Mesothelioma Life Expectancy in Retired Employees

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer which affects approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people in the United States each year. Retired employees who have worked at known asbestos sites such as powerhouses, oil refineries, power plants, shipyards, and construction sites should seek immediate diagnosis to determine if they have developed this deadly disease. Mesothelioma life expectancy in retired employees varies and depends on numerous factors.

A patient’s prognosis is affected by numerous factors which include early detection of the cancer, the age of the victim, the types of treatment received, how aggressively it is treated, and a patient’s diet can also contribute to an extended life-span. Mesothelioma however can be extremely difficult to detect due to the similarity of symptoms to other more common conditions such as influenza. Doctors may overlook mesothelioma as a diagnosis which can delay receiving appropriate treatment. Due to the severe latency period of mesothelioma symptoms which is about 14-50, mesothelioma treatment will need to be aggressive. However the life expectancy for most mesothelioma sufferers is within 6 to twelve months from receiving prognosis.

If any of the symptoms listed below is detected, mesothelioma diagnosis is recommended to receive appropriate treatment:

AnemiaWeight lossExcessive fatigueDifficulty swallowingAbdominal swellingPain in chest areaCoughing up bloodShortness of breathPersistent dry coughAcute pain in the abdominal region

If you have mesothelioma cancer you will need to get a hold of an experience mesothelioma trial lawyer immediately. When the lawyer is seen, you will have to submit previous employment information, all medical information related to being exposed to asbestos and developing mesothelioma cancer. This information will help to speed things along during your mesothelioma trial.

Mesothelioma research and doctors are doing their best to improve the life expectancy of mesothelioma suffers. When an older person develops mesothelioma cancer, treatment is difficult due to other health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and other lung ailments which can significantly affect a patient’s life expectancy. While there is still no cure for mesothelioma, mesothelioma life expectancy in retired employees can be increased if patients undergo various aggressive treatments.

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Stage Iv Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

stage iv mesothelioma life expectancy

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Life Expectancy after Mesothelioma Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy so far, is the only treatment to improve the survival rate expectancy for mesothelioma patients. This therapy has shown significant improvement from a life expectancy of 10 months to a little over 13 months. Chemotherapy along with other aggressive treatments and surgeries is showing remarkable results.

Diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma can be detected with a chest X-ray and CT scan, and can be confirmed with a biopsy and microscopic exam. Patients can undergo various aggressive treatments to extend their life-span and comfort. Despite extensive research, experiments and treatments, the disease is not curable and the life expectancy after mesothelioma chemotherapy for patients is very poor.

Symptoms of mesothelioma include:

Fluid between the lung and chest wallPain in the chest areaWeight lossAnemiaWheezing and shortness of breathConstant fatiguePain in the abdomen

Mesothelioma is usually not detected until the latest stages because patients do not show immediate signs of mesothelioma. Also, the symptoms of mesothelioma are very common and often get misdiagnosed for less severe conditions. As a result, mesothelioma treatment is delayed resulting in a poor prognosis for patients. Once the cancer has spread and reached stage three or four, treatment options decreases and the disease becomes more difficult to treat. Treatments including surgery is no longer an option and may not be effective during this critical stage increasing mortality rate among mesothelioma patients.

Mesothelioma is addressed in four stages. Stages three and four limits the options available for treatment and treatments is also less effective at this point. In addition to the different stages of mesothelioma, other factors that may affect the prognosis include:

Age of patientWhen the cancer was detectedTreatment receivedType of mesotheliomaThe location and size of the tumorOther health-related illnessesWhether or not the patient is a smokerPatient’s diet

Chemotherapy is improving the life expectancy of mesothelioma sufferers. This is wonderful news for mesothelioma patients and their families.

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What can affect life Expectancy of Mesothelioma Patients?

There are various factors that can affect the prognosis and life expectancy (survival) of mesothelioma patients. Some of the factors have greater affect on the survival of mesothelioma patients than others. The common factors that influence survival and life expectancy of a mesothelioma patiets are:

Type of mesothelioma:

Generally three types of mesothelioma are common and they are pleural, peritoneal (lining of abdomen) and pericardial (covering of heart is known as pericardium) mesothelioma. There can also be other uncommon types of mesothelioma like testicular mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the commonest type which affects the pleura or the lining or the coverings of lungs. Generally patients with pleural mesothelioma lives longer, because it is the commonest form of mesothelioma and most of the research and treatment studies are done on pleural mesothelioma in compare to other less common types.

Age of patient at diagnosis:

Most (more than 75% of total) of the mesothelioma cases occur in older age group of 55 years or above. But recent reports suggest that the average age of onset of mesothelioma is declining, may be due to mesothelioma occurring in secondary exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma occurring in older individuals may succumb to the disease earlier than younger patients due to associated chronic and severe diseases like heart disease or chronic lung disease. The general health condition of older people also less favorable for better prognosis and better life expectancy.

Smoking:

Smoking can reduce the life expectancy of mesothelioma patient to a great extent, especially in pleural mesothelioma patients. Smoking can affect the disease process in a negative way. The ill effects of smoking on health are well known to all.

The period taken to develop mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos also affects the prognosis and life expectancy of mesothelioma patienst. Sometimes it may take more than 30 years after the last exposure to asbestos to develop mesothelioma. The long latency period can cause difficulty in diagnosing the disease as well as delay in diagnosis. Most of the cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed when it is in the last stage when it may not be amenable to surgery. If diagnosis is in the late stage generally the treatment is only palliative to reduce suffering.

Psychological aspect:

The psychological status of the mesothelioma patient can influence the life expectancy (at least to some extent) of mesothelioma patient, as is the case in most of the chronic and serious diseases. A patient with sound psychology to withstand the serious disease like mesothelioma can have a positive effect on the outcome.

Other associated chronic and serious diseases as well as the type of symptoms mesothelioma produce can affect the prognosis and quality of life of patient.

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