Mesothelioma is caused through contact with asbestos. If caught early, this is a treatable disease. Therefore, it’s important if you work with asbestos, to be screened for this disease on a regular basis. Here we’ll attempt to answer some of the common questions about mesothelioma.
Question: What exactly is mesothelioma?
Answer: Mesothelioma is an aggressive and usually fatal lung cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos.
Question: What is the survival rate for mesothelioma?
Answer: As the disease is not usually caught until it’s in its advanced state the disease is quite deadly. If the disease can be caught at an earlier stage the survival rate can be between 2 to 5 years.
Question: Who is at risk of getting mesothelioma?
Answer: Anyone who worked in the mining, processing or manufacturing of asbestos products.
Question: How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
Answer: There are several ways in which this disease can be diagnosed. The best methods are to have images taken through x- rays, CT scans and MRI scans. If an abnormality is found, a tumor for example, a biopsy will be performed to confirm the type and stage of the cancer cells.
Question: What are the statistics concerning mesothelioma?
Answer: The recorded cases of this disease are small, occurring in approximately 2 – 3,000 cases per year. It’s proven to affect men three times more often than women. It’s seen in older individuals, ages averaging from 50-70 years old.