Latest Mesothelioma Treatments
and Research
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Intracavitary Chemotherapy
Intracavitary chemotherapy involves delivering chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin straight in to the affected chest and/or abdomen.
Because the drug does not have to be injected in to the bloodstream more potent doses can be used without a corresponding increase in harmful toxic effects. If the chemotherapy is heated (hyperthermia) there appears to be even more potency to the treatment.
Intracavitary chemotherapy is usually carried out during surgery to remove a cancerous area. The tumor cells are first removed and then the heated intracavitary chemotherapy applied to affected areas in the chest and/or abdomen that might still have microscopic cancerous cells - a 'cytoprotective' agent is then given to help save healthy cells from harm.
Trials have been conducted to see if there are better results if the cytoprotective agent is delivered at the same time as the heated cisplatin and reports so far suggest this to be the case.
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