Advanced Mesothelioma Treatment
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, an advanced treatment available at St. Elizabeth Healthcare may be right for you. St. Elizabeth Healthare is the first cancer center in Kentucky to offer Optune Lua, a wearable, non-invasive option to slow tumor growth. Optune Lua is a portable device that delivers low-grade electrical fields to the cancerous tumors to slow the growth of cancer cells.
Surgery and chemotherapy are standard treatments for mesothelioma. Optune Lua is a new treatment that slows progression and improves the quality of life for people living with mesothelioma. It is the first FDA-approved treatment for mesothelioma in 15 years.
What is mesothelioma?
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart. Once diagnosed, most patients only live for 12-18 months. Mesothelioma is typically caused by exposure to asbestos. There is currently no cure for mesothelioma for the absolute majority of patients.
Symptoms from asbestos exposure can take years to develop, making early detection of mesothelioma difficult. Symptoms of mesothelioma include:
- Chest or abdominal pain
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
Make an appointment
For more information, please contact your oncologist or the Cancer Care Center at (859) 301-4000
How does Optune Lua work?
The Optune Lua device is used with chemotherapy to treat mesothelioma. The electrical fields are shown to extend the effect that chemotherapy has on treating mesothelioma.
The device is portable and delivers wave-like electric impulses to the cancer in and around the lungs. These electric fields are created by adhering large pads on the skin on the front and back of your body, near the lungs. The pads are then connected to a portable battery. The Optune Lua is typically worn for 18 hours a day and can be worn while asleep.
The electrical waves are low-grade and are not strong enough to hurt you, but they are strong enough to slow or stop cancer cells from growing. Optune Lua is not a medicine and does not enter the bloodstream. The most common side effect is skin irritation.
Benefits of Optune Lua for treatment of mesothelioma
In clinical studies, the Optune Lua in combination with chemotherapy, extended life by 50%, and 97% saw their mesothelioma shrink or stop growing.
Currently, St. Elizabeth Healthcare only uses the Optune Lua to treat mesothelioma. In the future and after more clinical studies, the use of low-grade electrical fields may be used to treat other forms of cancer.
