High-energy x-rays or particles are used in radiation therapy to kill cancer cells, although this treatment is less effective for mesothelioma patients. That is because mesothelioma cancer tends not to produce the single, isolated tumors that radiation therapy can most effectively treat by focusing on a specific area. This makes avoiding healthy tissue difficult, though new techniques are being refined which may make this treatment more successful.

Like other treatments, radiation therapy may be used to treat mesothelioma in different ways. Called adjuvant radiation therapy, it may be administered after surgery in an attempt to kill remaining areas of cancer that were missed. However, it may also be used as a palliative measure to ease painful and frustrating mesothelioma symptoms, such as bleeding, trouble swallowing and shortness of breath.

Radiation Therapy Types

External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is one of two types of radiation therapy used in the treatment of mesothelioma. This form of therapy is the most commonly used type in the treatment of mesothelioma and involves using a machine outside the patient’s body to produce the x-rays that kill cancer cells. Though the radiation is more intense, the actual procedure is much like getting a regular x-ray scan and is painless. In order to determine where to focus these x-rays, the correct angles, and the proper dosage, a medical team will take precise measurements on patients beforehand. These treatment sessions are generally short and last only a few minutes, though positioning patients generally takes longer. This form of radiation therapy is generally given five days a week for a period of several weeks.

The second form of radiation therapy is known as brachytherapy and involves the placement of a radiation source inside the patient’s body. When used in the treatment of mesothelioma, doctors place radioactive material directly into the site of the cancer, either in the chest or abdomen. This form of therapy gives off radiation which only travels a short distance, limiting the harm done to healthy surrounding tissues. Nevertheless, brachytherapy is seldom used in the treatment of mesothelioma.

The development of new radiation therapy techniques allow doctors to more carefully treat mesothelioma, focusing on the cancerous areas while sparing healthy tissues, like the lungs, from the harmful rays. This both increases the success rate of treatment and also reduces side effects. One example of an emerging technology in radiation therapy is intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which involves an advanced three-dimensional radiation therapy. During IMRT, a computer-operated machine travels around patients as it delivers radiation. In addition to hitting tumors at various angles, this technology also has the ability to adjust beam intensity, thereby limiting the dosage reaching nearby tissues.

Radiation Therapy Side Effects

Several side effects are possible with radiation therapy, including fatigue, skin irritation, and hair loss at the radiation entry site. Although most of these side effects recede when treatment ends, their impact can cause further patient discomfort. Radiation therapy of the chest may damage lungs, leading to shortness of breath and other breathing trouble, while abdominal radiation therapy may lead to nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and appetite loss. Furthermore, when used in conjunction with chemotherapy, radiation therapy may worsen the side effects. Luckily doctors can help patients find several ways to help control these side effects.