Some patients with pleural mesothelioma survive the illness for many years. According to the American Cancer Society, survival rates are based on data for patients with the same forms of pleural mesothelioma who survived for five years.
If your pleural mesothelioma is localized or if it has not spread, you have a 20% chance of surviving five years. If it is regional, meaning if it has spread but not to distant organs, then you have a 12% chance. If the cancer has spread to distant organs, then you have an 8% chance of surviving five years.
Factors that Influence the Survival Rate for Pleural Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the illness. It affects the pleura or the lining that surrounds the lungs.
Survival rates for mesothelioma are generally low, in large part because the illness is often detected only after it has progressed to an advanced stage. Once mesothelioma has metastasized and spread to other parts of the body, it may be more difficult, or even impossible, to treat.
In many cases, when people are diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is too late for treatments to be effective, and doctors instead focus on palliative treatments to make patients as comfortable as possible.
The survival rate for pleural mesothelioma is lower than the survival rates for other forms of mesothelioma. If pleural mesothelioma is detected early, while it is still localized in the lining that surrounds the lungs, it may be possible to treat it with surgery.
The fact is that in most cases, pleural mesothelioma is not diagnosed until it has reached a later stage. When pleural mesothelioma has reached stage 3 or 4, it has often spread to other organs or to the lymph nodes, which makes it difficult to treat with surgery. Chemotherapy and radiation may be helpful in some cases.
The type of cancer cells present can affect whether an individual’s pleural mesothelioma can be treated and whether the person is likely to survive.
Younger people who are diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma are more likely to survive the illness than individuals who are older at the time of diagnosis. Since younger people are generally healthier, they may be able to undergo more aggressive treatments than older individuals. Genetics and lifestyle factors, such as whether a person smokes, can also determine how long you can survive pleural mesothelioma.
Seek Legal Help to Pursue Compensation for Mesothelioma
Being diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma can be devastating. In many cases, people with mesothelioma have non-specific symptoms and are shocked when they find out that they have cancer.
If you have learned that you have pleural mesothelioma, you may be trying to figure out how your family will cover the medical bills, in addition to regular living expenses, such as your mortgage, utilities, and groceries. You may be struggling to come to grips with the fact that the type of cancer you have has low survival rates. You may be worried about how your family would get by without you.
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help you seek financial compensation if your mesothelioma was caused by asbestos, the primary risk factory, according to the Mayo Clinic. While that would not be able to cure your cancer, it could give your family some peace of mind. A settlement could cover your medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering and could give your family funds to pay for future expenses.
For a free legal consultation, call (800) 307-3113
How We May Be Able to Help You
Our firm has been representing clients across the United States in personal injury cases for more than 30 years. We have helped numerous clients with mesothelioma who were exposed to asbestos at work, who came into contact with it after a family member brought home asbestos fibers, or who used common products that were manufactured with asbestos.
Since mesothelioma is typically diagnosed decades after a person was exposed to asbestos, many clients who come to us wanting to pursue compensation for mesothelioma have no idea when or how they were exposed to asbestos. In our work with previous clients, we have collected information on companies and products that used asbestos. That database may help us figure out how you were exposed to asbestos, so we can hold the company that was responsible for your exposure accountable.
We may file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf. If the business that was liable for your asbestos exposure has declared bankruptcy, we may still be able to seek compensation. Many companies that declared bankruptcy due to a large volume of mesothelioma lawsuits set up trust funds to compensate victims.
It often takes a significant amount of time to figure out how someone was exposed to asbestos, to go through an individual’s medical records, and to build a case. The sooner you contact us, the sooner our team will be able to get to work. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 307-3113.
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