The life expectancy for mesothelioma patients is generally reported as less than one year following diagnosis, however a patient’s prognosis is affected by numerous factors including how early the cancer is diagnosed and how aggressively it is treated.
Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure which occurs when fibers are inhaled or ingested into the body and become lodged in body cavities, causing inflammation or infection. Asbestos is a naturally-occurring fibrous substance that was widely used in the 20th century in a number of different industries. When the public became aware of the hazards associated with the mineral, warnings were issued in the mid-1970s and use of the product began to decline.
More than 30 percent of those diagnosed with mesothelioma are veterans. Please visit the page on asbestos for additional information about the mineral.
Mesothelioma Types
There are five known types of mesothelioma. The four listed below are malignant cancers, and benign mesothelioma is a non-cancerous condition.
Pleural Mesothelioma: This type of mesothelioma develops in the lining of the lungs, known as the pleura. It is the most common form of malignant mesothelioma, with around 75 percent of cases being pleural in origin.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Comprising approximately 20 percent of mesothelioma cases, this form of mesothelioma develops in the lining of the abdominal cavity, known as the peritoneal membrane.
Pericardial Mesothelioma: This form of mesothelioma develops in the lining of the heart, known as the pericardium. Approximately 5 percent of all mesothelioma cases are pericardial.
Testicular Mesothelioma: Testicular mesothelioma develops in the tunica vaginalis of the testicles and is the rarest form of the cancer.
Symptoms of mesothelioma often do not appear for 20 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos occurred. Mesothelioma symptoms often resemble less-serious conditions, which can make a diagnosis of mesothelioma difficult. Below is a list of several common symptoms mesothelioma patients may experience.
Pleural Symptoms: Shortness of breath, chest pain, persistent cough, fatigue, lumps under the skin on the chest
Peritoneal Symptoms: Weight loss, abdominal pain and swelling, bowel obstruction, nausea
Pericardial Symptoms: Heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, difficulty breathing, night sweats
Testicular Symptoms: Painful or painless testicular lumps
After a patient begins to demonstrate mesothelioma symptoms and a diagnosis occurs, the next step is often exploring applicable treatment options to create the best treatment plan possible. Treatment options range from surgery to chemotherapy
Mesothelioma Diagnosis
The process of mesothelioma diagnosis usually begins with a review of a patient’s medical history followed by a physical examination.
If a problem is suspected, a doctor may request several diagnostic tests. These typically include medical imaging scans such as:
* X-rays
* CT scans
* PET scans
* MRI scans
A combination of these tests is often used to determine the location, size and type of the cancer. Biopsy procedures are often requested following an imaging scan to test samples of fluid and tissue for the presence of cancerous cells.
Mesothelioma Treatments
The most common mesothelioma treatments recommended by doctors for patients include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Patients often undergo multiple treatments to combat the disease, which is known as multimodality therapy. The combination of aggressive treatments helps to combat the cancer in various ways, helping to improve the patient's life expectancy.
Experimental procedures, such as immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy and gene therapy are also utilized by mesothelioma patients. However, since these treatments are still in the experimental stage, they are typically only available through clinical trials.
Recent clinical trials on mesothelioma have investigated photodynamic therapy and immunotherapy, both finding resutls that warrent further research. Patients who participate in a clinical trial contribute to the discovery of a mesothelioma cure through testing up-and-coming procedures and medications.
Mesothelioma Legal Issues
he dangers of asbestos exposure were known long before any efforts were made to protect workers. Thousands of American workers were exposed to asbestos during the 20th century, and were often unaware of the hazards of exposure.
Companies that produced asbestos-containing products or used these products on a daily basis are liable for their negligence in failing to protect their workers. If you or a loved one has developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease as a result of asbestos exposure
Mesothelioma Life Span
The life span of those diagnosed with mesothelioma is typically poor due to the severe latency period associated with the disease. In most cases, patients do not experience symptoms until at least 20 years have passed since the initial exposure to asbestos occurred, resulting in a late diagnosis. Another reason for the poor life span is the fact that there is no definitive cure. However, many patients elect to undergo treatment to combat the cancer, improve their quality of life and relieve symptoms.
Improving Life Span
The average life span for a newly-diagnosed mesothelioma patient ranges from four to 18 months. While treatments are commonly used to help with symptoms and provide comfort, they can also be utilized to prolong the length of a patient’s life. One such treatment is radiation therapy, which is used to slow the spread of the cancerous tumor. This particular type of treatment can also be used during chemotherapy, another common treatment option, and after surgery.
If mesothelioma cancer is diagnosed in the early stages of development, surgery to remove the tumor may be an option, but may not prevent the cancer from coming back. Other treatments that may be helpful for mesothelioma patients are alternative therapies, including acupuncture, massage, meditation, hypnosis, yoga and aromatherapy. Outside of traditional remedies for treating mesothelioma, patients may be interested in participating clinical trials that test new drugs and treatments.
Smoking cigarettes is something all mesothelioma patients should avoid after being diagnosed. Multiple studies have shown that smoking cigarettes can significantly decrease the life span and weaken the patient’s ability to fight the disease. Smoking cigarettes has also been proven to block air passages, making breathing even more difficult. Those diagnosed with mesothelioma are strongly encouraged by doctors to stop or not smoke cigarettes as it can make their condition worse.
