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Take out some (or all) of the tissue that has mesothelioma.Drain fluid from around the lungPut a powdery substance called "talc " � in the space around the lung. This can help keep fluid from building up there.Radiation therapy " � Radiation kills cancer cells.Chemotherapy " � Chemotherapy is the term doctors use to describe a group of medicines that kill cancer cells.
Some people have a combination of treatments. For example, you might have radiation treatment or chemotherapy after surgery. The best treatment for you will depend on your age, health, and other symptoms. Your doctor or nurse will talk with you about the best treatment. � �
Should I be in a clinical trial? " � If you have pleural mesothelioma, you might want to be in a "clinical trial. " � A clinical trial is a research study that tests new medicines and treatments to see how well they work. � �
Being in a clinical trial might or might not change your symptoms or help you live longer. But it can give doctors more information about pleural mesothelioma and how to treat it. Information from the trial can help them create new and better medicines and treatments. To find out more about being in a clinical trial, talk with your doctor. � �
What will my life be like? " � That depends on your age, health, treatment, and other factors. Treatment works well for some people and not as well for others. � �
Knowing certain things can help you make decisions about treatment. Any time your doctor talks with you about a new treatment, ask: � �
- What are the benefits of this treatment? Is there a chance it could help me live longer? How much will it help my symptoms?
- What bad things could happen if I have this treatment?
- Do I have other choices besides this treatment?
- What happens if I do not have this treatment?
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. � �
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. � �
Topic 83443 Version 2.0 � �
Release: 22.8 - C22.206 � �
� � 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. � �
figure 1
Normal lungs
The lungs sit in the chest, inside the ribcage. They are covered with a thin membrane called the "pleura. " � The windpipe (or trachea) branches into two smaller airways called the left and right "bronchus. " � The space between the lungs is called the "mediastinum. " � Lymph nodes are located within and around the lungs and mediastinum.
Graphic 67527 Version 10.0
View Originalfigure 1
Normal lungs
The lungs sit in the chest, inside the ribcage. They are covered with a thin membrane called the "pleura. " � The windpipe (or trachea) branches into two smaller airways called the left and right "bronchus. " � The space between the lungs is called the "mediastinum. " � Lymph nodes are located within and around the lungs and mediastinum.
Graphic 67527 Version 10.0
View Original
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