Getting diagnosed with cancer is devastating and has the potential to change your life forever. If you’re diagnosed with a particularly aggressive, deadly cancer, the effects can be even more terrible.
Unfortunately, mesothelioma is one of the deadliest cancers that exist, and most patients who are diagnosed with it die within a few months to a few years.
But what exactly is the life expectancy for patients with mesothelioma? And is there anything you can do to extend this?
The Basics of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer. It’s known to be especially rare because it occurs almost exclusively in people who were exposed to a certain hazardous material known as asbestos. Asbestos contains tiny fibers that can lodge themselves into the lining of your organs, known as the mesothelial lining. After causing irritation for many years, mesothelioma can start to develop; in many people, it takes 20 years or more for mesothelioma to develop fully.
By the time the symptoms become recognizable, mesothelioma will have already grown and spread, at least in most cases. Treatment isn’t always accessible or effective, so many times, oncologists focus on palliative care and symptom reduction.
It’s a devastating illness and a tragic diagnosis, but there is hope.
Typical Life Expectancy With Mesothelioma
The typical survival rate for a mesothelioma patient is 4 to 18 months from the time of diagnosis. However, it’s worth noting that some mesothelioma patients have been able to live for longer than ten years after getting diagnosed. Only 10 percent of patients with mesothelioma live more than five years after the diagnosis, but survival rates are steadily increasing.
Your oncologist will likely be able to help you better understand your unique prognosis, taking the following factors into consideration.
- Type. There are a few different types of mesothelioma, based on the cells affected. Some of these types have better prognoses than others.
- Location. Similarly, mesothelioma can occur in a handful of different locations. It’s most commonly found in the lungs, but it could also be found in the stomach or heart. Each of these locations comes with a different overall prognosis.
- Stage of growth. Oncologists must also consider the stage of growth of the cancer. As you might imagine, the bigger and more developed the mesothelioma is, the less time you’ll have left.
- Metastasis. Similarly, oncologists must consider whether the cancer has spread and where it has spread. If your mesothelioma spreads to other areas of your body, treatment becomes much more difficult.
- Overall health and age. Your health and age also come into play. The older you are and the worse your health is, the worse your prognosis will be. Unfortunately, by the time they recognize mesothelioma, many patients have advanced in age and declined in general health.
However, keep in mind that prognosis evaluation and life expectancy estimates are just that – estimates. Just because a doctor tells you that you have a certain amount of time left doesn’t mean that that’s the end for you.
How to Maximize Your Lifespan/Prognosis
What steps can you take to maximize your lifespan and improve your prognosis with mesothelioma?
- Get treatment early. The best thing you can do is get treatment early. Don’t ignore potential mesothelioma symptoms, and consider visiting multiple oncologists to better understand all your options. If you can catch mesothelioma early and treat it effectively, you can greatly increase the time you have left.
- Visit mesothelioma specialists. Most oncologists will be able to recognize and treat mesothelioma, but because this disease is so rare, it’s in your best interest to find someone who specializes in it. Working with mesothelioma specialists could give you access to even better care.
- Consider utilizing clinical trials. New experimental treatment methods are regularly being introduced and explored. If you’re okay with the risks involved, you can sign up for these clinical trials and be a part of the collective research efforts to combat this disease.
- Adopt a positive mindset. Keeping a positive mindset is beneficial for your overall wellbeing, but it can also improve your physical resilience. It’s tough to stay optimistic in such trying circumstances, but you need to make a proactive effort to do so.
- Stay physically active. Get some physical exercise each day; it doesn’t have to be an intense workout. This can keep your body and mind strong and help you relieve stress.
- Monitor your nutritional intake. Keep your general health in better shape by monitoring your nutritional intake. Get plenty of nutritious, healthy foods in your diet and drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Mesothelioma is a deadly and terrifying disease, and we’re lucky that it’s so rare and isolated. If you’re ever diagnosed with this illness, try to keep a positive outlook and adopt the strategies necessary to stay alive and keep fighting as long as possible.
