Property management, as the name suggests, is meant to deal with the proper management services and scrutiny of various properties. Property management is a particular discipline of defining and achieving targets in matters of properties. At the same time, its primary purpose is to optimize the utilization of resources such as energy, space, time, people, technology and many others.
To track the income and expenditures related to the holdings and rental properties, rental property management software solutions are ideal. Apart from this tracking of cash flows from the rentals, these software solutions facilitate the completion of the IRS Schedule E, come tax time. Most rental property management software is armored to do these basic rental property maintenance functions in a simple and clean way, providing a sturdy interface to support those tasks admirably. The software is also equipped to do documentation of expenses in a similar process.
A few benefits of the software are: automatic creation of the standardized supporting documents and analysis; time-saving to great extent in negotiating and approving leases; and helping the company with updated information on all ongoing lease negotiations
Some of the notable features of the software include sorting all kinds of deals by the virtue of status, leasing agent, property, unit or tenant. Most of the high quality and user-friendly software supports standard formats in MS Word and Excel. The supporting documents that are very important in matters of rental properties can be created and supported by the rental software. They are: lease agreement, construction estimate, and construction drawing.
Friday 18 March 2011
Need a Good Option for Online Property Management Software?
Software is being developed day by day. Online property management software is good option to use for those people who are involve with the business of managing property. People who are new in this field can easily take care of their property with the help of online property management software. It is also very effective in the business of renting. With the help of this software one can handle rented properties in a better manner and handle rents and tenants etc. First of all one should be clear about his need and requirement if one wants to buy online property management software. The best thing in this software is that installation is not required. User has to just set an account and for its usage fixed monthly fees has to be paid.
The basic requirement of this software is internet connection. We can take care of maintaining financial reports, accounting and tracking online orders of repairing etc. Placing maintenance request, giving feedback, other kind things such as one can make payment of their rent electronically by developing the portal for the tenant. By this the cash flow will definitely increase. It will become convenient for us and as well as for the tenant. If one owns more than one property as well as in different locations then also it will be very easy to manage it. We can devote our time in other thing because it saves lot of time.
The person who has just entered in this field might not know about management of financial document, preparation of tax statement and all the required accounts etc. To avoid such situation we should experience a firm control over our collection of rented properties, maintenance issues etc. The property management software comes handy in this manner. To customize our need and depending for the purpose for which we require the software, it makes so much easy for input off data. Through phone calls it will be a bit difficult to manage and handle if you have multiple properties at multiple locations. We can also find new tenants through advertising in the software as well as we can manage present tenants. We can also analyze all the information which is stored in the website because to gather the information is very easy because of this software.
Portfolios of the property can also be created. We can increase the chance of renting or selling by uploading the images. Images attracts more than any other things. To any extent one can upload the information along with the image. It becomes easy for tenants, other prospective clients etc. to gather information regarding your property like various, details of the property, payment method and kind, terms and conditions etc. becomes easy by managing all the information. One can apply online after being satisfied with all the details of property. Centralization of information relating to property can be done for the details related to agreements of lease, the lease duration, information regarding rent etc. with the help of online property management software. With the help of this software everything will be in our finger tips. Even one can track the income and expenses when it comes to maintenance.
The basic requirement of this software is internet connection. We can take care of maintaining financial reports, accounting and tracking online orders of repairing etc. Placing maintenance request, giving feedback, other kind things such as one can make payment of their rent electronically by developing the portal for the tenant. By this the cash flow will definitely increase. It will become convenient for us and as well as for the tenant. If one owns more than one property as well as in different locations then also it will be very easy to manage it. We can devote our time in other thing because it saves lot of time.
The person who has just entered in this field might not know about management of financial document, preparation of tax statement and all the required accounts etc. To avoid such situation we should experience a firm control over our collection of rented properties, maintenance issues etc. The property management software comes handy in this manner. To customize our need and depending for the purpose for which we require the software, it makes so much easy for input off data. Through phone calls it will be a bit difficult to manage and handle if you have multiple properties at multiple locations. We can also find new tenants through advertising in the software as well as we can manage present tenants. We can also analyze all the information which is stored in the website because to gather the information is very easy because of this software.
Portfolios of the property can also be created. We can increase the chance of renting or selling by uploading the images. Images attracts more than any other things. To any extent one can upload the information along with the image. It becomes easy for tenants, other prospective clients etc. to gather information regarding your property like various, details of the property, payment method and kind, terms and conditions etc. becomes easy by managing all the information. One can apply online after being satisfied with all the details of property. Centralization of information relating to property can be done for the details related to agreements of lease, the lease duration, information regarding rent etc. with the help of online property management software. With the help of this software everything will be in our finger tips. Even one can track the income and expenses when it comes to maintenance.
