A patient’s prognosis is an estimate of what the outcome will likely be of how cancer will affect their body and life span. Prognosis depends on the stage and type of malignant mesothelioma along with the general health of the patient.
Doctors describe the typical mesothelioma prognosis as an overall outlook, specific to each patient. Prognosis is often measured in terms such as “good,” “favorable,” “bad” or “poor” based on how the cancer is expected to progress. It includes the prospect of recovery and helps determine what treatment options may be available.
Mesothelioma prognosis is often confused with life expectancy or the average survival rates of the asbestos-related cancer. Although history and statistics play a part in determining your prognosis, every mesothelioma case is unique.
Some mesothelioma patients are beating the typical outlook more frequently thanks to advances in treatment and care. Survivors credit life span increases to multimodal treatment, improvements in their diet and complementary therapies.
Following a diagnosis, it is important to receive a prognosis from a mesothelioma specialist. These doctors are highly trained and experienced in mesothelioma treatment and can more accurately predict how your diagnosis will affect your life span.
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| Mesothelioma Prognosis |
Prognosis by Mesothelioma Type
The four types of mesothelioma affect your body in different ways. The exact type plays an important role in determining whether your prognosis will be good or bad.
Pleural Mesothelioma
The prognosis for patients with pleural mesothelioma — the most common type — is not favorable because research shows approximately 40 percent of patients survive for one year after diagnosis. Because the cancer forms in the lining of the lungs, tumors put pressure on the chest cavity, making it difficult to breath and potentially leading to pneumonia or congestive heart failure.
However, some patients who undergo multimodal treatment and complementary therapies survive several years after diagnosis. About 10 percent of pleural mesothelioma patients survive more than five years.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma have a far better prognosis than those diagnosed with the pleural type. New treatments for peritoneal, such as heated chemotherapy, have increased five-year survival to nearly 50 percent.
Pericardial Mesothelioma
Prognosis for pericardial mesothelioma is generally poor because of where the cancer develops — the lining of the heart. Around half of patients survive six months. Rare cases of five-year survival have been reported and usually involve treatment including surgery and chemotherapy.
Testicular Mesothelioma
Although testicular mesothelioma is the rarest type, its prognosis is typically the best. Average survival is around two years and some patients live more than a decade.
Other Factors Affecting Mesothelioma Prognosis
Aside from the type of mesothelioma, doctors individualize a prognosis based on a variety of factors. Most of these factors are outside of your control, including your age, gender and unique qualities of your diagnosis.
You can hope to improve your prognosis with the latest treatments and by living a healthy lifestyle.
Stage
The size of a tumor and how far it has spread (metastasized) from its original location affect prognosis. Doctors typically discuss tumor size and the extent of a cancer’s spread in terms of stages, ranging from stage 1 to stage 4 in order of severity. Patients with stage 1 or stage 2 (early stage) will typically have a better prognosis than patients with stage 3 or stage 4 (advanced).
Cell Type
The type of cells that make up your tumor — what doctors call histology — can impact your prognosis. Patients with epithelioid mesothelioma generally live longer than those with either sarcomatoid or biphasic (combination) subtypes, which are considered more aggressive and harder to treat. People with epithelioid tumors live an average of 200 days longer.
Symptoms
Patients suffering from serious symptoms, such as severe chest pain or difficulty breathing, may have a worse prognosis. The presence of symptoms often means the cancer has already progressed to a later stage of development.
Health and Lifestyle
People in otherwise good health may qualify for treatments that are more intensive. On the other hand, if you have pre-existing health issues, you may not be able to tolerate aggressive surgery or chemotherapy. Additionally, nonsmokers often have a better mesothelioma prognosis than patients who smoke. Because most mesothelioma patients are diagnosed after age 70, many may be too weak to undergo an aggressive surgical procedure. A qualified mesothelioma specialist can determine the best treatment options for each patient.
How to Improve or Beat Your Mesothelioma Prognosis
You can choose to be proactive and take steps to improve your prognosis. While you can’t change important prognostic factors, such as your age, mesothelioma type or cancer stage, you can improve your overall health. Try treatments to control the cancer, and take good care of yourself when side effects develop or symptoms worsen.
Stop Smoking
Once you’ve started treatment, you can take a few extra steps to improve your chances of recovery. If you’re a smoker, find a cessation program. Because smoking increases your risk of lung complications if you opt for surgery, you should stop immediately.
Eat Healthy
Maintaining proper nutrition is important because many mesothelioma patients lose essential muscle and tissue after a diagnosis. Weight loss can negatively impact a patient’s prognosis.
Eating healthy and loading your body with vitamins and nutrients strengthen the immune system, which helps the body heal from surgery and recover from side effects of other treatments such as chemotherapy.
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