Exposure to asbestos may result in mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which may affect the lining of the abdomen, lungs, heart or testicles. The prognosis of mesothelioma depends on many factors, including which portion of the body is affected. The more you know about this disease, the better you will be able to make decisions about your treatment. As with any cancer, the earlier the disease is caught, the better the prognosis of mesothelioma.

The majority of mesothelioma cases involve the lining of the lungs and those who are suffering from pleural mesothelioma have the highest rate of survival. Peritoneal mesothelioma attacks the abdomen lining and is harder to treat than pleural mesothelioma. Those suffering from pericardial or testicular mesothelioma have a low survival rate as these conditions are very difficult to treat.

The overall health of the cancer patient plays a role in how long he or she will survive after receiving this diagnosis. If a patient is young and strong, he or she will likely last longer than an older patient, especially one with other health issues, such as diabetes or heart disease. When a patient has other health conditions to deal with, treatment options may be limited due to the risk of doing more harm than good. Non-smokers often survive longer than smokers also.

Cancer is normally classified into stages. Stage 1 is the least severe while stage 4 is the worst. Those with Stage 3 or Stage 4 cancer have a poorer prognosis of mesothelioma than those with Stage 1 or Stage 2 cancer. Once the cancer has moved beyond Stage 2, treatment options become more limited.

If the tumor has moved beyond one area of the body, the patient’s chances of a long life go down significantly. Females do tend to have a better prognosis of mesothelioma than males and the same is true of those below the age of 55. Your doctor will look at a number of factors to determine how long you may expect to live with mesothelioma.

Chest pain and shortness of breath are two signs that the cancer is in an advanced stage. Anyone exposed to asbestos should let their doctor know immediately. He or she can begin looking for signs or symptoms and do monitoring in an attempt to catch the disease at an early stage when the prognosis of mesothelioma is better.