What Affects a Mesothelioma Patient's Life Expectancy?

   Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The life expectancy of a mesothelioma patient is affected by numerous factors including:

Latency Period – Unlike other cancers with symptoms that surface quickly, asbestos fibers that cause mesothelioma over time can lay dormant in the body for up to 50 years. This long period of latency often results in a late diagnosis. In many cases, the diagnosis is made when it has already reached late stages of development, making mesothelioma treatment difficult and sometimes ineffective. Mesothelioma patients diagnosed in later stages will typically receive palliative treatments rather than curative, which serve to make the patient more comfortable and increase their quality of life rather than cure the disease.

Age of Diagnosis – Most reports indicate that the average age of a mesothelioma patient is 60. In fact, more than 75 percent of mesothelioma cases diagnosed in the United States occur in men age 55 or older. However, some researchers believe the average age is dropping due to the influx of cases from secondary exposure. When an older person develops mesothelioma cancer, treatment can be compromised due to the presence of other health-related problems. These might include heart disease, additional lung ailments, and high blood pressure. Advanced age and the presence of other diseases can significantly affect a patient's life span.

Types of Mesothelioma – There are three major types of mesothelioma an individual can develop. The most common form is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs. Other forms of the disease include peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma, which affect the lining of the abdomen and heart. Since pleural mesothelioma affects the most mesothelioma patients, more knowledge and research about this form of the cancer is present to utilize when detailing a treatment plan, often making the life expectancy for pleural mesothelioma patients longer.
Smoking – Smoking can greatly decrease the life span of an individual who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Anyone diagnosed with mesothelioma should quit smoking immediately.

Mesothelioma Survival Rates

Many studies have been conducted in regards to survival rates among mesothelioma patients. When discussing survival rates for this or any type of cancer, references to the "five-year relative survival rate" are often stated. This number refers to the percentage of patients who live at least five years after their cancer is diagnosed.

According to statistics published by the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for patients with mesothelioma is approximately 10 percent. That number has improved in the last five years, up from 9 percent reported at the end of 2002. In addition, recent studies show that the one-year survival rate is now about 40 percent, a number that has also increased in the past five years. Throughout the 1990s, it was rare for a patient to survive more than a year after diagnosis.

Though numerous factors affect a patient’s prognosis such as age, overall health, and the type of mesothelioma the patient is battling, the average length of survival reported throughout the last five years has been 10 to 11 months after diagnosis.

Exciting stories about mesothelioma survivors continue to surface, providing hope to mesothelioma patients and their loved ones.

Compensation for Widow of Mesothelioma Victim

   The widow of a man who died from the asbestos cancer known as mesothelioma has been awarded over one million dollars in compensation. A Texas jury awarded $1.2 million to the woman, whose engineer husband died following exposure to asbestos.

According to reports, Danny Puckett worked with additives to drilling lubricants, and these additives contained asbestos, which led to his exposure. He worked for the Dowell Company between 1975 and 1985. He died earlier this year from the
malignant mesothelioma.

    In part of the trial Mr Puckett was able to testify, and confirmed that he had been exposed to asbestos laden cement dust on a regular basis. The lawsuit was filed against a number of companies with the complaint stating that the asbestos in the additives caused his exposure and subsequent cancer.
   Only two of the defendant companies were found liable at the trial, and this was Montello, Inc., and Union Carbide. Other companies that had been named as part of the complaint were dismissed from the lawsuit.

TYPES AND SYMPTOMS OF MESOTHELIOMA

   Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that develops in the lining around the lungs (the “pleura”), abdomen (the “peritoneum”) or heart (the “pericardium”). In contrast, lung cancer refers to a malignancy of the lung itself. And, unlike lung cancer, which may have other causes as well as asbestos exposure, mesothelioma is virtually always the result of exposure to asbestos. It generally does not appear until decades after the asbestos exposure.

Diagnosis of mesothelioma can be very difficult because its symptoms may not appear for decades after exposure to asbestos. Unfortunately, this lengthy time delay not only prevents diagnosis, but also complicates treatment efforts, given that mesothelioma is usually detected in the late stages, after serious side effects begin to present themselves.

