Mesothelioma Treatment Options in Australia
Australia has a long history of asbestos usage and exposure. Not surprisingly, the country in recent years has been found to have the highest incidence of mesothelioma cancers in the world. As many as 700 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in Australia each year, with 18,000 individuals expected to be affected by this condition by 2020.
Several fairly traditional forms of mesothelioma treatment are available in Australia. The most common are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. There are also clinical trials available.
But Australia is a considerably rural country, and securing quality treatment for an asbestos-related cancer may demand a visit – or multiple visits – to a large city hospital where mesothelioma experts are available. Treatment options depend on the stage of the disease, the location of tumors, and the personal preferences of the mesothelioma sufferer, so choices may be limited.
Surgery
Doctors may suggest surgery to keep mesothelioma from spreading to other tissues in the body or to help reduce pain and symptoms.
Some doctors believe surgery combined with heated chemotherapy gives patients the best prognosis for a longer life. But because mesothelioma is not usually diagnosed until symptoms are noticed, sometimes after the disease is in an advanced stage, curative surgery is rarely an option.
Surgery options for mesothelioma may include:
Pneumonectomy – removal of the diseased lung
Pleurectomy – removal of the diseased tissue from the pleura
Pleurodesis – draining of fluid buildup in the area between the lungs and the lung lining
Chemotherapy and Radiation
Oncologists in Australia often recommend chemotherapy or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation for the treatment of mesothelioma. The chemotherapy drug Alimta (pemetrexed) has shown the most success in the treatment of the cancer when used along with cisplatin, adding several months to the lives of those who respond well to this form of chemotherapy.
In 2008, Alimta was finally added to the list of subsidized medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and is now available at low cost to all Australians. Bernie Banton, a legendary mesothelioma victim and advocate for mesothelioma sufferers everywhere, helped to have Alimta listed on PBS. The medication had previously cost $20,000 or more for six treatments, and is now available for around $35.
Radiation therapy also may be used after surgery to improve breathing to lessen symptoms and to kill remaining cancer cells. With the improvement of radiation delivery methods, leading Australian hospitals can offer more accurate forms of this type of treatment to target the cancer tumor better.
Mesothelioma Clinical Trials
There are a number of research organizations and facilities in Australia that offer participation in clinical trials related to the search for better treatments and new drugs in the fight against mesothelioma.
Research organizations in the country include:
National Center for Asbestos Related Disease (NCARD)
Australasian Lung Cancer Trials Group
NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre
Perth Mesothelioma Centre
Pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies are typically the sponsors for these clinical trials. A list of open trials can be found online through the above organizations.
Australia’s Treatment Centers for Mesothelioma
Because of the growing number of Australians diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, the country has begun to place more emphasis on offering quality treatment. New research facilities like the Bernie Banton Centre at Concord Hospital in Sydney are solely dedicated to mesothelioma research. Other new clinical programs are being developed regularly.
Australian hospitals offering treatment for mesothelioma cancer include:
Bernie Banton Centre at Concord Hospital (Sydney, New South Wales): The world's first stand-alone research facility dedicated to the treatment and prevention of asbestos-related diseases. The facility houses the Asbestos Disease Research Institute.
Austin Health Centre (Melbourne, Victoria): Home to radiation oncologist Dr. Malcolm Feigen, a leader in his field for new radiotherapy techniques that have been proven to lengthen the life expectancy of mesothelioma sufferers. Feigen's high-dose radiation procedure has been shown to add an average of two years to the survival rate of patients involved in the program.
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (Perth, Western Australia): Large teaching hospital offering new, experimental immunotherapy treatments for mesothelioma. Sir Charles Gairdner has the only designated comprehensive cancer treatment center in Western Australia, with an impressive staff of oncologists and thoracic surgeons.
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Melbourne, Victoria): The only public hospital solely dedicated to cancer treatment, research and education. Peter MacCallum, also known as Peter Mac, boasts the largest cancer research group in the country.
