What is the Survival Rate of Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer. Sadly, it is potentially deadly and often aggressive. However, the length of survival varies for people diagnosed with the disease. Learning the statistics concerning survival rates can give you an idea of what to expect, though potential for survival varies with each unique case.
Identification
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that affects the tissue that covers many of the organs of the body. This protective tissue is called the mesothelium. When a person develops mesothelioma, cancerous cells develop and grow in the mesothelium. Eventually, these cancer cells spread to other body tissues. According to the National Cancer Institute, most people with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos at some point in their lives. However, some people develop the disease without any known exposure.
Life Expectancy
In discussions of survival rates for mesothelioma, the term "survival rate" is not meant to refer to people who have been cured. Instead, it is the percentage of sufferers who continue to live with the disease for a specific amount of time following diagnosis. For most people, a cure is unlikely at this time, but researchers are looking for new treatments that may increase survival periods and even destroy the cancer entirely.
Factors
According to Bernstein Liebhard LLP, statistics on survival don't apply to every patient. How long a person survives and how well he responds to treatment depends on a number of factors, including his stage of cancer and the size of the tumor he has developed. It may also depend on whether or not surgery can be used to remove the entire tumor. The type of mesothelioma may influence a person's length of survival and treatment success, as can his age and overall health status.
Stages
According to Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a person with stage 1 mesothelioma, the earliest stage, has about a 50-percent chance of living for about 5 years. This is if the treatment is aggressive. The average survival rate for stage 2 mesothelioma is 2 to 4 years while the average survival rate for a person with stage 3 is 6 to 8 months. Those with stage 4 mesothelioma have an average survival rate of fewer than 6 months. According to the Mayo Clinic, this disease is often diagnosed at a later stage, which makes successful treatment less likely. Instead, treatment may be aimed at making the patient more comfortable until his inevitable death.
Studies
Statistics on survival rates may differ, depending on the source. This is because different clinical studies are done, and each one may come up with a different survival rate. According to eMedTV, for example, the overall percentage of people with all stages of the disease who live for 5 years is 9 percent. This statistic comes from studies conducted in the 1998 to 2002 time period.
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