Easy Tenancy Management With Lease Management Software
One aspect that is often ignored by professional landlords who are new to the business is the necessity of lease management software to help them manage their business. Landlords managing a property portfolio usually overlook this factor leading to leading to error, which can prove difficult to manage. They would have spent a lot of time and money in building the portfolio. However lease managing software will help them from saving both, time and money.
For a professional landlord with a decent sized portfolio it becomes impossible over time to manage things without the help of this management software. This is true even for the most experienced landlord in the business. These professionals make a living by putting the right tenant in the properties they have. Properties that are well maintained will increase in value over a period of time. During the course the landlord will be kept away from mundane things such as maintenance, collection of rents on time and keeping their own bank account in a healthy condition. By investing a little money in lease managing software, they would have put to rest any prospects of leaving things unattended.
Tenants rent properties hoping that they would be able to meet all the requirements that had been set in the tenancy contract. However it must not be forgotten that they too can fall on bad times. Landlords that are not aware about such situations will soon be aware of it with the help of lease management software. This software has the knack of keeping track of any payments that are due and will issue reminders to the landlord about the situation. They will then be able to letters to the tenant asking them to update their accounts.
Is keeping track of rent due the only objective of lease managing software? No it is not. Lease managing software is designed with the objective of keeping track of all aspects related to the well being of the landlords business. The software has advanced to a stage where landlords can get details of any maintenance jobs that may be pending on their properties. They will be able to generate invoices, statement of accounts and even screen potential tenants before they are accepted as clients.
In these days when time and money are the most important factors when running a business, it can be said that a professional landlord cannot afford to ignore the benefits they will derive from lease management software.
For a professional landlord with a decent sized portfolio it becomes impossible over time to manage things without the help of this management software. This is true even for the most experienced landlord in the business. These professionals make a living by putting the right tenant in the properties they have. Properties that are well maintained will increase in value over a period of time. During the course the landlord will be kept away from mundane things such as maintenance, collection of rents on time and keeping their own bank account in a healthy condition. By investing a little money in lease managing software, they would have put to rest any prospects of leaving things unattended.
Tenants rent properties hoping that they would be able to meet all the requirements that had been set in the tenancy contract. However it must not be forgotten that they too can fall on bad times. Landlords that are not aware about such situations will soon be aware of it with the help of lease management software. This software has the knack of keeping track of any payments that are due and will issue reminders to the landlord about the situation. They will then be able to letters to the tenant asking them to update their accounts.
Is keeping track of rent due the only objective of lease managing software? No it is not. Lease managing software is designed with the objective of keeping track of all aspects related to the well being of the landlords business. The software has advanced to a stage where landlords can get details of any maintenance jobs that may be pending on their properties. They will be able to generate invoices, statement of accounts and even screen potential tenants before they are accepted as clients.
In these days when time and money are the most important factors when running a business, it can be said that a professional landlord cannot afford to ignore the benefits they will derive from lease management software.
Selecting the Right Rental Property Management Software
Technological advancements seem to have eased out almost every aspect of human life, whether it is about finding right jobs or choosing a right career. Another such area where technological progress has been remarkably valuable is property management. Properties include houses, apartments, shopping centers, buildings and huge complexes that can be given on rent or lease for residential or commercial utility. Managing a rental property in an effective and efficient manner can be otherwise a daunting unless one takes the assistance of reliable rental property management software.
At present, there are numerous rental property management software available in the market. To pick the right one, one needs to understand whether the software suffices one's needs and requirements. In addition, the software should be flexible, easy to install and convenient to use. Mentioned below are some tips that can help you select good rental property management software.
Suit your needs - Good management software is one that responds to customer needs, whenever required. Another issue related with property software is upgraded. With companies developing windows-based software, upgrade can be a really problematic and expensive. The reason is these companies upgrade the software once in a while. Every time the software has to be upgraded, the user needs to buy the upgrades from the developer's site, download them, and have to go through an intricate upgrade process. In this regard, web-integrated third generation software can be a perfect choice as the consumer does not require handling any software upgrades. The entire upgrade is done by the developer. Whenever the user signs in, he is ready to use the upgraded version. Secondly, one would not have the fear of losing sensitive data when using web-based software programs.
