Safety First: Managing Cisplatin Exposure After Mesothelioma Treatment
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Safety First: Managing Cisplatin Exposure After Mesothelioma Treatment

ByHolly Zink

Mesothelioma is an aggressive type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart. It is caused by exposure to a mineral called asbestos. Mesothelioma can be difficult to treat, and doctors use a combination of treatments to help patients. One of these treatments is called Hyperthermic Intrathoracic Chemotherapy (HITOC), which delivers a drug called cisplatin directly to the area where the cancer is found. Decoding Mesothelioma Treatment A recent study aimed to learn more about the safety measures needed after HITOC. The researchers focused on understanding how cisplatin is removed from the body through fluids like blood, urine, and secretions from the lungs. They collected samples from five patients who underwent HITOC, both before and after…

HITOC for Mesothelioma: Benefits May Outweigh the Risk
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HITOC for Mesothelioma: Benefits May Outweigh the Risk

ByAlex Strauss

The benefits of a localized chemotherapy regimen known as HITOC for mesothelioma outweigh the small risk of kidney failure for most patients.  That is the conclusion of a new study published in the journal Cancers. German researchers conducted a retrospective review of the medical literature on HITOC (also called HITHOC) in pleural mesothelioma patients.  They were most interested in patients who developed kidney problems after the procedure. This is a known risk with HITOC for mesothelioma. But the study suggests that most patients benefit from this type of chemotherapy in spite of the risk. Localized Treatment Versus Systemic Treatment Pleural mesothelioma tumors start on the membrane around the lungs and are hard to treat. Once this cancer takes hold, most…