Mesothelioma Survival Rate

The survival rate defines the fraction of people who responds to treatment after being diagnosed of a certain ailment. The survival rate of mesothelioma depends on certain factors which we shall be discussing in this article.  These factors include: the latency period, the stage of disease at diagnosis and the operability of the tumor.

The latency period is the period between infection and the actual manisfestation  of the disease. The asbestors that cause mesothelioma are stored in the lungs for years all the while causing irritation of the mesothelium of the lungs. These irritations eventually become malignant and cause cancer of the mesothelium. The longer the latency period, the lower the survival because longer latency means more time to spread and invade more tissues which means poor prognosis. Having discussed the latency to some extent, let”s talk about how the stage of the disease affects the survivor rate.

Another factor that determines the mesothelioma survivor rate is the stage at which the disease was diagnosed. Regular medical check up is a big factor here. Generally, patients diagnosed in the early stage tend to have a higher survivor rate than those in the advanced stage. At the initial stage, the cancer is localized and is yet to spread from its initial point of formation. When the cancer becomes advanced, the mesothelioma spread from the pleural lining into other parts of the body such as the esophagus, spine, muscle, blood vessels, e.t.c, e.t.c.

The operability of the tumour is the last point to be discussed. Tumour that has metastasised have very poor rate of survival because they are very difficult to operate. Metastasis to the lining of the heart and the brachial plexus are hard to operate. Therefore, it is better to operate before spread to these delicate sites.

Generally, the mesothelioma survivor rate is low. In the united- states, about 40 percent of the patient survive one year. Also, eighteen thousand Americans died between 1999 to 2005 from health statistical records. Women have better survivor rates than men and respond to treatment more than men.