Role of Radiation Therapy in Mesothelioma

Radiation therapy is administered as part of combined modality treatment (with chemo + surgery) for selected patients with potentially resectable disease. It can also help to reduce the size of chest wall tumours and relieve pain.

Indications

Radiation therapy is used in selected patients who can tolerate multi-modality treatment, in patients at risk of chest tube/biopsy tract recurrence and in patients with symptomatic unresectable tumours.

Benefits

Radiation therapy can reduce the risk of local recurrence after an extrapleural pneumonectomy, and can alleviate symptoms.

Special Programs

Multimodality treatment that include high dose hemithorax RT (IMRT technique) for selected patients with good performance status, potentially resectable tumours and no contraindications to any of the treatments.

How to Make a Referral

Dr. John Cho has a particular interest and expertise in this area.  He sees most of the mesothelioma patients for a RT opinion.

This page was last updated June 21st, 2010 at 2:38pm.