Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
Because mesothelioma is a cancer, it is impossible to predict exactly how long a person can expect to live once that person is diagnosed. There are a number of factors that all influence the life expectancy of mesothelioma cancer patients and, on top of that, each person’s body reacts differently and is unique.
One of the first things to keep in mind is that doctors know much more about mesothelioma now than they did five years ago and so this added knowledge has a significant chance of increasing a person’s life expectancy. In general, a person diagnosed today has a longer life expectancy than those diagnosed five years ago.
Statistically speaking, fifty percent of all individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma live from four to eighteen months after diagnosis. This is the median of the individuals diagnosed and the median represents the high point on any bell curve. It is important to remember that a full quarter of all diagnosed individuals live beyond eighteen months. Any person is different and there are numerous factors that can play a huge role in actually extending a person’s life expectancy.
The biggest factors involved in determining life expectancy are:
- The stage of the disease
- The point at which the diagnosis is given
- Localized or advanced mesothelioma
- Age
- General health of the patient
- Feasible treatment options
These factors are similar to other forms of cancer. The greatest factor is the stage of the disease since this indicates what may or may not be possible or even reasonable given the odds of survival at that point.
Contact Us
For more information on the life expectancy of mesothelioma patients, contact 800-781-3955.
