Mesothelioma Life Expectancy Treatment Options

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer with a high mortality rate. Individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma have a short life expectancy when compared to other types of cancers, which is why it is considered such a serious health problem in today’s society.

Mesothelioma life expectancy varies depending on a number of different factors. These include:
• Age of Onset – Mesothelioma tends to be diagnosed later in life, often between the ages of 55 and 75. Aging may weaken your immune system and make it more difficult to fight the cancer, decreasing your life expectancy. Those under the age of 45 have a nearly 38% chance of living beyond 5 years, while those over the age of 65 have a 5 year survival rate of just 4.6%.
• Stage of Diagnosis – Mesothelioma life expectancy is also affected by the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis. Unfortunately, because this type of cancer often has a long latency period between the time of asbestos exposure and the onset of symptoms, it tends to be diagnosed during the later stages of the disease. Early diagnosis can greatly improve life expectancy.
• Health of the Patient – Life expectancy of the individual also depends on their overall general health. If you engaged in a more active lifestyle before acquiring the cancer, your body may have more strength to fight off the disease.

It is estimated that the average mesothelioma life expectancy is somewhere between 4 and 18 months after initial diagnosis, depending on the above factors.between 4 and 18 months after initial diagnosis, depending on the above factors.

Mesothelioma Life Expectancy Treatment Options
There are also treatment factors that need to be considered as well. Currently there are very few treatment options that have shown a considerable effect on life expectancy. However, early diagnosis can improve life expectancy a great deal, but late stage cancers are nearly impossible to cure, and most treatment options are focused on improving the patient’s quality of life. • Chemotherapy
Currently the most effective treatment option has been chemotherapy. Studies have shown that chemotherapy can increase life expectancy by anywhere between a few months to several years. As always, the benefits of chemotherapy are affected by age and overall health, but it has been one of the most effective treatment options, and one of the few that can improve life expectancy for patients with late stage cancers.
• Surgery
Surgery is not as effective for malignant mesothelioma, but it can help in the early stages and may prolong life expectancy. Surgery itself can be a fairly invasive procedure, and is often combined with other types of treatment (chemotherapy and radiation therapy) to improve life expectancy.
• Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy alone has not been shown to be a reliable way to improve life expectancy. But when radiation therapy is combined with other treatment methods, the results have been much more successful.
Survival Rates for Mesothelioma Patients
While the life expectancy of those with mesothelioma may look bleak, early cancer detection and a combination of treatments can help improve your survival rates. Good health is also important, and can help you fight the cancer for much longer.