Mesothelioma is an aggressive type of cancer primarily caused by asbestos exposure. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, then you probably have a lot of questions about what the future holds. One of the biggest queries you have is most likely about life expectancy, what impacts survivability, and how to treat it.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released potentially disturbing new data regarding an increase in the number of fatal malignant mesothelioma cases among women. In a report that was released on May 13, 2022, the CDC states that the number of deaths due to mesothelioma in women “significantly increased” from 489 in 1999 to 614 in 2020.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly form of cancer. While patients suffering from this disease often face a grim prognosis, they must also make some tough choices regarding their treatment options. It’s sometimes difficult to weigh a treatment’s potential effectiveness against its likely impact on quality of life.
Two recent studies have provided additional insight into the value of taking a customized, preventative approach to mesothelioma treatments and how treatment choice may affect a patient’s quality of life.
A diagnosis of mesothelioma can completely turn your life upside down. Besides the impact on your health, you’ll also have to deal with financial repercussions ranging from a loss of income to extensive treatment costs.
When you think of asbestos-related illnesses and the people who are most at risk, steel mill workers may not be the first group to come to mind. After all, asbestos is not used at all in the actual steel-making process. Nevertheless, steel mills rely on heat, including furnaces and ovens, and are at risk for fires. For these reasons, asbestos was once used extensively throughout the mills.