The common symptoms of mesothelioma vary according to the cancer’s location. Because of the similarity of the diseases, however, many of the symptoms are overlapping. Most mesothelioma patients experience shortness of breath and generalized fatigue, but more acute pain will likely be more apparent in the chest for pleural and pericardial mesothelioma patients and in the abdominal region for peritoneal patients.
Learn more about the specific symptoms associated with three kinds of asbestos-related malignant mesothelioma:

• Pleural Mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs;
• Peritoneal Mesothelioma, which attacks the membrane surrounding the abdominal cavity; and
• Pericardial Mesothelioma, which invades the membrane around the heart.
• Cell Types of Mesothelioma
   Many of the symptoms of mesothelioma mirror those of other more common physical conditions. In fact, this is another factor that contributes to the difficulty in diagnosing mesothelioma; its symptoms are often mistaken for the flu, bronchitis, pneumonia or heart disease. Still, patients with any of the symptoms discussed below and a history of asbestos exposure should see a physician. If symptoms persist, you should ask your doctor for a thorough evaluation.
   Finally, this discussion is not intended as a tool for self-diagnosis, nor is it intended to be a substitute for consulting with a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. This information is designed to help you learn about mesothelioma. For more resources, the following websites, from which this discussion was drawn, may also prove helpful:

• International Mesothelioma Program
• Mayo Clinic
• H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center
• National Cancer Institute
• American Lung Association
• American Cancer Society

PERICARDIAL MESOTHELIOMA

   Pericardial mesothelioma is also known as mesothelioma of the pericardium or cancer of the sac that holds the heart. The incidence of pericardial mesothelioma makes up less than 5 percent of all mesothelioma cases. Because pericardial mesothelioma is so rare, not as much is known about its disease processes.

In pericardial mesothelioma, layers of the pericardium thicken as the cancer cells grow, which results in a build-up of fluid between membrane layers. This build-up of fluid eventually impairs cardiac function.

Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms may cause:
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Generalized fatigue

PERITONEAL MESOTHELIOMA

   Peritoneal mesothelioma, also known as cancer of the peritoneum, is a cancer of the abdominal lining. The disease is not nearly as common as pleural mesothelioma; only 25 to 30 percent of mesothelioma cases originate in the peritoneum. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are caused when the peritoneal membrane thickens and fluid builds up between membrane layers. The thickening and excess fluid put pressure on the entire abdominal region and organs.

Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms commonly include:
• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal swelling
• A change in bowel habits, such as more frequent diarrhea or constipation
• Lumps of tissue under the skin in the abdomen
• Unexplained weight loss
• Blood clotting abnormalities
• Anemia
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Hernia

PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA

    Pleural mesothelioma, also known as mesothelioma of the pleura, is a tumor of the lining surrounding the lungs. The pleura is a thin tissue around the lungs and the inside of the chest. In order to protect the lungs, the pleura produces a small amount of fluid which helps cushion the lungs, making the lungs move more smoothly during breathing. There are two types of pleural mesothelioma: benign and malignant. Benign pleural mesothelioma is a non-cancerous tumor that has not spread to other organs of the body. If the tumor is large, it may squeeze the lung itself and cause shortness of breath and pain. Thus, even benign mesothelioma can cause significant health problems and should be treated.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is cancerous and can spread to other parts of the body. Early symptoms of the disease may be very general. For this reason, they are often ignored. Most patients with mesothelioma experience symptoms for only two to three months before the cancer is diagnosed. Only around one-fourth of mesothelioma patients notice symptoms for six months or more before their cancer is found.

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms include the following:
• Shortness of breath
• Painful breathing (pleurisy)
• Coughing up blood
• Dry (nonproductive) cough
• Unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on the chest or abdomen
• Unexplained weight loss
• Pain under the rib cage, in the lower back, or at the side of the chest
• Pain or swelling in the abdomen
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hoarseness
• Fever
• Sweating
• Swelling of the face and arms
• Generalized fatigue
• Muscle weakness
   Of course, symptoms of malignant pleural mesothelioma will vary depending on the patient and the progression of the disease. Some patients experience no symptoms at all. In the early stages of mesothelioma, symptoms are subtle. An asymptomatic patient may experience a pleural effusion, a small buildup of fluid between the outside lining of the lung and the chest cavity. Early on in the disease process, the most frequent symptoms are cough and shortness of breath.

   The growing mass causes the pleura to expand, allowing fluid to enter. The build-up of fluid results in greater pain, sometimes severe, in the chest and nearby regions. More than 50 percent of patients with pleural mesothelioma experience pain in the lower back or at the side of the chest. Over time, most people suffer from fatigue, weakness and weight loss. As the disease progresses, some patients also develop severe breathing difficulties, fever, a rasping voice and begin to cough up blood.