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A mesothelioma diagnosis is typically associated with a very short life expectancy. The median survival time for mesothelioma patients is 4 to 18 months; that interval is markedly shorter for patients diagnosed with peritoneal or pericardial mesothelioma.
Why is the typical mesothelioma life expectancy so brief? Because mesothelioma is characterized by a latency period of anywhere between 20 and 50 years. By the time a patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma, he or she is often in the latter stages of the disease when treatment options are limited.
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But human beings are not statistics. Some patients do beat the odds. In 1982, the science writer Stephen Jay Gould was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. Gould died 20 years later from an unrelated cause.
When Paul Kraus was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 1997, he was given months to live. Fourteen years later, Mr. Kraus is not only alive, but he is an outspoken advocate for mesothelioma survivors who want to take control of their treatments.
There are many others with similar stories. What could these people have in common? We offer a free 'survivor book' highlighting the stories of people who have beaten the odds and survived mesothelioma. Learn about what treatments they underwent and what diet they followed. Fill out a form on this page and we will overnight you the survivor book along with a mesothelioma informational packet.
The immune system is a set of biological processes within a living organism's own body that protect against illness by identifying and destroying pathogens. Many medical experts believe that malignant mesothelioma may be related in part to immune system deficiencies.
In 1986, The Journal of Clinical Immunology published a study that found mesothelioma patients exhibit a significant reduction in the T (T11+) and T-helper (T4+) cells critical for healthy immune responses.
In 2008, The Journal of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery published the results of a Canadian study that found that mesothelioma patients with longer survival rates had higher levels of a specific type of immune cell called CD8+.
Cytotoxic lymphocytes, nicknamed Natural Killer (NK) cells, play a major role in the immune system's response to viruses that spur tumor growth. Mesothelioma patients have been found to have greatly reduced levels of NK cells.
Findings such as these suggest that one course of treatment for mesothelioma may involve immunotherapy, combined with more traditional treatments like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Many other factors impact the length of mesothelioma survival. The most important of these is the staging of the disease at the time mesothelioma is first diagnosed. Because of its prolonged latency interval, mesothelioma frequently goes undiagnosed until patients have reached Stage 3 or Stage 4 of the disease when their cancer has metastasized to sites far distant from the primary tumor. Early detection of mesothelioma leads to better survival rates. In those instances when patients are diagnosed in Stage 1 or Stage 2 of the disease, when curative treatments are an option, their life expectancy is considerably longer.
For a more in depth examination of the factors that impact life expectancy, survival rates and other issues affecting mesothelioma patients, The Mesothelioma Center has put together a free packet of information. The packet also contains information on managing the costs of medical treatment as well as lists of the nation's leading mesothelioma doctors and treatment centers. To receive your free packet by mail, please fill out the online form.
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