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Read MoreHow long do I have to live? It’s a question that often follows the devastating news of a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive asbestos-related cancer that forms in the protective lining of the chest, the abdomen, the heart, or the testicles. It usually takes 20 to 50 years after a person’s first exposure to asbestos for mesothelioma to develop, but once diagnosed, the disease can kill in a matter of months. (2)
Diagnosed with mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos? Explore your legal options.
Get a Free Case ReviewUnfortunately, most patients are diagnosed only after the cancer has progressed because the symptoms of mesothelioma mirror other, more common illnesses, making the cancer hard to detect. Depending on a patient’s specific circumstances, some surgical options may be possible. (3) (4)
Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, the survival rate is rising as researchers learn more about the deadly disease. More mesothelioma patients than ever before are living for at least one year after diagnosis, and some patients have even survived for five and 10 years.(5) Still, the current five-year survival rate for mesothelioma is only 10 percent.(1)
The stage of the mesothelioma cancer, or how far it has progressed at the time of diagnosis, affects life expectancy. The earlier a doctor catches the cancer, the better the prognosis and expected survival rate.(1)
Staging can affect the treatment options available to a patient. Stage I means the cancer is localized, while stage IV, the most advanced stage of mesothelioma, means the cancer has spread and surgery is no longer a viable option.(7) People with mesotheliomas that can be operated on are likely to live longer than those with cancer that has spread too far to be surgically removed.(8) Unfortunately, most patients are not diagnosed until stages III or IV because symptoms can remain unnoticeable for some time.
The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database provides cancer survival statistics. The American Cancer Society relies on this database of info for this survival information: (9)
| SEER Stage | 5-Year Relative Survival Survival |
|---|---|
|
Localized (cancer only in pleura) |
24% |
|
Regional (cancer has spread nearby) |
16% |
|
Distant (cancer has spread far) |
7% |
|
All stages combined |
12% |
Mesothelioma is classified by where it starts in the body, and the location of the tumors may affect life expectancy. Patients with pleural mesothelioma, which occurs in the lining of the lungs, make up 75 percent of all mesothelioma cases and have the best rate of survival. Tumors that form in the lining of the abdomen are called peritoneal mesotheliomas and are the second most common type of the disease. The overall prognosis of peritoneal mesothelioma is worse than pleural mesothelioma with typical survival up to one year. (1) (10)
A literature review, published in 2022, noted that epitheliod type mesothelioma “offers the best prognosis, followed by non-epithelioid and sarcomatoid.” (13) (1) In a 2001 study of 1,605 cases, German researchers noted a survival time of 16.9 months for epithelioid malignant mesotheliomas, compared with 13.1 months for biphasic tumors, and 5.5 months for the sarcomatoid tumors. (11)
The stage of the cancer, tumor location, and cell type are known as tumor-related factors. Non-tumor factors also exist and affect life expectancy. Non-tumor factors include age, gender, blood characteristic, and general health.
|
Performance status (overall health) The more active and fit you are, the more likely your body will be able to handle and bounce back from aggressive cancer treatments. Doctors measure how well you are doing and call this your performance status, or PS.(12) |
|
Age & Gender Mesothelioma is much more common in men and older people. Women with mesothelioma and younger, healthier patients tend to live longer than do men and older patients with the same disease.(2) (6) |
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Blood characteristics High blood platelet count (thrombocytosis) is associated with shorter life expectancy.(14) |
Weitz & Luxenberg, a top mesothelioma law firm, looks forward to a time when mesothelioma victims’ lives can be prolonged and their quality of life enhanced. In addition to supporting promising mesothelioma research, our law firm has helped more than 33,000 mesothelioma victims seek compensation for their pain and suffering. In our nearly 40 years of asbestos litigation experience, we’ve secured more than $8.5 billion for mesothelioma victims and their families.*
We would be honored to help you achieve the justice you deserve. For a free consultation, call (833) 544-0604 or fill out a form to speak with one of our reputable mesothelioma attorneys.
* While our past record doesn’t guarantee future success, it is something you may want to consider when evaluating our experience.
