When a recently-diagnosed mesothelioma patient is presented with options for treatment, surgery sometimes enters the picture. Surgery for cancer comes in a variety of forms. Some are proposed as a curative measure, others are designed to relieve symptoms of the disease that can be quite debilitating and interfere with the patient's quality of life.

Curative Surgeries

Because of the nature of mesothelioma and the fact that by the time a mesothelioma diagnosis has been made it has usually reached an advanced stage, surgery that will result in a mesothelioma cure is rarely an option. However, in some cases, this type of surgery is suggested in order to remove as much mesothelioma cancer as possible and is often followed by other mesothelioma treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.

Ideally, candidates for these surgeries will be in mesothelioma Stage 1 or 2 of the disease. In addition, the patient will need to be in overall good health and free of other medical issues that can complicate these procedures and the recovery period after the surgery. If the doctor determines the patient is strong enough, the following surgeries may be suggested:

* Pneumonectomy – This involves the removal of the diseased lung. It's a complicated surgery and demands a long recovery period. Candidates are patients whose mesothelioma is only in one lung.
* Extrapleural pneumonectomy – Recommended only in rare cases, this surgery involves the removal of the affected lung as well as the areas surrounding it. It is a very risky surgery and carries with it a long list of complications including heart failure and serious gastrointestinal problems.

Palliative Surgeries

Surgeries that relieve mesothelioma symptoms like pain and other problems associated with mesothelioma disease are as follows:

* Pleurocentesis – This procedure is used to address pleural effusion, the build-up of fluid in the pleural area surrounding the lungs. The fluid can make it very painful and difficult for a mesothelioma patient to breathe. The procedure is performed in an outpatient area by means of a long, thin needle that is inserted into the pleural space to withdraw fluid.
* Paracentesis – Essentially the same procedure as the thoracentesis, this one is used to help patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, removing fluid that has collected in the abdominal area.
* Pleurodesis – This more serious surgery is used to halt the build-up of fluid for a longer amount of time and involves inserting talc into the pleural space. The talc causes inflammation and stops the fluid from collecting, often for as long as a few years.