Like other cancers, mesothelioma depends on early diagnosis and treatment for the best prognosis. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is difficult to detect in its early stages since symptoms generally take decades to appear. Worse still, early symptoms of mesothelioma are often confused with other conditions like pneumonia, thus prolonging a mesothelioma diagnosis . Once more definite symptoms become evident, the disease has usually progressed to advanced stages.

Staging Systems and Mesothelioma Prognosis

Doctors use staging systems to determine the extent of the disease, including metastasis and lymph node involvement. Staging gives the doctor a better understanding of how to treat the disease based on its level of progression and is perhaps the most important variable used in determining a patient's mesothelioma prognosis.

There are three different staging systems that a doctor may use to determine a patient's mesothelioma prognosis: Butchart, TNM, and Brigham. In each of these systems, the mesothelioma prognosis worsens as the stages of the cancer advance.

Generally speaking, patients who are diagnosed at an advanced stage tend to have a poor mesothelioma prognosis. Survival rates for such patients usually don't extend beyond a year after the disease is discovered.

Types of Mesothelioma and Their Prognoses

Of the three different types of mesothelioma pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of the disease. Some specialists think that pleural mesothelioma is the more dangerous and also more difficult to treat of the three. However, some studies show that peritoneal mesothelioma metastasizes at a more rapid pace and is therefore more deadly. Whatever the diagnosis, specialists typically agree that all mesotheliomas are serious conditions with relatively poor prognoses.

Fortunately, mesothelioma research is ongoing. Clinical trials conducted on patients with mesothelioma help researchers to understand more about the disease and its progression. Research also helps specialists to learn more existing mesothelioma treatments and potentially discover new ones.

If you are concerned about your mesothelioma prognosis and would like to learn more about your rights, you may wish to speak with an attorney who can help you understand your legal options . Please contact us to consult with a caring and compassionate attorney experienced in asbestos and mesothelioma litigation.