| Once a person has been diagnosed with a cancer | | | | months and 25% live for more than eighteen |
| of any sort, the doctors will put their heads | | | | months. 50% of all diagnosed with mesothelioma |
| together to determine how great of a chance of | | | | live between four and eighteen months. While this |
| survival the person will have with successful | | | | information is scary, it does not break the cases |
| treatment. They will also try to determine how | | | | down into stages of diagnosis or even whether |
| long they think the person will live without | | | | treatment is even attempted. |
| treatment or if treatment is unsuccessful. | | | | Factors that influence the life expectancy of any |
| In determining how long a person who has been | | | | cancer patient, including those who have been |
| diagnosed with mesothelioma has to live, the | | | | diagnosed with mesothelioma, vary. Some of the |
| doctors will examine a number of factors. While it | | | | factors include: |
| is true that they examine a number of known | | | | - The stage of the disese when diagnosed |
| factors, every patient is a unique case whose life | | | | - The point at which it is diagnosed |
| expectancy cannot be predicted with complete | | | | - Whether the cancer is localized or has spread |
| accuracy. Due to almost daily advances in the field | | | | - The patient's age and health condition |
| of cancer treatment, the life expectancy of a | | | | - Wha treatments are feasible based on the |
| person diagnosed with mesothelioma now is | | | | condition and health of the patient |
| greater than that of a person who was diagnosed | | | | Out of all of the factors influencing the life |
| five years ago. | | | | expectancy of a person diagnosed with |
| That being said, mesothelioma is still a serious | | | | mesothelioma, the stage of mesothelioma at |
| disease that has not experience much luck in | | | | diagnoses is the most important piece of the |
| finding effective treatment options. Still, life | | | | puzzle. It is the greatest indicator of how long or |
| expectancy is greater today than someone five | | | | how short a patient's life expectancy is. Because |
| years ago. | | | | the early symptoms of mesothelioma actually |
| After analyzing all of the mesothelioma cases | | | | resemble those of other, much more common |
| presented, doctors have determined that the | | | | illnesses, many patients are misdiagnosed in the |
| middle portion of the bell curve is 4 and 18 | | | | early stages. By the time the cancer has been |
| months. This means that 25% of people | | | | discovered, the cancer has already reached an |
| diagnosed with mesothelioma live less than four | | | | advanced stage. |