By:
Jeff Foster
Mesothelioma prognosis
and mesothelioma treatment options depend on the size of
the tumor, the stage of cancer, potential surgical
removal of any tumor, amount of fluid in the chest or
abdomen, overall health and age of patient, specific
type of mesothelioma cancer cell and whether cancerous
cells are found anywhere else in the body.
The mesothelioma
prognosis is determined through physical examination and
the results of a number of medical tests designed to
evaluate the rare asbestos cancer. Once a mesothelioma
prognosis is finally determined, then treating this
aggressive and rare cancer can begin. Early diagnosis
and treatment are most important in looking for a
favorable mesothelioma prognosis.
Since mesothelioma is
usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, the statistics
for one to five year survival are usually unreliable.
The two most common types
of mesothelioma are peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma
and pleural (lung) mesothelioma, with pleural
mesothelioma being the most common. Peritoneal
mesothelioma can be difficult to stage because of its
rarity. The initial symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are
subtle and often ignored resulting in the cancer being
more advanced when it is finally diagnosed causing it to
be difficult to stage. However, because it is the most
common of the mesothelioma cancers, pleural mesothelioma
has multiple staging systems.
Unfortunately, patients
who have been diagnosed with peritoneal or pleural
mesothelioma are often advised of a grim mesothelioma
prognosis, one which can often be less than one year
survival expectancy from the time of diagnosis. Of
course every patient is so different requires a
different mesothelioma treatment plan and as a result of
the individuality of each patient, an accurate
mesothelioma prognosis must be individualized by your
physician.
The mesothelioma
prognosis has several important factors such as the
patient’s overall health at the time of diagnosis, exact
type of mesothelioma tumor, size of the mesothelioma
tumor and precise location of the mesothelioma tumor.
Normally mesothelioma is located near the vital organs
such as the heart and lungs which can cause severe
consequences if the cancerous tumors begin to press on
these vital organs. It is important to remember that the
healthier a patient is going in to treatment for
malignant mesothelioma then the patient generally
responds better to treatment and has a greater chance of
a prolonged survival.
After properly being
diagnosed with mesothelioma and a mesothelioma prognosis
is made, the doctor and patient will discuss treatment
options. Because there is currently no known cure for
mesothelioma, treatment options are designed to relieve
symptoms, try to prevent metastasis and to prolong life
while maintaining an acceptable quality of life.
For more important
information on
mesothelioma be sure to visit a-mesothelioma-guide.com
where you will find key information such as the
symptoms of mesothelioma, risks, and other articles
that you can view at
http://www.a-mesothelioma-guide.com
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