Survival Rates for Mesothelioma

By Hubert Vigilla

Published on October 27, 2009

Mesothelioma is a serious medical condition caused by asbestos exposure. In some case, the symptoms of mesothelioma may not manifest themselves until 40 or 50 years after exposure. This makes the condition hard to diagnose and, if diagnosed late in life, harder to treat successfully. Consequently, the survival rates of those with mesothelioma vary due to a number of different factors.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that affects the mesothelium, the thin, protective film surrounding various vital organs. In general, mesothelioma affects two types of mesothelium: the film surrounding the lungs and chest (the pleura) and the film surrounding the abdomen (the peritoneum). Some of the most common symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, chest pain or abdomen pain, persistent coughing, coughing of blood, and severe weight loss.

Because of the late diagnosis in many cases of mesothelioma, the survival rates for those with mesothelioma tend to be low or limited. In a study of survival rates of those with mesothelioma, it was found that 39 percent of those diagnosed survived for more than one year after diagnosis; 20 percent of those diagnosed survived for more than two years after diagnosis; 11 percent of those diagnosed survived for more than three years after diagnosis; 10 percent of those diagnosed survived for more than four year after diagnosis; and 9 percent of those diagnosed survived for more than five years after diagnosis.

The research of survival following diagnosis of mesothelioma has been changing over time as better methods of diagnosis and treatment have continued to develop. Researchers and medical professionals believe that catching mesothelioma early will improve the survival rates of a patient. Other factors that will affect the mesothelioma survival rate include the type of mesothelioma, the size of the area affected, the stage of mesothelioma, the health and age of the patient, and the responsiveness of a patient to mesothelioma treatments.

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