Understanding Prognosis, Life Expectancy & Survival Rate Medical professionals regularly use these three related terms to discuss prognosis. Although they are similar, they are not interchangeable. Prognosis A prognosis is a prediction made by a qualified physician of the likely result of your cancer. Doctors base your cancer prognosis on statistics gathered from others with your type of cancer and stage of disease. However, it is only an assessment. Many people have outlived their initial prognoses, and you might be able to improve yours, too, by discussing it with your doctor or our Patient Advocates. Life Expectancy Life expectancy is the estimated amount of time someone will live after a diagnosis. A median life expectancy means half of patients are expected to live longer and half are expected to live shorter. Median Life Expectancy by Stage for Pleural Mesothelioma Patients: Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Median Life Expectancy Stage 1 21 months Stage 2 19 months Stage 3 16 months Stage 4 12 months Survival Rate Survival rate refers to the percentage of people who survive for a certain period of time after a diagnosis. These rates are usually measured in 1- and 5-year increments. For example, the 1-year survival rate for pleural mesothelioma is approximately 38 percent, meaning more than one-third of patients live one year or longer after their diagnosis. Pleural Mesothelioma Patient Survival Rates Years After Diagnosis Survival Rate 1 38% 5 10% 10 4%
The first lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers were in 1929. Since then, many lawsuits have been filed against asbestos manufacturers and employers, for neglecting to implement safety measures after the links between asbestos, asbestosis, and mesothelioma became known (some reports seem to place this as early as 1898). The liability resulting from the sheer number of lawsuits and people affected has reached billions of dollars. The amounts and method of allocating compensation have been the source of many court cases, reaching up to the United States Supreme Court, and government attempts at resolution of existing and future cases. However, to date, the US Congress has not stepped in and there are no federal laws governing asbestos compensation. In 2013, the "Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2013" passed the US House of representatives and was sent to the US Senate, where it was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. As the Senate did not vote on it before the end of the 113th Congress, it died in committee. It was revived in the 114th Congress, where it has not yet been brought before the House for a vote.
Not every cancer center treats mesothelioma the same way. You may like another center’s treatment options more than your current options. Consider a second opinion. Comprehensive cancer centers provide a multidisciplinary approach, meaning patients benefit from the experience of several specialists, not just one physician.
What is mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer (malignancy) that most frequently arises from the cells lining the sacs of the chest (the pleura) or the abdomen (the peritoneum). Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form, often presenting with symptoms in the chest area. Peritoneal mesothelioma is much less common. This can affect the organs in the abdomen, and its symptoms are related to this area of the body, that is, abdominal swelling, nausea, vomiting, and bowel obstruction. The rarest form of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma, which involves the sac surrounding the heart. There are two major cell types of mesothelioma, epithelial and sarcomatoid. Sometimes both of these cell types can be present. The sarcomatoid type is rarer and occurs in only about 15% of cases; it portends a poorer prognosis. In very rare cases, mesothelioma can originate from benign, non-malignant cells. This so-called benign mesothelioma can be cured surgically.
They may include elements of epithelial cells and sarcomatoid cells; for this reason, treatment and patient survival time frames will vary. Treatment is also based on the stage, size and location of the tumor.
The period between asbestos exposure and the development of mesothelioma is generally 35-40 years. Usually, people who develop mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos for a prolonged period of time; however, some people with only brief exposures have also developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop mesothelioma.
What Is the Medical Treatment for Mesothelioma? ChemotherapyChemotherapy uses anticancer drugs to attempt to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, circulates throughout the body, and kills cancer cells. Because the drugs circulate throughout the body, they can kill normal cells together with the cancer cells, leading to side effects. Chemotherapy is often used in combination with other treatments, especially surgery. Today the combination of two drugs, Pemetrexed and cisplatin has shown the most promise as a treatment.Radiation TherapyRadiation therapy is the use of high-energy X-rays or other high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. Most of the normal cells recover from the injury caused by radiation; however, damage to some of the healthy cells causes the side effects of radiation therapy (nausea, vomiting, fatigue, hair loss, and skin irritation).Radiation can be given from outside the body using a machine (external radiation therapy), or it can be given with the help of materials producing radiation that are implanted inside the body (internal radiation therapy).ThoracentesisTo relieve symptoms and provide pain relief, your fluid from the pleural cavity may be drained by inserting a needle into the chest and applying gentle suction. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating.
A mesothelioma prognosis is generally poor because most patients live about 12 months after diagnosis. The prognosis, or estimate of how cancer will affect the body, also depends on stage, type of malignant mesothelioma and general health of the patient.
Improving your diet helps you feel better and boosts your immune system. Regaining lost weight improves your mesothelioma prognosis and helps you handle treatment better. Certain foods and supplements aid recovery, improve mood, reduce symptoms and ease treatment side effects.
In rare cases, mesothelioma has also been associated with irradiation of the chest or abdomen, intrapleural thorium dioxide (thorotrast) as a contrast medium, and inhalation of other fibrous silicates, such as erionite or talc. Some studies suggest that simian virus 40 (SV40) may act as a cofactor in the development of mesothelioma. This has been confirmed in animal studies, but studies in humans are inconclusive.