There are several ways doctors use radiation in mesothelioma patients:
Adjuvant Radiation: Doctors prescribe this treatment after the patient has surgery, directing the radiation beams at the area where the cancer used to be.
Neoadjuvant Radiation: Doctors also give radiation before surgery in an effort to reduce the size of tumors, which can make surgery more successful.
Palliative Relief of Pain: Radiation has the capacity to relieve pain in patients whose cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or chest wall. Patients can get radiation any time after surgery if pain arises from mesothelioma tumor recurrence.
Prevention of Seeding: Mesothelioma can spread along surgical incisions and biopsy sites through what’s called seeding. There is some evidence that directing radiation at these areas decreases seeding, though research is inconclusive.