Malignant mesothelioma can afflict anybody who has been exposed to asbestos, but it is traditionally associated with male-dominated occupations that involved direct use or proximity to the deadly carcinogenic mineral. Researchers in the United Kingdom have concluded that this past association is hampering quick diagnosis of women and may have significant implications for their prognosis.
National Questionnaire Focuses on Gendered Experience with Mesothelioma
The mesothelioma study was conducted by mesothelioma clinical nurse specialists from the Division of Nursing and Midwifery at the School of Health Sciences of The University of Sheffield. Using a national questionnaire, the group recruited a total of 503 patients across England, Wales, and Scotland, 460 of whom had been diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma and the rest with other types of mesothelioma.
The goal of the study was to get a clearer picture of differences in mesothelioma patients’ experience based on their gender. Each patient was asked about their experience of the diagnostic process, including about whether the information they had been provided about their illness was clear; about their perception of their clinician’s knowledge; about the level of support that they had been given from their physician; and about their overall satisfaction with the treatment they’d received.
Wide Gender Gap in Time from Symptom to Diagnosis of Mesothelioma
The mesothelioma study points to significant lapses in the way that women in the United Kingdom are managed when presenting with symptoms for diagnosis. The group found that while the median time between symptom and identification of the condition for men was 92 days, for women the process took a median of 152 days, representing a full two months of difference. That delay in diagnosis translates directly to a delay in treatment.
Though clinicians point to a lack of a verified source of exposure to asbestos as the reason for slow diagnosis, the substantial difference and its potential impact on prognosis points to a need for better diagnostic processes.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or if you have a known exposure to asbestos, it is essential that you get top-of-the-line medical care as quickly as possible. For access to the resources you need, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at t 1-800-692-8608.
