What Factors Affect Prognosis?

Mesothelioma is not generally diagnosed until the latest stages of development because of the amount of time it takes for patients to display symptoms associated with the disease. In addition to this, the symptoms of mesothelioma are very general and often resemble less serious conditions, which can make the cancer difficult to diagnose. As a result, the prognosis for the majority of patients is poor, but many doctors can recommend treatment options such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation to help combat the disease.

Doctors typically address the cancer in terms of stages, ranging from stage one to stage four. Unfortunately, once mesothelioma cancer has reached stage three or four, treatment options not only become more limited but less effective as well. When a patient is diagnosed with stage four mesothelioma?, their health condition often rules out the possibility of surgery. Treating mesothelioma becomes more difficult the later a diagnosis occurs.


In addition to the stage of the cancer and the age of the patient, other factors that affect prognosis include:

* The type of mesothelioma – pleural, peritoneal, pericardial or testicular
* The size of the tumor
* The location of the tumor and whether it can be surgically removed
* The extent of other symptoms, including fluid in the lungs or abdomen
* Whether or not the patient is a smoker

Malignant mesothelioma is typically diagnosed in individuals over 55 years old, though there are certainly exceptions. Some patients already have multiple medical problems caused by advancing age, making treatment even more difficult and increasing the mortality rate among mesothelioma patients.