Pleural Mesothelioma Prognosis
On average, 2,500 new cases of malignant mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year, and 75 percent of those diagnoses are pleural mesothelioma, a type of cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs, also called the pleura. The other types of malignant mesothelioma are peritoneal mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma and testicular mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos.
When pleural mesothelioma is diagnosed, it is up to the doctor to deliver a prognosis. The prognosis informs the patient of the type and stage of the disease, available treatment options, and how long the patient can expect to live. The doctor will also typically detail the progression of the cancer, whether the cancer has spread, or metastasized, to other parts of the body, and how the treatment will help to contain the spread of the cancerous cells.
If the cancer is detected early, there are many treatment options available. The earlier the cancer is identified, the better the chances are for a longer life for the patient. Caught early enough, there is a slight chance that surgeons can remove the cancer altogether. The problem with early detection is that there is no screening method available to find and identify pleural mesothelioma, and it is usually found only after the patient experiences symptoms, which is often too late for effective treatment.
Factors Influencing Pleural Mesothelioma Prognosis
Since pleural mesothelioma usually develops decades after exposure to asbestos — and most victims are exposed at work — the average age when pleural mesothelioma is diagnosed is well over the age of 55. Age will affect the doctor’s prognosis, as will the overall health and lifestyle of the patient. Patients who are active and otherwise healthy have a much better survival rate. Treatments for cancer are difficult, debilitating and often painful. Robust, health-conscious people are better able to withstand the rigors of treatment, both mentally and physically.
How a Pleural Mesothelioma Prognosis is Determined
The diagnostic process often starts with a patient complaint. The patient will visit his doctor complaining of shortness of breath. The doctor will conduct a series of tests and ask questions to try and determine the problem. One by one, he will rule out things like heart problems, pneumonia and bronchitis, until it becomes obvious that the issue is most likely cancer. At that point, the doctor is most likely to send the patient to the hospital for X-rays or to a specialist for consultation. The cancer specialist, or oncologist, runs additional tests until he is satisfied that the diagnosis is pleural mesothelioma. The oncologist’s next task is to determine how far the cancer has spread and calculate the patient’s odds of survival to form a prognosis.
Information Provided During the Prognosis
The doctor’s prognosis is designed to inform the patient of what to expect in the coming months. The doctor usually begins by delivering the diagnosis, discussing the extent of the cancer, the viable treatments, and how long the patient might expect to survive with and without treatment. For some pleural mesothelioma patients, treatment is not a viable option. If the cancer has invaded a large area of the body, the best answer is sometimes to make the patient as comfortable as possible for the time he has left to live.
Pleural Mesothelioma Survival Rate
According to Cancer Research UK, about 6 out of 10 people diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma will not survive a full year. Two out of 10 people will survive for two years, and only one will live for three years or more. Out of 100 people, eight will survive for five years. The shockingly low survival rates for pleural mesothelioma patients are due to late stage diagnosis and advanced average age of the patients. Few people are diagnosed in the early stage of pleural mesothelioma.