Features - There are certain features that are absolutely required in every property management software. These include a complete accounting package that can support any type of accounting method and can generate reports anytime and in any form, facility for sending auto-reminders to tenants about aspects such as late payments and lease expiry notices, and ample data storage space. The software should also provide an uncomplicated and faster data management system that can ease out the problems experienced during data generation, data handling, and data search. It would be an additional benefit if your software can generate auto-forms, letters and can even print checks.
Security - Security is in arguably one critical aspect that must given due importance, particularly when looking for web-based rental management software. Always choose one that uses an SSL encryption for data transfer and data storage. Moreover, in good online rental property software, data is stored on a secure server present at a distant location.
Inexpensive - By and large, you need to either pay a subscription fee or purchase the rental property management software. Hence, always check for a company that does not require you to have a long term commitment or a single annual payment.
Customer support - In most cases, consumers using rental management software are not software professionals. In addition, these are complex software developed using advanced concepts. Hence, always look for a company that provides customer support and technical assistance whenever required
At present, there are numerous rental property management software available in the market. To pick the right one, one needs to understand whether the software suffices one's needs and requirements. In addition, the software should be flexible, easy to install and convenient to use. Mentioned below are some tips that can help you select good rental property management software.
Suit your needs - Good management software is one that responds to customer needs, whenever required. Another issue related with property software is upgraded. With companies developing windows-based software, upgrade can be a really problematic and expensive. The reason is these companies upgrade the software once in a while. Every time the software has to be upgraded, the user needs to buy the upgrades from the developer's site, download them, and have to go through an intricate upgrade process. In this regard, web-integrated third generation software can be a perfect choice as the consumer does not require handling any software upgrades. The entire upgrade is done by the developer. Whenever the user signs in, he is ready to use the upgraded version. Secondly, one would not have the fear of losing sensitive data when using web-based software programs.
Features - There are certain features that are absolutely required in every property management software. These include a complete accounting package that can support any type of accounting method and can generate reports anytime and in any form, facility for sending auto-reminders to tenants about aspects such as late payments and lease expiry notices, and ample data storage space. The software should also provide an uncomplicated and faster data management system that can ease out the problems experienced during data generation, data handling, and data search. It would be an additional benefit if your software can generate auto-forms, letters and can even print checks.
Security - Security is in arguably one critical aspect that must given due importance, particularly when looking for web-based rental management software. Always choose one that uses an SSL encryption for data transfer and data storage. Moreover, in good online rental property software, data is stored on a secure server present at a distant location.
Inexpensive - By and large, you need to either pay a subscription fee or purchase the rental property management software. Hence, always check for a company that does not require you to have a long term commitment or a single annual payment.
Customer support - In most cases, consumers using rental management software are not software professionals. In addition, these are complex software developed using advanced concepts. Hence, always look for a company that provides customer support and technical assistance whenever required
Using Property Management Software
Working in the field of property management is diverse. There is a number of important staff workers required here. Managers, secretaries, handy workers, construction workers are just a few of these employees. Properties that are managed well use resources that are very effective. Property management software products are effective in this process. They provide managers with assistance when it comes to maintaining the property.
There are retirement properties, low-income properties, and typical apartment complexes. All of these locations run through the help of good management. Property management software shows managers how to be more productive in their responsibilities. These software products are designed with components that are beneficial.
They work to provide tutorials and other resources to property managers. Unit Connect offers managers property software.Here are some of the benefits of using software for property management:
Unit Connect makes business accessible
One of the detriments to managing a property is paperwork. These properties are essentially businesses and require a lot of notation. Managers can easily spend the majority of there time with documents. Management software for properties from Unit Connect makes business accessible through the internet. Managers no longer have to struggle with mounds of paperwork. All tasks related to properties can be maintained through software offerings.
Commercial or Residential
There are many different types of properties that require managers. Managers work for commercial and residential properties. Some of the responsibilities related to these properties are similar. Managers maintain relationships with lease holders. They also monitor lease payments and property debtors. Management software makes this work easier to perform. Software assists with managing buildings and units hassle-free. You will also have security measures with this software. This makes storing sensitive information efficient and safe.
Administration help for leases
Monitoring and maintaining leases requires administration skills on behalf of management and staff of properties. There is a lot of work that goes into these tasks. Unit Connect provides software that assists managers with administration. Through simple techniques it is possible to store information about leases. You can provide standard policies for all lease holders.
