A new report is showing that the number of malignant mesothelioma cases is expected to rise through 2025. Pleural mesothelioma will grow the most, as it accounts for 70% of all mesothelioma cases, while malignant peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for 15-20% of cases.
With the number of mesothelioma cancer cases increasing, the amount of treatment will grow as well. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy will increase with the malignant mesothelioma category. More specifically, the number of surgeries such as pneumonectomy, debulking, and omentectomy are expected to increase. With surgery, patients are expected to increase their average life expectancies significantly.
Radiation through chemotherapy helps shrink tumor size, and a number of companies are researching and developing therapeutic techniques to improve radiation treatment for mesothelioma and other cancers. Other areas of research are focusing on new and experimental drugs, including immunotherapy drugs like durvalumab, tazematostat, tremelimumab, nintedanib, ADI-PEG 20, and HSV 1716.
With the increase in mesothelioma incidence rate – which itself may be tied to an increase in air pollution and age of the population – we are likely to see healthcare healthcare costs for mesothelioma with the growing amount of treatment. Advanced treatment options and novel therapies will also increase.
Internationally speaking, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa are the most common areas where malignant mesothelioma cases are developing. North America leads with the highest number of cases, followed by Europe. Asia Pacific is starting to see greater numbers of mesothelioma cases, with even more expected as the area continues to develop.
In the U.S., approximately 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. About 2,500 people die because of mesothelioma. Over 45,000 people have died of mesothelioma from 1999 – 2015.
From 1973-2013, the survival rate for mesothelioma remained steady with only about 7-9% of patients living five years or longer. The average age at diagnosis is 75 years old for males and 72 years old for females.
According to the study, the long latency period between onset and symptoms, lack of effective treatment, and low surveillance rate are major factors in mesothelioma survival rates. However, an increase in demand for advanced treatments, development of the healthcare infrastructure, and rising government expenditure are have allowed people to live longer after diagnosis.
