Mesothelioma Statistics
Mesothelioma is fairly rare. There are an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 new cases
per year of mesothelioma in the United States, but this figure appears to be
increasing.
The average age at diagnosis is 50 to 70 years old. The disease affects
men 3 to 5 times more often than women. Mesothelioma is less common in
African Americans than in white Americans.
Mesothelioma is a serious disease. By the time the symptoms appear and
cancer is diagnosed, the disease is often advanced. The average survival
time is about one year. However, if the cancer is found early and treated
aggressively, almost half of the patients whose cancer is found early
reach the two-year mark, and about 20% survive five years.
The 5-year survival rate refers to the percent of patients who live at
least 5 years after their cancer is diagnosed. Many of these patients
live much longer than 5 years after diagnosis, and 5-year rates are used
to produce a standard way of discussing prognosis. Five-year relative
survival rates exclude from the calculations patients dying of other diseases,
and are considered to be a more accurate way to describe the prognosis
for patients with a particular type and stage of cancer. Of course, 5-year
survival rates are based on patients diagnosed and initially treated more
than 5 years ago. Improvements in treatment often result in a more favorable
outlook for recently diagnosed patients.
For more information about Mesothelioma Statistics
, please contact us directly.
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