor growth. It can be used after mesothelioma surgery to target any remaining cancer cells. It may also be helpful for reducing mesothelioma symptoms such as shortness of breath, pain, bleeding, and difficulty swallowing.
Specific types of radiation therapy used to treat mesothelioma include:
- Brachytherapy: Small radioactive implants deliver a high dose of radiation to a specific area, targeting the cancer cells more precisely. Learn more about brachytherapy.
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): IMRT fits a radiation beam to a tumor's shape and delivers precise doses of radiation. This precision minimizes radiation exposure to healthy tissue. Explore IMRT.
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT): Also known as photoradiation therapy, phototherapy, or photochemotherapy, PDT combines light-sensitive medication (photosensitizer) and low-level beams of light to destroy cancer cells. Discover PDT.
- Proton therapy: This treatment uses proton beams to deliver a higher radiation dose than other types of radiation therapy. Penn Medicine's Roberts Proton Therapy Center is the largest and most sophisticated facility in the world for this advanced form of radiation treatment.
- Volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT): VMAT uses radiation beams that sweep in arcs around your body. Detailed imaging helps guide the radiation, maximizing the dose to the tumor while minimizing exposure to healthy tissues.
Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy for Mesothelioma
Immunotherapy uses medications delivered either directly to the tumor site or intravenously to trigger the body's own immune system to recognize and target cancer cells.
Targeted therapy treatments use drugs that target and interfere with certain molecules responsible for cancer cell growth. Researchers are still studying the best ways to use currently approved or newly developed targeted therapy drugs for mesothelioma.
Innovative Mesothelioma Research and Clinical Trials at Penn Medicine
A clinical trial is a research study that looks at new treatments for mesothelioma or treatment combinations to see if they are safe and effective.
Penn is a major center for ongoing mesothelioma research and clinical trials. We are at the forefront of designing innovative treatments for lung cancer, mesothelioma, and related disorders. The knowledge we gain from our research allows us to provide better care for people with mesothelioma and pleural disease.
We are proud to be pioneering the use of CAR T-cell therapy for mesothelioma. This treatment modifies a type of white blood cell (T-cell) in a lab to recognize and attack cancer cells. These modified cells are injected back into your body, where they seek out and destroy cancer cells.
Penn is also a leader in photodynamic therapy for the treatment of mesothelioma. This treatment uses a special light and a light-sensitive drug to target and kill cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy cells. We continue to learn ways to improve this therapy's effectiveness by studying it in combination with gene therapy or tumor vaccines.
We offer clinical trials for nearly every stage of mesothelioma. Find a mesothelioma clinical trial.
Supportive Care for Malignant Mesothelioma
In addition to treatments designed to fight cancer, many people with mesothelioma benefit from therapies that manage symptoms.
If you have recurrent pleural effusion that makes breathing difficult, your doctor may recommend an indwelling pleural catheter. This device removes excess fluid from your chest cavity at home. Your doctor may also recommend a procedure called talc pleurodesis to reduce the space available for fluid to build up between your lung and chest wall.
At Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center, we believe that mesothelioma care goes beyond medical treatment. Our mesothelioma cancer support services and programs help people with mesothelioma and loved ones navigate treatment and recovery. Whether you need emotional support, help with nutrition, education, or palliative care, we can help.
Why Choose Penn Medicine for Mesothelioma Treatment?
Research shows that patients who choose an academic medical center for the treatment of rare cancers like mesothelioma have better outcomes. This is proven at Penn—our patients experience better results and longer survivorship.
People choose us for:
- Individualized treatment plans: Your priorities are our priorities. We take the time to get to know you and make treatment recommendations based on your health and your goals. We always prioritize the safest and least invasive treatment options.
- Advanced treatments not widely available: While we offer the most advanced available treatments for mesothelioma, we're also actively developing new and innovative treatments. We offer a range of advanced radiation treatments, including innovative approaches like proton therapy, which is available at only a few cancer centers in the country. Another example is photodynamic therapy—Penn is an internationally recognized leader of efforts to use this treatment for pleural cancers.
- Ongoing research and clinical trials: Our dedicated researchers are committed to advancing the field of mesothelioma. As a major center for mesothelioma clinical trials, we provide access to some of the newest and most exciting therapies.
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