- Mesothelioma
- Mesothelioma Facts
- Mesothelioma Symptoms
- Mesothelioma Awareness
- Mesothelioma Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma Causes
- Mesothelioma Risk Factors
- Mesothelioma Incidence
- Mesothelioma Diagnosis
- Mesothelioma Tests
- Mesothelioma Biopsy
- Mesothelioma Blood Test
- Mesothelioma Pathology
- Mesothelioma Prognosis
- Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
- Mesothelioma Life Span
- Mesothelioma Survival Rate
- Mesothelioma Survivors
- Mesothelioma Death Rate
- Mesothelioma Types
- Pleural Mesothelioma
- Peritoneal Mesothelioma
- Pericardial Mesothelioma
- Well-Differentiated Papillary Mesothelioma
- Malignant Mesothelioma
- Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma
- Biphasic Mesothelioma
- Epithelial Mesothelioma
- Mesothelioma Staging
- Mesothelioma Metastasis
Mesothelioma Survival Rate
Most malignant mesothelioma patients live for approximately 10 to 11 months after receiving their diagnosis. In recent years, the one- and five-year survival rates have risen to 40 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
Extending Mesothelioma Survival Rates
The poor prognosis for mesothelioma is generally attributed to the late diagnosis typical of most cases. Since symptoms can take up to 20 or 50 years to appear after the patient was first exposed to asbestos, many patients with mesothelioma are unaware of the illness forming and spreading throughout their body. By the time they note symptoms, the cancer is often in one of the later stages of development when curative treatments are generally ineffective.
New tests that focus on early diagnosis, including the Mesomark blood test, offer promising means to identify the disease when it is less resistant to treatment, potentially extending mesothelioma survival rates.
The immune system is also credited with playing a role in fighting the disease. Despite mesothelioma's reputation for being incurable, several patients have survived the disease or even achieved full remission. Research indicates that most of the patients who have been cured of the disease have participated in a form of immune-enhancing therapy such as immunology.
While results are inconclusive, medical professionals estimate that a strong immune system can help stabilize or cure the development of cancerous mesothelioma cells. One unnamed patient's spontaneous regression was attributed to an "immune-mediated phenomenon" after a chest resection (surgery) and remains free of the disease today (Pilling, J.E., et al., Prolonged Survival Due to Spontaneous Regression and Surgical Excision of Malignant Mesothelioma, Ann Thorac Surg, 2007; 83: 314-5.)
Stories of Hope
The growing incidence of mesothelioma patients living beyond their expected survival rate is a source of hope for patients currently fighting the disease. A number of mesothelioma survivors are publicizing their stories, offering insight into their struggles and illustrating the possibility of an extended survival rate.
Once such person is Paul Kraus, an Australian factory worker who was diagnosed with a rare case of peritoneal mesothelioma 35 years after occupational exposure to blue (crocodile) asbestos. Kraus incorporated many lifestyle changes, including "juicing," and transitioned to a vegetarian diet and consumed a range of supplements.
He attributes much of his recovery to ozone therapy, an alternative treatment that added a specific form of oxygen to his blood with the intent of creating a cancer-killing oxygenated environment. While Kraus is still shown to have the disease and a slightly weaker body, he is pain-free and his doctors estimate that he could live for many more years.
Rhio O'Connor, another long-term mesothelioma survivor, drastically exceeded the typical prognosis, living with the disease more than eight years after diagnosis. Instead of taking a traditional treatment route, O'Conner embarked on a lifestyle overhaul under complete medical supervision, turning to supplements, dietary changes and meditation to fight his cancer.