Mesothelioma Cancer Survival Rate
The first thing patients and their families will want to know immediately after the mesothelioma diagnosis is almost always related to the to their survival rate. It is a heartbreaking question but one that needs to tackled effectively by the doctor. Mesothelioma, sadly, has a low survival rate of an average of four to 18 months following the diagnosis. It is a late-latency period cancer that is usually detected only in the later stages of the disease, thus dropping the patient's survival rate considerably. According to statistics presented by the American Cancer society, about 40% of all cases survive longer than a year and approximately 10% live for more than five years.
Survival Rate and Latency Period
One of the most important factors that determine a patient's survival rate is the latency period between the initial asbestos exposure and the surfacing of the first real symptoms. The latency period ranges from 20 to 50 years, giving the cancer a long time to firmly implant itself in the body before remedial treatment is applied. At the time of diagnosis, the cancer is generally in its advanced stages and spells negative prognosis for the patient.
Stages of Mesothelioma
The stage of the mesothelioma significantly impacts an individual's survival rate. In the earlier stages (1 and 2), patients have more treatment options to fight the disease. For example, an early diagnosis allows doctors to surgically remove the tumor before it grows further. Stage 3 and 4 patients have a much lower survival rate due to the fact the tumor has spread and attacked other parts of the body, which makes curative treatments pointless. At this stage treatments are more geared towards lessening the patient's suffering and maintaining his/her quality of life as long as he/she is alive.
Treatment Options
The form of treatment administered to the patient is a crucial factor in influencing his/her survival rate. Oncologists usually plan a combination of surgical, radiation therapy and chemotherapy treatments to attack the disease from every angle. In addition to conventional mesothelioma treatment methods, there is a new breed of emerging experimental treatment options which are being tested on patients who elect to be a part of the clinical trials. These tests have shown considerably positive results and will take a few years before they are administered to the general public.
In general, alternative treatment methods are also known to have a positive impact on the patient's survival rate and quality of life. These holistic treatment regimes can include yoga, reiki, massage, acupuncture and meditation to lessen the patient's stress and enhance his lifestyle. Other contemporary approaches tested successfully by some mesothelioma patients are ozone therapy, hydrotherapy, psychic surgery, pet therapy, music therapy, organic anti-cancer food diets, vitamin supplements and several others. Though these complementary therapies are not applied with a curative intent, they are known to provide relief from pain and anxiety.