Someone exposed to asbestos could live for decades without any repercussions. Then one day, it all changes. After a visit to the doctor, an Ohio resident could receive the diagnosis they hoped would never come — mesothelioma. More than likely, the doctor will give him or her data on the survival rates for this rare form of cancer, but the real question is whether those numbers apply to everyone.
The way mesothelioma survival rates are calculated depends on three primary factors: if the cancer is localized to the pleura, spreads to regions such as the lymph nodes or nearby structures in the body, or spreads to more distant parts of the body. It is not difficult to imagine that as the cancer spreads through the body, the chances of survival decrease. An important piece of information to know is that these statistics come from when a patient is diagnosed, not as the disease progresses.
Even the American Cancer Society warns that the survival statistics will not apply to everyone. The numbers do not take into account other factors such as a person’s overall health, age, type of mesothelioma and more. The outcome for a particular person could be better or worse than the numbers show.
Sadly, mesothelioma does not have a cure. Treatments can extend life and make patients feel more comfortable. However, an Ohio resident who recently received this diagnosis should take the survival statistics with a grain of salt. The truth is that no one can accurately predict how long a particular person will survive with this condition, and no one should give up based on the data.
