Asbestos & Mesothelioma Law Blog
A recent analysis published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology determined that peritoneal mesothelioma patients who underwent surgery had a far better survival rate compared to those who did not have surgical intervention to treat their cancer. The study analyzed the survival rates of over 2,000 patients diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma between 2003 and 2014 and found that for those who underwent “radical” surgery, the survival period was up to five times longer than those who did not.
Examining the data, the study found that about half of the patients did not undergo any kind of surgery to treat their peritoneal mesothelioma cancer, and had an average survival rate of about seven months after diagnosis. On the other hand, those who underwent radical surgery, about 34% of those looked at, had an average survival rate of just over three years. Another group, which underwent a combination of surgery and chemotherapy, had an average survival rate of just under three and a half years.
According to the study, prior to the turn of the century, the average life expectancy of a patient diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma was less than a year. The study recommends that doctors suggest surgery to their newly diagnosed patients who are able to undergo such procedures, in order to extend their lives.
The type of surgery examined in the report is called cytoreductive surgery, and involves the surgeon inspecting each of the patient’s organs and removing any tumors found. Further, some doctors will also use chemotherapy treatments, injected directly into the body of the patient, in order to kill even more of the cancer cells.
Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for about one quarter of all mesothelioma cancer diagnoses across the globe. Unfortunately, because of the 20 to 50 year latency period between exposure to carcinogens and when a diagnosis is made, many patients do not know they have mesothelioma until their treatment options are severely diminished. When a diagnosis is eventually made, patients are often left with chemotherapy, as opposed to surgery, as a means to shrink tumors and prolong their lives.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer directly linked to exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral that was once commonly used in a variety of industrial and commercial applications. While the health effects of asbestos exposure were known to many companies for decades, these companies put their profits ahead of the workers they hired to work with the carcinogen and provided no warnings to these innocent victims.
Nationwide Mesothelioma Lawyer
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact our office to speak to one of our experienced mesothelioma attorneys about your situation. Our office can help investigate your case and determine if compensation can be sought from negligent parties to help you and your family live a more comfortable life.