Mesothelioma Prognosis

Mesothelioma prognosis is often described as the recovery chance of a patient. Mesothelioma prognosis also depends on critical factors like the size of the tumor and possibility of removal, whether it is newly diagnosed or has it recurred, type of mesothelioma cells and the blood counts.

Typically the most important variable determining the prognosis and life expectancy of a mesothelioma patient is the stage of the cancer when it is diagnosed. Mesothelioma prognosis and mesothelioma treatment options depend on the size of the tumor, the stage of cancer, potential surgical removal of any tumor, amount of fluid in the chest or abdomen.  Mesothelioma prognosis is generally poor because there is still no cure for asbestos related cancers. 

Typically, mesothelioma takes 10 to 50 years to develop, and during this latency period, sufferers may have no symptoms. In addition, mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age. Pleurectomy/decortication may be performed to relieve symptoms in pleural mesothelioma. Other procedures such as thoracentesis may be performed to drain pleural effusions and prevent them from recurring. Other symptoms include hoarseness, coughing up blood, swelling of the face and arms, muscle weakness, and sensory loss.

The general signs and symptoms of an asbestos lung cancer sufferer are akin to those of other sufferers of lung cancer. Wheezing, breathlessness, coughing of blood, persistent cough, etc are some of the signs and symptoms that victims of asbestos lung cancer experience.

Typical symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include abdominal pains, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal swelling. Sometimes fluid accumulates in the peritoneal space, which results in a condition known as Ascites.

Unfortunately, mesothelioma is difficult to detect in its early stages since symptoms generally take decades to appear. Worse still, early symptoms of mesothelioma are often confused with other conditions like pneumonia or the common cold, thus prolonging a mesothelioma diagnosis .

Patients may at first visit their doctors with symptoms of shortness of breath or chest pain. However, when symptoms occur, they may include shortness of breath, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, chest pains, lower back pains, persistent coughing, difficulty in swallowing, alone or in combination. An initial medical examination often shows a pleural effusion, which means an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space - the area between the lungs and the chest wall.

Patients may also be asymptomatic, with the disease discovered by physical exam or an abnormal chest X-ray . These forms are so rare that the signs and symptoms are not much clear. Many treatments prolong life and ease symptoms. Researchers are constantly on the look–out for new drugs and other mesothelioma treatment methods.

Mesothelioma came to be widely known about only from about the 60s, when the symptoms started manifesting, and mesothelioma cases were diagnosed. Across America, for people working at facilities that were asbestos-related, it became a nightmare.