Mesothelioma is a terminal cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It can take a very long time for noticeable symptoms to appear, often decades. Once diagnosed with mesothelioma, life expectancy is relatively short, and treatment can be challenging. It is important to know what to expect after you or a family member has been diagnosed with this cancer and what legal options may be available to you.
Mesothelioma Life Expectancy and Treatment
The only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. For several decades across the US, asbestos was widely used in various ways for its insulating and fireproofing capabilities. Thousands of people were exposed, unaware of the long-term health risks. Once the risks of asbestos were understood, asbestos use declined dramatically, and extensive removal and abatement efforts were made throughout the country.
However, there are still about 3,000 new mesothelioma cases diagnosed in the US each year, despite the fact that the risks of asbestos exposure are now confirmed. This is because mesothelioma has a very long latency period. It often takes decades for this cancer to cause noticeable symptoms, and by this time, it will already have progressed to an advanced stage.
There have been many advancements in cancer treatment in the US, but mesothelioma remains a terminal diagnosis.
The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which grows in the pleura of the lungs. This results from inhalation of asbestos particles. Peritoneal mesothelioma forms in the abdomen when asbestos particles are ingested or absorbed through the skin. Rarely, pericardial mesothelioma forms in the lining of the heart.
One of the most challenging aspects of mesothelioma is that the early symptoms of this cancer are often mistaken for other, less serious illnesses. This can result in delayed treatment and potentially allow the mesothelioma to spread to distant parts of the body. Symptoms can worsen and evolve rapidly if the cancer has progressed beyond a localized area of the body and the victim does not begin cancer treatment promptly.
Treatment can help maintain quality of life and keep symptoms manageable for a time, but mesothelioma is a terminal diagnosis. Even when detected at an early stage, life expectancy with pleural mesothelioma is relatively short:
- The average five-year survival rate for localized mesothelioma that has not spread to distant parts of the body is about 23%, meaning about 23% of people with this diagnosis will survive for at least five more years.
- Once mesothelioma has spread through a region of the body, the average five-year survival rate declines to 15%. For example, pleural mesothelioma may spread from the pleura to the nearby lymph nodes
- Mesothelioma that has reached distant parts of the body has an average five-year survival rate of just 11%. At this stage, pleural mesothelioma has likely spread to lymph nodes, bones, and/or the pleura on the other side of the body.
It is vital to understand that mesothelioma life expectancy not only varies by cancer stage but also by overall health, age, and how well the patient responds to mesothelioma treatment. The survival rates for peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma are generally much lower than those for pleural mesothelioma, as these forms of the cancer progress more rapidly.
Most people diagnosed with mesothelioma receive these diagnoses later in life. Older adults may have multiple other medical conditions, some of which could make mesothelioma treatment more difficult. Additionally, older adults are less resilient against the side effects of cancer treatment. Determining the right treatment options for you comes down to your specific diagnosis, any underlying medical conditions, and your personal preferences.
Generally, mesothelioma treatment will focus on slowing the disease’s progression as much as possible and mitigating symptoms. Standard cancer treatments such as surgical removal of tumors, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments could be implemented, and some patients agree to try experimental, emerging therapies. Eventually, every mesothelioma patient will need to receive palliative care.
Mesothelioma can cause painful, debilitating symptoms, and cancer treatments typically entail challenging side effects. Many people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma are forced to stop working, and treatment is both difficult and expensive. Receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis also comes with a psychological shock, and experienced legal counsel will be a tremendous asset if you find yourself in this difficult situation.
Why You Should Hire a Mesothelioma Lawyer
Mesothelioma treatment is expensive, and eventually the individual will need to transition to palliative care. Most diagnoses happen later in life, usually after retirement age, but it is possible to be diagnosed before retirement. You could face expensive medical bills along with additional financial pressure from being unable to work. Ultimately, a mesothelioma diagnosis can easily create a very challenging financial situation for you and your family.
