A common query for those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma is “How long can I live with this disease?” Indeed, many patients will turn to their doctor with this question as will their concerned friends and family members. As with most diseases, however, there is no one answer as to the life expectancy of a meso patient, but - in general - the mesothelioma survival rate is based on a number of different factors. Every case is a little bit different and though the survival rate for mesothelioma victims has traditionally been grim, more and more patients are living longer with the disease as scientists discover more and better ways to detect the disease and to treat it.
Survival rates for mesothelioma patients depend on numerous factors that may include any or all of the following:
- mesothelioma latency period - Mesothelioma is an unusual form of cancer in that it has a very long latency period. Essentially, this means that the disease often “hides” in the body for many years, often up to four or five decades. Hence, 40-50 years may have passed since initial exposure to asbestos first occurred. This extended latency period also means that the disease is not detected until symptoms arise. Often, by that time, the cancer has spread from the primary area to other parts of the body.
- stage of disease at the time of diagnosis - Those whose mesothelioma is discovered in Stage 1 or 2 have a much better chance of surviving the disease for an extended period of time because more treatment options will be available to them. Those with Stage 3 or 4 mesothelioma will have fewer treatment options. The worst mesothelioma prognosis is seen in these patients with advanced cancer that present or are symptomatic with distant metastases of the primary tumor, i.e., the cancer has spread from the primary area to other parts of the body.
- operability of the tumor - Due to the aforementioned latency period, surgery to remove the primary mesothelioma tumor is often not an option. However, if the disease is discovered in an early stage, a surgical procedure to remove the tumor may be a possibility, especially when the patient is otherwise healthy.
- age of the patient - The younger the patient, the better the chance for survival. Studies have shown that age does indeed play a factor in survival rate and young patients certainly fair better.
- Co-morbidity with other illnesses - Patients, especially older ones, who have many other medical issues are less likely to survive for any length of time with mesothelioma. This is especially true with older patients, who account for large numbers of mesothelioma victims. Heart disease, kidney problems, diabetes, hypertension, and a host of other illnesses or disorders can severely impact treatment options and, hence, shorten a patient’s life span.
- mesothelioma treatment plan - The length of time a mesothelioma victim survives may depend on the treatment(s) he receives. Most doctors will be as aggressive as possible, understanding that this is a tough cancer to treat.
- area and type of the disease - Mesothelioma comes in various forms. About 75 percent of cases appear in the pleura, 15 to 20 percent in the peritoneum, and just 5 percent in the pericardium. Pleural mesothelioma is easier to treat and patients will generally have a longer mesothelioma survival rate than those whose disease is centered elsewhere. In addition, those with epithelial mesothelioma (most cases are of this type) have a better prognosis than those with other types of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Survival Rate Statistics
Mesothelioma is a form a cancer with a notably poor prognosis; mesothelioma life expectancy following diagnosis ranges between eight and fourteen months. The primary reason is the lengthy mesothelioma latency period as well as the fact that early mesothelioma symptoms are indicative of numerous other respiratory diseases as well, often delaying a correct diagnosis. While Stage 1 or stage 2 mesothelioma is often potentially curable, Stage 3 and stage 4 mesothelioma is not; such patients are often relegated to palliative treatments to relieve symptoms and restore quality of life.
Mesothelioma prognosis is officially determined by a standard measure known as the relative five-year survival rate. This number indicates how many patients are still alive five years after being diagnosed with the disease. Currently, the relative five-year survival rate for meso is about 10 percent, a number that is significantly higher than it was a few decades ago. The one-year survival rate has also improved throughout the last 20 years or so and now sits at approximately 40 percent. Nevertheless, the overall mesothelioma survival rate remains poor.
However, there are exceptions to the rule and there are some individuals who have defied the normal mesothelioma survival rate. One man, Australian Paul Kraus, has been living with the disease since 1997, designing his own treatment program and shunning traditional medicine. Other meso victims who have been treated with standard therapies like chemo and radiation have also survived longer than the usual 10-11 months after diagnosis. For example, there are recorded cases of patients with mesothelioma who have survived with the disease for ten years and longer; in two cases (both elderly women), mesothelioma occurred for no apparent reason.
It has been difficult for doctors to determine why one patient can survive with mesothelioma for years and others succumb to the disease within a year of diagnosis. Some indicators point to the role of the immune system in fighting the disease; many survivors participated in some sort of treatment that served to enhance their body’s immune system.
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