Types of Medication

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given intravenously (directly into a vein). Medication is also given orally, by pill or capsule. Intracavitary chemotherapy has proven effective in some cases. This is the administration of chemotherapy into the chest or abdominal cavity where it comes into direct contact with the tumor.

Medications to relieve symptoms (such as pain, nausea) related to treatment are also important during therapy for mesothelioma.

New treatments for mesothelioma are being tried and sponsored as clinical trials by the National Cancer Institute and are ongoing at different medical centers. Recent approval of a new program using pemetrexed (Alimta®) and gemcitabine (Gemzar®) have shown benefits and good tolerability.

More on Mesothelioma