Another complicating factor in mesothelioma cases is the difficulty many people have in determining the most likely source of the asbestos exposure that caused their cancer. Many mesothelioma diagnoses happen decades after exposure, so you may need to carefully review decades’ worth of employment records and other evidence to accurately deduce when, where, and how you were exposed to asbestos.
You may have grounds to claim compensation for your mesothelioma diagnosis, but you need an experienced attorney on your side to guide you through your case. You could be eligible to file a claim to an asbestos trust fund, and workers’ compensation benefits may be available to you if you were exposed to asbestos at your current job. If a specific party is directly responsible for your exposure, then you may have grounds to file a personal injury case.
An experienced mesothelioma attorney can help you prove the most likely source of the asbestos exposure that led to your mesothelioma. Once you determine the cause of the cancer, your attorney can determine your most viable legal options for claiming compensation. For example, if a specific company is responsible for your diagnosis but they have gone out of business, they may have been required to establish a trust that could provide helpful compensation.
When you hire a mesothelioma lawyer at Kelley Ferraro, LLC, you have a dedicated legal advocate ready to help with every step of your case, from proving how you were exposed to accurately calculating all of the damages you are eligible to claim. You are more likely to secure appropriate compensation with an attorney’s help, but it is crucial to consult legal counsel as soon as possible, as time is a critical concern in any mesothelioma case.
Our firm has nearly 30 years of experience representing clients in mesothelioma cases nationwide. We have resolved more than 55,000 cases and have recovered more than $1 billion in compensation, and we are confident we can provide unmatched representation for your mesothelioma case. Mesothelioma life expectancy is short, so it’s vital to reach out to our firm at your first opportunity to learn how we can help with your case.
FAQs
Q: Is Mesothelioma Curable?
A: No, mesothelioma is an incurable cancer. Once someone is diagnosed with mesothelioma, treatment focuses on slowing the disease’s spread, managing symptoms, and maintaining quality of life as much as possible. Eventually, every person diagnosed with mesothelioma will need to transition to palliative care. While some emerging therapies are promising, mesothelioma is still considered a terminal diagnosis.
Q: How Much Asbestos Exposure Causes Mesothelioma?
A: Any asbestos exposure can potentially cause mesothelioma. There is no “safe” level of exposure, and even once is enough to cause mesothelioma to develop. However, the disease can progress more rapidly with repeated exposure and/or because of a genetic predisposition to cancer. Most mesothelioma cases take many years to start showing noticeable symptoms.
Q: What Is the Most Aggressive Type of Mesothelioma?
A: The most aggressive type of mesothelioma is sarcomatoid mesothelioma, which only accounts for about 10% of all pleural mesothelioma cases. This form of mesothelioma progresses very rapidly and has the poorest prognosis. The shape of sarcomatoid mesothelioma cells allows them to spread rapidly through tissue, and the average life expectancy following diagnosis is only a few months.
Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for Mesothelioma?
A: The amount of compensation you can claim for mesothelioma depends on several factors. An experienced attorney can accurately calculate claimable economic damages like your medical expenses, lost income, and lost future earning potential. You may also recover pain and suffering compensation with a personal injury case, and some defendants are required to pay punitive damages to reflect egregious negligence or illegal misconduct.
Q: Why Should I Hire a Mesothelioma Lawyer?
A: You should hire a mesothelioma lawyer to have a better chance of securing appropriate compensation for all of the damages related to your condition. A skilled mesothelioma attorney can help you determine the most likely source of your condition, accurately calculate all of the damages you are eligible to claim, and assist you with resolving your case as efficiently as possible. The team at Kelley Ferraro, LLC has years of experience helping clients navigate complex mesothelioma cases, and we are ready to assist you with your case. After a diagnosis of mesothelioma, life expectancy is relatively short in most cases, so time is a crucial concern for anyone who is diagnosed with this cancer. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced mesothelioma attorney and learn how we can help.
