MesotheliomaWhat is Mesothelioma?
Key Statistics about Mesothelioma
Because of the long latency period of the disease, the average age at which diagnosis occurs is about 50 to 70 years old. The disease is known to affect men 3 to 5 times more than it affects women. In addition, mesothelioma is less frequent in African Americans than in Caucasians. There are an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 new cases per year of mesothelioma in the United States, but this figure appears to be increasing.
Mesothelioma is an extremely serious illness and by the time the symptoms appear and a diagnosis has been determined, the disease is often too advanced to be treated effectively. Additionally, diagnosing mesothelioma can be extremely difficult because common symptoms of mesothelioma can be caused by several different medical problems and can be easily confused with symptoms of other minor illnesses. Sadly, the average survival time for patients affected with mesothelioma is about one year. However, if the cancer is treated aggressively at an early stage, nearly half of the mesothelioma patients will reach the two-year mark. Only about 20% of patients survive for five years or more.
While the survival rate of mesothelioma is extremely low, treatment for mesothelioma is becoming more advanced every day. Many patients live much longer than 5 years after diagnosis. The "5-year rate" is a method used to produce a criterion way of discussing prognosis. Five-year relative survival rates for mesothelioma exclude patients dying of other diseases. However, advances in treatment often result in a more favorable outlook for recently diagnosed patients.
