Mesothelioma patients can expect on average to live between eight and 14 months after diagnosis. Within one year, 40% of patients will still be alive; after five years, only 10% remain. Luckily, these numbers have increased in the past few decades due to new treatments and diagnostic methods, and doctors expect further improvement in coming years.
Specifying individual survival rates is difficult, because survival rates depend on multiple factors.
Latency Period
One factor is the latency period between initial asbestos exposure and the appearance of symptoms. This time gap ranges from 20 to 50 years, giving mesothelioma a long period of time to entrench itself in the patient's body, and early symptoms of the disease are often confused with those of other respiratory ailments. By the time doctors diagnose the symptoms properly, the cancer is often in an advanced stage.
Stages of Mesothelioma
The stage of the cancer itself also impacts survival rates. Patients whose cancer is in stages 1 or 2 will usually live longer due to the diversity of treatment options available. For example, if the cancer is diagnosed early enough, doctors can sometimes surgically remove the tumor before it spreads any further. In the best case scenario, patients can be cured of the cancer. Patients in stages 3 or 4 are not so lucky, however, as the cancer has often spread to other organs in the body, making treatment much more difficult. Most patients in these stages receive palliative care to lessen their suffering and maintain their quality of life as long as possible.
Treatment Options
The type of treatment received is another important factor. Patients usually receive some combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. Others, especially those in advanced stages of cancer, are treated with experimental protocols. Doctors usually treat mesothelioma aggressively, knowing that time is not on the patient's side.
Additional Factors
The overall medical condition of the patient also impacts his or her survival. Younger patients usually do better than older ones, often because older patients are battling other diseases at the same time. However, any patient suffering from other health issues, like heart disease, diabetes, and kidney problems, will see decreased survival rates due to limited treatment options and an overtaxed immune system.
Types of Mesothelioma
The last major factor is the type and location of mesothelioma. Patients with epithelial mesothelioma have longer survival rates than those with other forms of the cancer. In addition, the patient has better chances if the cancer is in the pleura (75% of cases) than if it's in the peritoneum (15-20%) or the pericardium (5%).
Despite the severity of the disease, progression in medicine and science have increased the life expectancy and survival rate of mesothelioma patients considerably from previous decades.
References:
American Cancer Society
Cancer Research UK
Specifying individual survival rates is difficult, because survival rates depend on multiple factors.
Latency Period
One factor is the latency period between initial asbestos exposure and the appearance of symptoms. This time gap ranges from 20 to 50 years, giving mesothelioma a long period of time to entrench itself in the patient's body, and early symptoms of the disease are often confused with those of other respiratory ailments. By the time doctors diagnose the symptoms properly, the cancer is often in an advanced stage.
Stages of Mesothelioma
The stage of the cancer itself also impacts survival rates. Patients whose cancer is in stages 1 or 2 will usually live longer due to the diversity of treatment options available. For example, if the cancer is diagnosed early enough, doctors can sometimes surgically remove the tumor before it spreads any further. In the best case scenario, patients can be cured of the cancer. Patients in stages 3 or 4 are not so lucky, however, as the cancer has often spread to other organs in the body, making treatment much more difficult. Most patients in these stages receive palliative care to lessen their suffering and maintain their quality of life as long as possible.
Treatment Options
The type of treatment received is another important factor. Patients usually receive some combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. Others, especially those in advanced stages of cancer, are treated with experimental protocols. Doctors usually treat mesothelioma aggressively, knowing that time is not on the patient's side.
Additional Factors
The overall medical condition of the patient also impacts his or her survival. Younger patients usually do better than older ones, often because older patients are battling other diseases at the same time. However, any patient suffering from other health issues, like heart disease, diabetes, and kidney problems, will see decreased survival rates due to limited treatment options and an overtaxed immune system.
Types of Mesothelioma
The last major factor is the type and location of mesothelioma. Patients with epithelial mesothelioma have longer survival rates than those with other forms of the cancer. In addition, the patient has better chances if the cancer is in the pleura (75% of cases) than if it's in the peritoneum (15-20%) or the pericardium (5%).
Despite the severity of the disease, progression in medicine and science have increased the life expectancy and survival rate of mesothelioma patients considerably from previous decades.
References:
American Cancer Society
Cancer Research UK
