Mesothelioma is one of the most prevalent legal and medical concerns in the United States. With the condition’s late development, a number of asbestos-related lawsuits have risen considerably over the years. As one of the more devastating cancers, there are very limited treatment options for mesothelioma patients, but some are not offered by physicians.

Mesothelioma is considered one of the greatest health hazards of America at this time, because it is directly caused by asbestos exposure. Due to the amount of asbestos used between the 1940s to mid-1970s, an entire generation of victims has emerged with the deadly lung cancer. With the severe amount of mesothelioma patients expected to grow, medical experts are continuing to grapple for treatment options, and a possible cure.

As of now, one of the only known treatments of mesothelioma is a radical surgical procedure known as extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). The choice of extreme surgery to treat malignant mesothelioma has been the subject of medical disputes for the past several years, as physicians argue for or against the surgery. Due to the extreme risks involved in the procedures, most physicians do not offer patients the EPP surgery, finding its risks to outweigh any possible benefits.

EPP is considered a radical surgery for a variety of reasons. The main component of the surgery involves the actual removal of the lung’s inner lining, as well as the lung itself and diaphragm. While extreme, the surgery was the main surgery used to treat mesothelioma one or two generations back. Along with chemotherapy and radiation treatment, EPP was considered standard procedure.

There were several publications regarding a surgical procedure as part of treatment for mesothelioma in the late 1990s, which argued that the surgery was necessary mesothelioma treatment, and that the surgery had allowed some patients to live up to three or four years longer after diagnosis, which typically averages one year on its own.

The surgery has almost become extinct in practice due to the significant number of health complications the patients suffered after the surgery, as well as the possible complications that could occur during surgery. Supporting experts admit that this surgery has always been known to have a high mortality rate, and considerable morbidity risks.

Many experts believe that if surgeons do practice this procedure, they do not admit it publicly to avoid criticism, and perhaps even legal action. While the procedure itself is not illegal, for the amount of risk involved in the procedure, many can understand why surgeons would shy away from the idea of performing such a risky surgery.

There have been several alternative surgical procedures been used in place of the EPP, but the surgery reportedly carries the same amount of risk as EPP, and is still in the experimental stages.

According to the 2014 European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC), there have been several clinical trials conducted, but it remains in debate whether or not it should be offered to patients. Europe is starting to experience a surge of mesothelioma cases due to asbestos materials used in previous generations.