If a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it’s important to know that this is an aggressive type of cancer. That’s why you may need to act quickly, both to seek treatment options and to consider the type of financial compensation you need. Treatment options are improving annually, but they can still be very expensive.
The survival rate for someone who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma usually ranges from about 4 to 18 months. That being said, there have been people who have lived for more than a decade after a diagnosis. So it is clear that everyone’s situation is a bit different. That being said, when looking at the five-year survival rate, you’ll see that just 10% of people make it to this mark.
Why is the rate so low?
For one thing, the rate is not low in a historic sense. Three decades ago, far less than 10% of people made it for five years. Even over the last decade, there have been significant increases in life expectancy.
But it is also worth noting that there is a long latency period when it comes to mesothelioma. Exposure does not immediately lead to the onset of the disease. In some cases, it takes decades. Someone could be exposed as a middle-aged worker in their 30s but not actually be diagnosed with mesothelioma until they’re in their 70s.
So part of the reason that the five-year prognosis isn’t good is simply that people who have mesothelioma are already elderly. This makes them more likely to pass away within that time frame, whether or not they have the disease.
At the end of the day, though, you can see how serious this is and why you and your family need to understand all the legal options you have.
