Companies used to use asbestos in all sorts of products, often without putting the right protections in place. After medical science connected asbestos exposure to numerous serious medical conditions, fewer companies and industries relied on this one popular substance.
Rules about workplace asbestos exposure put a lot of burden on employers who expect their employees to handle this dangerous mineral substance. Unfortunately, many of the medical consequences from asbestos exposure take a long time to develop.
Mesothelioma, a cancer of the organ lining, is often associated with asbestos exposure. It sometimes doesn’t show up until decades after workplace asbestos exposure. How often is this aggressive cancer fatal?
The survival rate for mesothelioma is low
Doctors often express how dangerous a form of cancer is by discussing the five-year survival rate. This figure represents the percentage of patients with mesothelioma who are still alive five years after their diagnosis. The average five-year survival rate for all stages of mesothelioma is just 10%. Those with localized mesothelioma have the best odds, with a 17% survival rate five years after diagnosis.
Even with treatment, someone who develops asbestos-related mesothelioma will likely eventually die from that cancer. Those struggling with a recent mesothelioma diagnosis may want to pursue compensation not only to get the best medical care possible but to help their families after they die.
Many of the best care options, like immunotherapies, may not be available through health insurance. Patients may need financial resources to get care to extend their lives or improve their quality of life after their diagnosis. Taking action when you suffer an illness because of your work can protect your loved ones and help you access cutting-edge therapies.