Multimodal therapy is one type of therapy that may help people who are dealing with mesothelioma. It is a therapy in which at least two or more approaches are used to work toward better outcomes. Using a multimodal treatment plan is more likely to support extended survival times.
Some of the therapies that may be used during multimodal treatment include:
- Surgery to remove mesothelioma and cancer cells where possible, especially in early stage cancers
- Radiation therapy, which uses high-energy radiation to both target and kill the cancerous cells in the body. This is an external treatment, in most cases, which means that the machine aims the beam at the area of the body that contains the cancer cells. One other form, Brachytherapy, is an internal radiation treatment that uses an internal device to target a specific area.
- Chemotherapy, which targets rapidly growing cells, like cancers, and destroys them
Unfortunately, with some treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy, serious side effects are possible. Healthy cells may be impacted as well.
How can you decide on which therapies to use?
There are many factors that go into choosing the right therapies for a patient. The type of mesothelioma they have, their overall health, their personal preferences and their age all play a role in the decision-making process.
Treatments are always changing and improving
If you have developed mesothelioma, it’s important to know that the options for treatment are always changing and improving. Multimodal therapies are designed to give you the best chance of a full recovery in the future and to give you the quality of life that you deserve.