Mesothelioma Cancer Life Expectancy
Life expectancy for patients who've been diagnosed with mesothelioma varies widely, depending on factors such as a patient's health status, a patient's age at the time of diagnosis, the primary tumor's location, a patient's smoking habits, and staging, or the severity of the disease at the time of diagnosis.
Currently, the life expectancy for most mesothelioma patients following diagnosis is four to 18 months. Only 10% of these patients survive two years beyond initial diagnosis.
Some patients, however, survive for many years after initial diagnosis, a phenomenon that mesothelioma specialists attribute to enhanced immune systems.
Age is the factor most positively correlated with life expectancy. Nearly 40 percent of patients under the age of 45 when first diagnosed with mesothelioma live for five or more years.
Mesothelioma Staging
Oncologists classify the extent to which cancer has invaded a patient's body using four stages. These stages are also used in the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma.
Stage 1 and Stage 2 Mesothelioma
Patients with Stage 1 mesothelioma exhibit pleural effusion and symptoms associated with a buildup of fluid within the pleura, including pneumonia, fevers, chest pain and weight loss. However, the cancer has not metastasized to other parts of the patient's body, making treatment including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, simpler and more effective. The average life span of patients diagnosed with Stage 1 mesothelioma is 32 months.
Patients with Stage 2 mesothelioma exhibit pleural effusion with extensive involvement of the visceral pleura and lung on the affected side, as well as metastasis into the regional lymph nodes. Surgical treatment can still be effective at this stage. The average life span of a patient diagnosed with Stage 2 mesothelioma is 19 months.
Since mesothelioma typically has a prolonged latency period of between 20 and 50 years, few patients are diagnosed at these relatively early stages of the disease.
Stage 3 and Stage 4 Mesothelioma
Stage 3 and Stage 4 mesothelioma are characterized by extensive metastasis throughout the body. Stage 3 mesothelioma patients may still be eligible for surgical resections, as well as chemotherapy and radiation, but the only viable options for Stage 4 patients are palliative care. Thirty percent of all patients diagnosed with mesothelioma are diagnosed with Stage 4 mesothelioma. The median life expectancy for patients who've been diagnosed with Stage 3 mesothelioma is 13 months, while the life expectancy for Stage 4 patients is 6.5 months.
The forgoing is presented for informational purposes only. If you or a loved one has a positive history for asbestos exposure, see a physician immediately to determine whether or not you have mesothelioma.