Study Shows Promise for Mesothelioma Radiation Treatment

A recently published study in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology says that using treatment planning techniques such as intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) could be helpful for malignant pleural mesothelioma patients.

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

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

V. Gupta and colleagues examined the local and nodal (lymph nodes) recurrence in patients treated with EPP and radiation therapy to establish whether IMRT could be used as a treatment method.
The study included 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 showed 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 at Asbestos.com.