The life span of a mesothelioma patient is largely determined by the age, health and type of mesothelioma cancer. While pleural mesothelioma is the most common, other forms of mesothelioma that can result from exposure to asbestos include peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma. The latency period for these diseases can range between 20 and 50 years. Those who suspect they have been exposed to asbestos should seek routine medical checkups for asbestos-related diseases.
Mesothelioma Survival Rates
When a patient learns of a mesothelioma diagnosis, the questions that often follow may concern typical survival rates for mesothelioma patients. In general, approximately 10 percent of mesothelioma patients will live for at least five years after they are diagnosed with the cancer. According to medical research, the average survival for a mesothelioma patient is approximately four to 18 months after diagnosis.
Understanding the average mesothelioma survival rate can be complicated because various factors influence the data. Survival rate may be influenced by the level of the cancer’s development (stage), the size of the tumor, whether or not surgery may be preformed and the age and general health of the patient, among other contributing conditions.
For example, a patient diagnosed with mesothelioma in stage one (the earliest developmental stage of the cancer), whose general health is otherwise good, may be a candidate for surgery. If the surgery is successful and the patient responds favorably to additional treatments, their survival may far surpass average survival rates.
Reading statistical information about survival rates can be discouraging to mesothelioma patients and their loved ones. It is important to remember that research and studies are being conducted internationally to help in the fight against mesothelioma. Treatment options continue to improve and exciting developments continue to surface, providing hope to mesothelioma patients everywhere.
While there is currently no cure for mesothelioma, many patients elect to undergo treatment following diagnosis to combat further development and ease the symptoms of the cancer. The most popular treatment options utilized by mesothelioma patients include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.
Many patients also find hope through participation in a clinical trial. Clinical trials are conducted to test up-and-coming treatments and medications before they are deemed safe and effective for the general public. All potential treatment options and medications must go through the clinical trial process before they are approved for widespread use. For additional information about clinical trials currently in progress, please click here to receive a complimentary comprehensive packet.
Alternative therapies are also frequently used by mesothelioma patients. Acupuncture, massage, supplements, meditation and yoga are among the list of alternative therapies that many patients have noted have provided relief and comfort. Although medical documents typically note the survival rate for a mesothelioma patient is less than one year after diagnosis, it is important to remember that many physicians have patients who survive significantly longer than this, with the occasional patient surviving for many years.
Mesothelioma Death Rate
Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. Since the cancer is rare, many patients and their loved ones are not sure what the cancer is and what exactly a mesothelioma diagnosis entails. Questions about prognosis and the mesothelioma death rate often surface.
Number of U.S. Malignant Mesothelioma Deaths 1999 - 2005
Characteristic | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | Total |
Total | 2482 | 2530 | 2505 | 2570 | 2621 | 2656 | 2704 | 18068 |
Age | ||||||||
25-34 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 51 |
35-44 | 33 | 34 | 39 | 40 | 38 | 42 | 34 | 260 |
45-54 | 138 | 131 | 144 | 106 | 148 | 121 | 118 | 906 |
55-64 | 388 | 372 | 361 | 380 | 386 | 400 | 438 | 2725 |
65-74 | 818 | 814 | 748 | 764 | 715 | 674 | 735 | 5268 |
75-84 | 888 | 918 | 942 | 975 | 1028 | 1097 | 1014 | 6862 |
85+ | 213 | 255 | 264 | 295 | 299 | 311 | 359 | 1996 |
Sex | ||||||||
Male | 1993 | 2043 | 2019 | 2126 | 2122 | 2140 | 2148 | 14591 |
Female | 489 | 487 | 486 | 444 | 499 | 516 | 556 | 3477 |
Race | ||||||||
White | 2353 | 2398 | 2405 | 2447 | 2481 | 2535 | 2561 | 17180 |
Black | 104 | 109 | 75 | 99 | 109 | 97 | 114 | 707 |
Other | 25 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 31 | 24 | 29 | 181 |
Mesothelioma Mortality Rate
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the malignant mesothelioma death rate in the United States from 1999 through 2005 totaled 18,068 people. The death rate increased from 2,482 deaths in 1999 to 2,704 in 2005, an increase of 222 deaths.
Men are diagnosed with mesothelioma more often than women, and males comprised 80.8 percent of mesothelioma deaths during this timeframe (a total of 14,591). White people comprised 95.1 percent of mesothelioma deaths, totaling 17,180.
Age influenced the mortality rate, as those 75 years old and older comprised the majority of the patients who passed away from mesothelioma (8,858 total deaths). Deaths in patients age 44 or younger totaled 311, or 1.7 percent.
During the time period addressed in the CDC’s study, the state mesothelioma death rate was greater than the national death rate of 13.8 per one million people per year. In six states the mesothelioma death rate was greater than 20 per one million people per year.
The mesothelioma death rate was highest in Maine at 27.5 percent (173 total), followed by Wyoming (22.2 percent, 50 deaths), West Virginia (21 percent, 182 deaths), Pennsylvania (20.8 percent, 1,210 deaths), New Jersey (20.2 percent, 814 deaths) and Washington (20.1 percent, 558 deaths).
Research and extensive studies are conducted daily to improve treatments for mesothelioma patients and search for a cure for the cancer. Through medical advances and developments in clinical trials, more options will continue to be available to combat mesothelioma and improve the mesothelioma death rate in the United States.
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