ASBESTOS. MESOTHELIOMA. OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE THROUGHOUT GEORGIA.

What is the average prognosis for a mesothelioma patient?

On Behalf of | Feb 16, 2022 | Mesothelioma |

Working in certain Georgia industries places you at a high risk of asbestos exposure. With increased asbestos exposure comes an increased risk of developing mesothelioma. A type of tumor that lines the stomach, heart and other organs, mesothelioma often develops quickly and aggressively and may lead to a wide range of concerning symptoms as well as death.

According to Penn Medicine’s Abraham Cancer Center, the typical survival period following a mesothelioma diagnosis falls somewhere between about four and 18 months. However, there are many variables that contribute to how long you might live following a diagnosis. Some of these factors are as follows.

Detection

When your doctors identify mesothelioma may have a significant impact on your prognosis. Like any cancer, your prognosis improves when you catch and treat it early. Certain types of blood tests may produce elevated results, helping doctors identify if you have mesothelioma. Also, catching cancer before it metastasizes also tends to have a positive impact on prognosis.

Chemotherapy

Whether you undergo chemotherapy following your mesothelioma diagnosis also helps determine how long you might live. Medical professionals continue to search for new chemotherapy and other drugs that deliver targeted radiation to tumors.

Experimental treatments

Evidence suggests that certain forms of experimental treatment, such as gene therapy, immunotherapy and photodynamic therapy, may also lengthen your lifespan after a mesothelioma diagnosis.

There is no cure for mesothelioma. However, catching it early and attacking it promptly may lengthen your lifespan and give you more time with those you love. If your development of mesothelioma was a direct result of your work environment, you may have options available to you.