Treatment of Advanced Malignant Mesothelioma (Stages II, III, and IV)

If stage II, stage III, or stage IV malignant mesothelioma is found in the chest, treatment may include:

• immunotherapy ( and )
• combination chemotherapy with or without targeted therapy ()
• combination chemotherapy and palliative care, which may be followed by maintenance chemotherapy
• palliative care, which may include draining fluid from the chest, a procedure to prevent fluid from collecting in the chest (pleurodesis), surgery, or radiation therapy, to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life
• chemotherapy placed directly into the chest or abdominal cavity to shrink the tumors and keep fluid from building up

If stage II, stage III, or stage IV malignant mesothelioma is found in the peritoneum, treatment may include:

• surgery to remove the tumor followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy
• chemotherapy

Learn more about these treatments in the Treatment Option Overview.

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