What is the Radiotherapy?

Radiotherapy uses high energy rays to kill cancer cells. It is not usually used for peritoneal mesothelioma because it causes too many side effects. But you may have a course of intensity modulated radiotherapy treatments after surgery for early mesothelioma in the chest (pleural mesothelioma), to try to stop the cancer coming back. In advanced pleural mesothelioma, where surgery is not possible, some people may have radiotherapy. This is to try to slow the cancer down and keep it under control. Radiotherapy may also be used to try to control symptoms in advanced pleural mesothelioma. It can help to control pain. Some people have a few radiotherapy treatments to the area where they have had biopsies through the skin or fluid drained from their chest. This aims to stop the mesothelioma cells growing in the scar tissue. A few small studies have shown that radiotherapy used in this way prevents the mesothelioma cells from growing. We need more research to confirm how helpful radiotherapy is in this situation.