MESOTHELIOMA PROGNOSIS

What Factors Affect Mesothelioma Prognosis?

                                        

There are five primary factors that doctors consider when determining a prognosis for mesothelioma patients.
                                            

Location

Peritoneal mesothelioma (in the abdomen) has a slightly better prognosis than pleural mesothelioma (in the lungs). Pericardial mesothelioma (in the heart) has a very poor prognosis.

Cell Type

Of the three primary cell types of mesothelioma, epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common and also has a better prognosis than sarcomatoid or biphasic mesothelioma.

Stage

Mesothelioma patients diagnosed at an early stage will have a better prognosis than those diagnosed at a later stage. By Stage III and Stage IV, generally only palliative treatments are given to relieve pain and discomfort.

Metastasis

If the mesothelioma has spread to other parts of the body from where it originated (i.e., metastasized), the prognosis is much worse. Once the disease begins to spread, it is much harder to remove the cancer through surgery or kill it with chemotherapy.

Overall Health

Patients who are relatively young and healthy will have a better prognosis, because their bodies are better able to handle the treatments. Older patients also tend to have other conditions that can exacerbate the disease or limit treatment options.