Mesothelioma Statistics
Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer that is caused primarily by asbestos exposure.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is important to educate yourself by obtaining the most up-to-date asbestos information and mesothelioma statistics that are available. Having all the mesothelioma information you need may make it easier to face this life-threatening illness head on.
A good way to start is by taking a look at some mesothelioma statistics.
Based on mesothelioma statistics gathered by the American Cancer Society, mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects 2,000-3,000 Americans annually. In comparison, there were more than 106,000 new colon cancer cases reported in the United States in 2009.
A review of mesothelioma statistics reveals that approximately three-quarters of all new cases diagnosed are pleural mesothelioma. About 5 percent of all cases metastasize outside the initial diagnosis area. The average mesothelioma prognosis has a survival time of about one year, but can range anywhere from 6 to 18 months.
Mesothelioma statistics show that this cancer typically takes 25 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos to develop in the body. As a result of this long latency period, 75 percent of people with mesothelioma are over the age of 65.
Mesothelioma Statistics: Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure in the Workplace
The link between mesothelioma and asbestos has been extensively researched and documented in mesothelioma statistics taken throughout the last century. It is estimated that 27 million Americans had significant occupational exposure to asbestos between 1940 and 1980. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Furthermore, mesothelioma research has shown that men remain 3 to 5 times more likely than women to develop mesothelioma. These one-sided mesothelioma statistics are due partly to the fact that many male mesothelioma victims once worked in industrial occupations where asbestos was used and were thus exposed to more asbestos on a regular basis than women for much of the century.
Mesothelioma Statistics: Treatment
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2009 by researchers at New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center found that patients who underwent trimodality therapy in which surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation were used to treat their mesothelioma were able to survive the disease for a prolonged time period.
The mesothelioma statistics gathered during the study found that these patients had a median survival time of 29.1 months, while 61.2 percent of patients lived for more than two years. Patients who only had one or two of the treatment types had a median survival time of only 17 months.
Mesothelioma Statistics: Getting Legal Help
If you have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and believe the exposure took place at work, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact a mesothelioma attorney at Sokolove Law today to understand your potential legal options and to learn more mesothelioma facts.
Related Topics: Mesothelioma Facts