As with any disease or health
condition, mesothelioma researchers have, over time,
collected statistical information about mesothelioma. These statistics can help
us learn about the proclivities of the disease and its incidence and
potentially help future patients as we learn more about mesothelioma.
How
common is Mesothelioma?
New cases of mesothelioma are
diagnosed in between 2,500 and 3,000 Americans each year. These numbers, while
significant, would indicate that mesothelioma is still a relatively rare
disease, though incidence is expected to rise in the next decade according to
projections.
What
is the Typical Age at Diagnosis?
The first diagnosis of mesothelioma
typically occurs in men and women between the ages of 50 and 70 years.
Mesothelioma patients, certainly, have been diagnosed at ages younger than 50
and older than 70, but diagnoses for those age groups are considered
statistical anomalies.
Does
Mesothelioma Occur in a Particular or Racial Demographic More than Another?
Mesothelioma is much more common in
men than women, due mostly to occupational asbestos
exposure being more common among men of industrial labor sites. That
is not to say, however, that women cannot be diagnosed with mesothelioma. In
fact, recent evidence suggests that mesothelioma incidence in women may rise in
the coming years as secondary exposures to asbestos can manifest in the form of
a positive mesothelioma diagnosis. Also of note is that
mesothelioma is much less common among African Americans than in Caucasians,
the reasons for which researchers are still investigating.
What
are Typical Patient Survival Rates Following a Mesothelioma Diagnosis?
As mesothelioma is often diagnosed
in its advanced stages, the prognosis from mesothelioma is often in the range
of a year after diagnosis. If diagnosed early enough, however, survival may
potentially extend over many years. Patient survival rates are often contingent
on the treatments available to the particular patient.
Other
Mesothelioma Information
Mesothelioma Latency Period
Typically, there is a great deal of
time between an individual's exposure to asbestos and the development of
asbestos-related health complications. Mesothelioma is associated with a
long-latency period (often 20-50 years) after exposure. Over a long period of
time, lodged asbestos fibers slowly inflame the lung's external tissue, often
serving as a pre-cursor to the development of malignant mesothelioma.
Adult Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is most common in
adults. Adults who have asbestos exposure history are typically those most at
risk for the development of malignant mesothelioma. It can take many years for
those exposed to asbestos exposure to exhibit the effects of exposure and, as
such, mesothelioma is most often diagnosed in older individuals, often up to 40
years following exposure.
Child Mesothelioma
Childhood diagnosis of malignant
mesothelioma is extremely rare, although it has been documented. Mesothelioma
is known only to be caused by exposure to asbestos and takes many years
following exposure to asbestos to manifest in adults. Generally speaking,
childhood mesothelioma is considered to be unrelated to asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma and Women
Many women that have been diagnosed
with mesothelioma had no direct exposure to asbestos from working in industrial
job settings. Instead they discover that they are victims of second-hand
asbestos exposure that occurred while washing their husband's clothes that came
home from work with asbestos fibers on them.
Mesothelioma Prevention
Mesothelioma is known only to be
caused by exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that was
used for many years as an industrial insulation component. As such, the best
mesothelioma prevention is the avoidance of exposure to asbestos. However, in
recent years, physicians and cancer specialists have been developing a
mesothelioma vaccine that will arm the body's immune system with cancer
fighting anti-bodies and antigens in those who are at risk for the development
of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Vaccine
Recent studies by researchers in the
Netherlands have found promising results in preventative therapies for
mesothelioma. Using cancer-fighting antigens within the body's immune system,
mesothelioma patients have responded positively in most cases when treated with
the mesothelioma vaccine. The hope is now that this therapy can be applied to
those who may be at risk of developing mesothelioma in the future, particularly
those who have been exposed to asbestos but have yet to develop asbestos
disease.
Medical Timeline
Historical timeline containing
important facts and developments related to the manufacture and use of asbestos
and documented cases of mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos related
diseases.
Mesothelioma Misspellings
The word “mesothelioma” is often
misspelled by people searching on the internet for information about this asbestos
cancer. In this section we list some of the most common misspellings
that we have seen individuals use in their internet searches for mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Misconceptions
There are several common myths and
misconceptions about mesothelioma. Learn more about what the true facts are
about this asbestos-related disease.
Mesothelioma Disease
Mesothelioma
cancer is a rare disease that attacks the cells of the tissue that
lines the body cavity called the mesothelium. It’s only known cause is exposure
to asbestos fibers.
Source http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/information/
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