If you were to sit around and research every severe disease, you might become depressed. The sheer magnitude of possible health scare diagnoses is enough to keep anyone up at night.
After people go in for blood work or annual physicals, one thing they don’t want a doctor to tell them is that they have cancer. No one wants that diagnosis, but some types of the disease are more life-threatening than others. One of the most aggressive types of cancer — one with a life expectancy post-diagnosis of as little as four months — is mesothelioma.
On the one hand, few people are diagnosed with this lethal form of cancer. On the other hand, a diagnosis almost certainly means a short life expectancy since there is no known cure. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that develops in the thin tissue layer covering the internal organs. There are four kinds, the most common of which is pleural mesothelioma.
While you may have never heard about mesothelioma, here are four things you should know.
1. Asbestos Exposure is the Most Common Cause of the Disease
Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure. The danger comes when people inhale asbestos fibers, and the fibers get lodged in their lungs and cause damage over time.
Asbestos products were banned in 1989, but tons of asbestos products were created before the ban. Anyone who worked in certain industries when asbestos products were widely used faces a higher risk of developing health complications like mesothelioma.
People who live in homes built before the ban must also be mindful of asbestos risks. Problems present themselves when materials containing asbestos, like insulation, siding, or tiles, are broken, so the asbestos fibers dislodge and get airborne. So, if there are possible asbestos risks, be extra careful when undertaking home renovations or hire a pro who can do it safely.
2. A Few Thousand Diagnoses Annually
One reason you may not have heard about mesothelioma before is the rarity factor. The most common kind of cancer is breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute reports that there could be 313,510 new breast cancer cases in the U.S. this year. Meanwhile, most estimates suggest fewer than 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are diagnosed annually.
While there are relatively few diagnoses, the post-diagnosis life expectancy for mesothelioma isn’t encouraging. People diagnosed with the cancer typically have a handful of months to live. There are cases where people live up to a decade after being diagnosed. But they’re the exception rather than the rule. It’s an aggressive disease for which there is no cure.
3. People in Certain Industries Face the Highest Risks
An estimated 27 million workers were exposed to asbestos on the job between 1940 and 1979. So, anyone who worked as an auto mechanic, bricklayer, military service person, carpenter, electrician, boilermaker, or other industry with asbestos exposure faces a higher risk of getting the especially deadly form of cancer.
4. Life Expectancy is Low
Unfortunately, the survival rate after a mesothelioma diagnosis is as short as four months, and few people with the disease live beyond 18 months. Just one in 10 patients reach the five-year mark. While the odds of a longer life expectancy go up the sooner the disease is diagnosed, the reality is that most diagnoses occur when the disease is at an advanced stage.
These are some things about mesothelioma to know about. While the odds of getting it are low, asbestos exposure can increase those odds. That’s why it’s essential for anyone who thinks they’ve been exposed to communicate their concerns to their doctors for a check-up.
