Mesothelioma Prognosis and Life Expectancy
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer which develops after a person has suffered past exposure to airborne asbestos dust. The symptoms of mesothelioma can take decades to appear and often only surface in the later stages of the disease.
For this reason, people who develop mesothelioma tend to receive a poor prognosis. Sadly, patients with the disease are, on average, told they only have 12 to 18 months to live.
However, thanks to advances in medical research, many mesothelioma patients are living longer.
Determining Your Prognosis
There are several factors that can affect a malignant mesothelioma prognosis, including:
General Health
Age and lifestyle will also have an impact on the survival rate, with younger, stronger people more likely to survive longer.
Type
Asbestos-related cancer comes in several types and each type has its own prognosis.
Generally speaking, patients with peritoneal mesothelioma will have a more favourable prognosis.
Cell Type
The type of cells that make up the mesothelioma tumor can impact upon prognosis.
Patients with epithelioid mesothelioma are generally more responsive to treatment and, therefore, often have a better prognosis than those diagnosed with sarcomatoid mesothelioma.
Location
The type of cells that make up the mesothelioma tumor can impact upon prognosis.
Patients with epithelioid mesothelioma are generally more responsive to treatment and, therefore, often have a better prognosis than those diagnosed with sarcomatoid mesothelioma.
Symptoms
Patients suffering from serious symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath, may receive a more negative prognosis.
This is because suffering with these symptoms often suggests that the cancer may have progressed.
Stage
Another factor to consider is the size of the tumour and the ‘stage’ of the mesothelioma.
Patients with stage 1 or stage 2 (early-stage) cancer will typically have a better prognosis than patients with stage 3 or stage 4 cancers which have reached an advanced stage.
Treatment
Treatments such as chemotherapy, surgery, immunotherapy and radiotherapy can give some relief from symptoms such as breathlessness and chest pain, as well as helping those suffering with mesothelioma to live longer. If you are diagnosed at stage 1 or 2, you are more likely to qualify for surgery than if you are diagnosed at stage 3 or 4.
Medical Advancements
With continued advancements in research and treatment, mesothelioma patients are generally surviving longer. Mesothelioma specialists working in leading cancer centers throughout the world are refining surgeries and increasing survival rates.
Clinical trials also offer access to emerging treatments, including ground-breaking immunotherapy treatment that can potentially extend life expectancy. As a result of these advancements, in rare cases, some people with mesothelioma have survived for over ten years with the disease.
Survival Statistics
The following statistics are taken from the Cancer Research website, and are based on people diagnosed with mesothelioma between 2010 and 2014.
1 year survival: Almost 50% of men survive their mesothelioma for one year or more after diagnosis. Around 50% of women survive for one year or more after diagnosis.
5 year survival: Around 5% of men survive their mesothelioma for five years following their diagnosis.
Around 10% of women survive their mesothelioma five years after diagnosis. As these statistics show, women with mesothelioma generally have a better prognosis.
How to Improve Your Prognosis
You cannot change important factors such as the stage and type of mesothelioma you have. However, you can still take some steps to improve your prognosis.
Early Diagnosis
Although diagnosing mesothelioma early can be difficult if you have no symptoms, detecting mesothelioma early on, before it spreads into lymph nodes and other parts of the body, will improve your prognosis.
Mesothelioma is caused by being exposed to airborne asbestos. Therefore, if you believe you have had exposure to asbestos in the past, seek advice from your GP. If they believe you are at a greater risk of developing an asbestos-related disease, they may suggest monitoring your health more closely by arranging regular x-rays and scans.
Consulting a Specialist
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer, and a limited number of GPs have seen the disease or have any experience in treating it.
Therefore, choosing an experienced mesothelioma specialist is the most important step a patient can take to improve their prognosis.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials play an essential role in the development of new treatments. Many emerging treatments are being developed and tested through clinical trials at top treatment centres throughout the country.
Patients can join a clinical trial to gain access to treatments that can make a significant difference to how long they will live.
Discover more information about the latest clinical trials on the Cancer Research site.
Every Case Is Unique
It is important to remember that no one can tell you exactly how long you will live.
Your doctor may be able to give you more information about your specific outlook, but this will still only be an informed estimate.
Overall Health
Your immune system plays an important role in defending you against mesothelioma.
The healthier you are, the better your prognosis. You should, therefore, make healthy choices, such as eating well and giving up smoking. Exercise can also help to improve your prognosis.
