How to Increase Mesothelioma Survival Rate 
The survival rate of individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer remains low. Each year more than 2,000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States. Even though people have had mesothelioma since the turn of the century, the survival rate for patients has only been studied for the past twenty years. The fundamental problem with estimating mesothelioma survival rates is that it is usually misdiagnosed as a different cancer. According to research, only nine percent of mesothelioma patients survive five years. To increase mesothelioma survival rates consider the following factors.
Instructions
The stage mesothelioma is diagnosed is crucial for survival rates. Early detection is difficult because patients usually do not experience any symptoms. If you believe that you have been exposed to asbestos, make sure to get tested for mesothelioma. Talk with your doctor about testing your osteopontin levels. Research suggests that mesothelioma patients have high osteopontin levels in early and late stages of the cancer. Many experts believe that mesothelioma cancers should peak by 2015 due to the elimination of asbestos materials in the environment.
Mesothelioma survival rate also depends on the type: pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial. The most common form is pleural mesothelioma where cancer attacks the pleural tissue around the lung. Many times pleural mesothelioma is misdiagnosed as lung cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma usually develops in the majority of patients who do not have pleural mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma most often affects people who have had long term or repeated contact with asbestos. The prognosis is extremely grim for pericardial mesothelioma because it tends to develop in the heart. There are three histological subtypes of mesothelioma: epithelioid mesothelioma, which attacks epithelial cells, sarcomatoid mesothelioma, which attacks sarcomatous cells, and bi-phasic mesothelioma, where the tumor attacks both epithelial and sarcomatous cells. The proper identification of each subtype greatly affects the disease’s prognosis. Epitheloid mesothelioma is the most responsive to treatment. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma has the worst responses to treatment. To increase survival rates of mesothelioma, insist on being tested for it especially if you are diagnosed with lung cancer.
Step 3
The size of the tumor or spread of tumor cells and whether or not the mesothelioma cells can be completely removed by surgery affects survival rates. The age, general health and medical history of the patient is also pertinent to survival rates.
Tips & Warnings
Don’t wait to see your doctor if you suspect you have mesothelioma. Early detection is important for long term survival rates in mesothelioma patients.
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