A recent study published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology highlighted a promising treatment that could possibly extend the life expectancy for patients suffering from malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. According to the report, a large portion of patients in a studying undergoing two-stage cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy regimen had a significantly longer lifespan thanks to the treatment.
The treatment worked by first putting the patient through cytoreductive surgery, a procedure that removes tumors from inside the abdominal wall of mesothelioma patients. After undergoing surgery, doctors treated the patients with intraperitoneal chemotherapy to help kill any mesothelioma tumors possible left over from the surgery.
Doctors then monitored patients with CT scans of the abdomen, chest, and pelvis every six months for signs of tumor growth. Patients with tumors received a second round of cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy while those without tumors only received the chemotherapy portion of the treatment.