Mesothelioma Research

Researchers periodically conduct studies to determine whether the incidence, prognosis and clinical characteristic of mesothelioma are changing. Recently, a team of Iranian scientists did just that, comparing 40 cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

The results indicate that the disease, which occurs following asbestos exposure, is still as virulent as ever.

In the Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, researchers reported that the mesothelioma patients in question had an average age of 55. This is in line with American statistics, which indicate that the typical latency period following exposure to asbestos is nearly five decades, putting many patients in their 50s and 60s.

American men are about four times more likely to be diagnosed with the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. The Iranian study upheld this trend, finding an even more severe disparity. The authors noted that for every woman with mesothelioma, 13 men were diagnosed with the condition.

As always, the patients' survival time was discouraging. Following disease detection, participants lived just 10.5 months on average. In the U.S., patients with MPM don't fare much better, surviving an average of 16 months, according to the National Cancer Institute.