Radiation Treatment in MesotheliomaMesothelioma patients may receive radiation treatment as part of their pleural mesothelioma treatment program. It can reduce the likelihood that cancer will return after surgery.Radiation therapy utilizes ionizing radio waves that damage DNA within cells, killing them. It can be administered before or after surgery.Doctors often combine it with chemotherapy to increase surgical outcomes. It can also help alleviate symptoms by shrinking tumors that cause discomfort such as shortness of breath.External beam radiation therapyThis treatment uses x-rays or particles from a machine outside the body to kill cancer cells. It is offered prior to or after surgery and chemotherapy to kill cancer cells in the area or as a treatment to ease symptoms such as breathlessness. It is difficult to treat mesotheliomas with radiation without damaging healthy tissue because they don't form one, distinct tumor. Newer techniques are helping to overcome this problem.Radiation experts create detailed pictures using a computer of the cancerous tissue and healthy tissues around. These images help them decide how much radiation to apply and where it should be directed. This information is then used by a huge machine to align the radiation beam over the tumor precisely. Most types of EBRT require treatment every day for a period of weeks, but certain patients require less treatments. Each session lasts between 15 and 30 minutes. However, the majority of time is spent in preparing the patient for treatment.The type of EBRT that is used to treat mesothelioma will rely on the location of tumors and the health of the patient. It could be a standard EBRT called three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) or a more advanced technique like intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). In some instances, it may be combined with a specific method, such as stereotactic body radiation therapy to treat larger tumors, or with other treatment methods such as intraoperative radiation therapy to treat smaller tumors that can't be surgically removed.Another option for treatment is proton beam radiation therapy, which involves aiming particle beams (like protons or Helium particles) at the tumor from various angles. This allows for more precise focusing of the site of cancer and reduces the risk of damage to healthy tissues and organs nearby. However, proton beam radiation therapy isn't widely employed in Australia for mesothelioma.Another type of radiation is intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) that is given alongside surgery to try to kill any mesothelioma that couldn't be removed surgically. This is a simple procedure that takes just a few minutes to perform.Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)IMRT is a procedure that allows doctors to treat the tumor without damaging healthy tissue. The treatment uses a medical linear acceleration (LINAC) device which emits X-rays or photons to target the tumor. The machine rotates around the patient, which allows the beam to be directed at various angles to ensure that every area is being treated. This allows the doctor to administer an increased dose to the tumor while also protecting healthy tissues from damage.IMRT is used with Image-Guided Radiation Therapy, which assists the doctor in determining the exact site of the cancer. IGRT makes use of computerized images such as CT scans, X-rays and MRI scans, if they are available, to help the radiation oncologist locate mesothelioma precisely. Once the area of interest has been identified, the IMRT can be used to design an treatment plan that targets mesothelioma precisely.The IMRT system also enables the doctor to tailor the treatment according to the individual anatomy of each patient and reduce the risk of side negative effects. Radiation oncologists typically give patients five daily IMRT treatments each week, for between five and eight consecutive weeks. Each session is between 15 and 30 minute. The daily dose of radiation helps to protect the body's normal tissue. It is important to keep in mind also that a weekend break is often needed so that the healthy tissues of the body can heal.The IMRT technique has shown good results for patients suffering from mesothelioma that affects the neck and head. It is especially useful for tumors located near radiosensitive structures such as the parotid glands. a recent study showed that IMRT can allow a large dose to be delivered to the tumour without affecting the neighboring parotid gland. The parotid glands spared from radiation recovered to 63 percent of their pre-treatment levels as compared to only 3 percent recovery for patients who received conventional radiation. This is an encouraging result, but more research is needed. To confirm these preliminary findings, large-scale IMRT trials are required.BrachytherapyIf doctors are unable to remove mesothelioma entirely, radiation can help shrink the tumor and decrease symptoms. Palliative care is what it is called. Doctors use it in conjunction with other treatments like chemotherapy and neoadjuvant treatment to increase the patient's life duration.Radiation therapy makes use of x-rays from an equipment outside of the body to kill cancerous cells. With new techniques such as IMRT doctors can better target the cancerous area and limit the damage caused by radiation to surrounding tissues.Certain types of radiation can be used inside the body to kill cancer cells. In treatment for mesothelioma in the lungs , doctors place an enclosed source of radioactive material in or near mesothelioma. This can be done with a catheter or an applicator. Doctors are able to deliver doses of radiation from a machine outside the body to target the source. This is called external radiation therapy (EBRT).In brachytherapy, doctors can give patients either pulsed-dose or high dose rates of radiation. The latter involves patients staying in a hospital for two weeks and receiving daily 10 minute sessions. High-dose brachytherapy is not as common because it requires a bigger device and longer exposure times.Protons are employed in a different form of brachytherapy, instead of x rays. Protons are physical particles, and are therefore less likely to be absorbed by tissues. This may lead to less damage in the surrounding area. However, this form of radiation is more expensive and isn't as widely available as xrays.Mesothelioma patients may have to undergo radiation therapy for a few weeks or more. This can be extremely difficult to tolerate. Patients should talk to their doctors about any adverse effects they might experience during treatment. They should also consult their doctors for tips on minimizing side effects.Aside from radiation, mesothelioma patients may benefit from immunotherapy and gene therapy as part of their multimodal treatment plan. Immunotherapy can boost the immune system and mesothelioma patients who have had chemotherapy can benefit from using immunotherapies to boost their chemotherapy regimen.Researchers are also exploring ways to improve the outcomes of radiation treatment for mesothelioma. Combining immunotherapy and brachytherapy is possible by injecting cells that are infused with Yervoy directly into the chest cavity. This treatment has shown promise in clinical trials. Gene therapy is a new method of replacing or repairing genes in mesothelioma cell lines to limit their growth or make them more vulnerable to chemotherapy.Radiation therapy after surgeryThe use of radiation therapy cannot cure mesothelioma however it can improve the prognosis of a patient. When used as part of an approach to treatment that includes multiple options that includes radiation therapy, it can shrink mesothelioma tumors and decrease the discomfort and pain caused by cancer. It can also reduce the chance of mesothelioma cells spreading during surgery or following the removal of a pulmonary tumor (known as "seeding").Mesothelioma radiation therapy typically involves multiple sessions, each lasting around 30 minutes. The treatment can be uncomfortable as the radiation oncologist has to place and hold the patient in place.Before a session begins patients should dress in a comfortable way. They should also stay clear of wearing any metal that can interfere with the precision of the equipment. In addition, patients should take small meals throughout the day to prevent nausea from the treatments.In the case of a patient's health, he or she may be treated with a traditional form of radiation or brachytherapy. In conventional treatments doctors make use of a device called a linear accelerator to deliver the radiation. This is the most commonly used mesothelioma treatment. It is usually used to treat pleural mesothelioma, which is a cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs.Brachytherapy is a specialized treatment that makes use of the radiation source inside the body. Implants can be permanently or temporarily placed. When the doctor inserts the implant into the patient, they must take care to ensure that the cancerous tissues are targeted and not surrounding organs.Researchers are investigating the possibility of combining radiation therapy and surgical procedures in specific mesothelioma trials for patients with mesothelioma that is resectable. The SMART trial is one instance. This experimental treatment plan consists of giving patients hemithoracic radiotherapy prior to they undergo extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). This combination of treatments allows physicians to give the patient higher doses of radiation and decrease the chance of mesothelioma post-surgery seeding.A mesothelioma patient may experience a complete or partial remission, which means that the tumor has decreased in size or disappeared completely. Some patients have experienced remission for a long time, and have lived past their initial prognosis.