Australia has a long history of asbestos usage and exposure. Not surprisingly, the country in recent years has been found to have the highest incidence of mesothelioma cancers in the world. As many as 700 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in Australia each year, with 18,000 individuals expected to be affected by this condition by 2020.
Several fairly traditional forms of mesothelioma treatment are available in Australia. The most common are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. There are also clinical trials available.
But Australia is a considerably rural country, and securing quality treatment for an asbestos-related cancer may demand a visit – or multiple visits – to a large city hospital where mesothelioma experts are available. Treatment options depend on the stage of the disease, the location of tumors, and the personal preferences of the mesothelioma sufferer, so choices may be limited.
Surgery
Doctors may suggest surgery to keep mesothelioma from spreading to other tissues in the body or to help reduce pain and symptoms.
Some doctors believe surgery combined with heated chemotherapy gives patients the best prognosis for a longer life. But because mesothelioma is not usually diagnosed until symptoms are noticed, sometimes after the disease is in an advanced stage, curative surgery is rarely an option.
Surgery options for mesothelioma may include:
Pneumonectomy – removal of the diseased lung
Pleurectomy – removal of the diseased tissue from the pleura
Pleurodesis – draining of fluid buildup in the area between the lungs and the lung lining
Chemotherapy and Radiation
Oncologists in Australia often recommend chemotherapy or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation for the treatment of mesothelioma. The chemotherapy drug Alimta (pemetrexed) has shown the most success in the treatment of the cancer when used along with cisplatin, adding several months to the lives of those who respond well to this form of chemotherapy.
In 2008, Alimta was finally added to the list of subsidized medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and is now available at low cost to all Australians. Bernie Banton, a legendary mesothelioma victim and advocate for mesothelioma sufferers everywhere, helped to have Alimta listed on PBS. The medication had previously cost $20,000 or more for six treatments, and is now available for around $35.
Radiation therapy also may be used after surgery to improve breathing to lessen symptoms and to kill remaining cancer cells. With the improvement of radiation delivery methods, leading Australian hospitals can offer more accurate forms of this type of treatment to target the cancer tumor better.
Mesothelioma Clinical Trials
There are a number of research organizations and facilities in Australia that offer participation in clinical trials related to the search for better treatments and new drugs in the fight against mesothelioma.
Research organizations in the country include:
National Center for Asbestos Related Disease (NCARD)
Australasian Lung Cancer Trials Group
NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre
Perth Mesothelioma Centre
Pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies are typically the sponsors for these clinical trials. A list of open trials can be found online through the above organizations.
Australia’s Treatment Centers for Mesothelioma
Because of the growing number of Australians diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, the country has begun to place more emphasis on offering quality treatment. New research facilities like the Bernie Banton Centre at Concord Hospital in Sydney are solely dedicated to mesothelioma research. Other new clinical programs are being developed regularly.
Australian hospitals offering treatment for mesothelioma cancer include:
Bernie Banton Centre at Concord Hospital (Sydney, New South Wales): The world's first stand-alone research facility dedicated to the treatment and prevention of asbestos-related diseases. The facility houses the Asbestos Disease Research Institute.
Austin Health Centre (Melbourne, Victoria): Home to radiation oncologist Dr. Malcolm Feigen, a leader in his field for new radiotherapy techniques that have been proven to lengthen the life expectancy of mesothelioma sufferers. Feigen's high-dose radiation procedure has been shown to add an average of two years to the survival rate of patients involved in the program.
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (Perth, Western Australia): Large teaching hospital offering new, experimental immunotherapy treatments for mesothelioma. Sir Charles Gairdner has the only designated comprehensive cancer treatment center in Western Australia, with an impressive staff of oncologists and thoracic surgeons.
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Melbourne, Victoria): The only public hospital solely dedicated to cancer treatment, research and education. Peter MacCallum, also known as Peter Mac, boasts the largest cancer research group in the country.
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