Doctors have recognized the dangers of asbestos inhalation and the seriousness of the cancer mesothelioma for decades. Even centuries ago, in the times of the Holy Roman Empire, experts noted that those who worked in the asbestos mines died at an early age. This problem increased once the Industrial Revolution hit America and the use of asbestos became widespread, with factory workers, shipbuilders and many other tradesmen eventually succumbing to the effects of daily asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma has traditionally been one of the most difficult cancers to detect and treat. Scientists and researchers of today are trying harder than ever to come up with new ways to expand the life expectancy of a person stricken with mesothelioma. Because the plight of mesothelioma sufferers has been brought further into the public eye in the last decade or so, more dollars are now being spent on research with the hope of finding new drugs and novel treatments for this fatal cancer.
Although there is no definitive cure for mesothelioma, there drugs that can indeed lengthen the life span of a mesothelioma patient. However, a number of factors also help determine the life expectancy, including:
The best way for a mesothelioma patient to increase their life expectancy is by receiving the proper treatment as soon as possible. The oncologist in charge of the case will recommend the best options for treatment, which may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination of all three. Patients may also take advantage of clinical trials that test new drugs and treatments. Scientists continue to look for ways to diagnose the disease before it reaches its later stages. New discoveries, such as the Mesomark® Assay, a simple blood test that identifies a particular biomarker and the presence of mesothelioma before symptoms surface, show great promise in the fight against the cancer.