There are retirement properties, low-income properties, and typical apartment complexes. All of these locations run through the help of good management. Property management software shows managers how to be more productive in their responsibilities. These software products are designed with components that are beneficial.
They work to provide tutorials and other resources to property managers. Unit Connect offers managers property software.Here are some of the benefits of using software for property management:
Unit Connect makes business accessible
One of the detriments to managing a property is paperwork. These properties are essentially businesses and require a lot of notation. Managers can easily spend the majority of there time with documents. Management software for properties from Unit Connect makes business accessible through the internet. Managers no longer have to struggle with mounds of paperwork. All tasks related to properties can be maintained through software offerings.
Commercial or Residential
There are many different types of properties that require managers. Managers work for commercial and residential properties. Some of the responsibilities related to these properties are similar. Managers maintain relationships with lease holders. They also monitor lease payments and property debtors. Management software makes this work easier to perform. Software assists with managing buildings and units hassle-free. You will also have security measures with this software. This makes storing sensitive information efficient and safe.
Administration help for leases
Monitoring and maintaining leases requires administration skills on behalf of management and staff of properties. There is a lot of work that goes into these tasks. Unit Connect provides software that assists managers with administration. Through simple techniques it is possible to store information about leases. You can provide standard policies for all lease holders.
Web Based Property Management Software
Around the country there are many commercial and residential properties. Commercial properties include shopping centers, storage centers, and various others. Apartment complexes, retirement communities, and other rental properties are in this category. All of these properties require managers to function successfully. Web based property management software are great tools for managers.
Managers of these properties work to supervise staff. They also perform other tasks related to the running of properties. Commercial and residential properties operate like other businesses. They earn money for property owners, as well as, pay bills to debtors. Property management software makes this process much easier.
There are a number of different software products in this category. Not all of these are designed in the same way. Unit Connect provides property managers with valuable resources. The software here allows managers to use the internet in their responsibilities. The details of this software make managing more organized and secure. Here are some of the benefits to using this management software:
Keeping track of lease holders
One of the important tasks of property managers is to keep track of their lease holders. These are individuals who are leasing either residential or commercial units. There are various documents related to this process. Software products allow managers to keep track of this information without physical paperwork. The software acts as a storage system for lease holder documents and contracts.
Maintaining sensitive information
Some of the information that lease holders provide to property managers is sensitive. This information must be handled safely. Traditional management styles simply use filing systems to keep this information. Unit Connect offers software that makes storing sensitive information easy. This information can include bank account numbers, social security numbers, and various other items related to the lease holder.
Online tools for managing
Online tools provided by management software takes this process into the future. It provides technology that assists managers in their responsibilities. They are able to perform such tasks as monitoring the activities of the property. Having access to financials and other information quickly is a benefit. No more searching for paperwork will be necessary.
Paying property bills
Although properties are used by owners to make money, they also have to pay money out. Salaries, construction work, vendors and others must be paid monthly. Managers need software that makes this process simple and quick. Unit Connect offers this through their products.
Managers of these properties work to supervise staff. They also perform other tasks related to the running of properties. Commercial and residential properties operate like other businesses. They earn money for property owners, as well as, pay bills to debtors. Property management software makes this process much easier.
There are a number of different software products in this category. Not all of these are designed in the same way. Unit Connect provides property managers with valuable resources. The software here allows managers to use the internet in their responsibilities. The details of this software make managing more organized and secure. Here are some of the benefits to using this management software:
Keeping track of lease holders
One of the important tasks of property managers is to keep track of their lease holders. These are individuals who are leasing either residential or commercial units. There are various documents related to this process. Software products allow managers to keep track of this information without physical paperwork. The software acts as a storage system for lease holder documents and contracts.
Maintaining sensitive information
Some of the information that lease holders provide to property managers is sensitive. This information must be handled safely. Traditional management styles simply use filing systems to keep this information. Unit Connect offers software that makes storing sensitive information easy. This information can include bank account numbers, social security numbers, and various other items related to the lease holder.
Online tools for managing
Online tools provided by management software takes this process into the future. It provides technology that assists managers in their responsibilities. They are able to perform such tasks as monitoring the activities of the property. Having access to financials and other information quickly is a benefit. No more searching for paperwork will be necessary.
Paying property bills
Although properties are used by owners to make money, they also have to pay money out. Salaries, construction work, vendors and others must be paid monthly. Managers need software that makes this process simple and quick. Unit Connect offers this through their products.
Property Management Software - Then and Now
Within the past decade, the property management industry has leveraged technology to improve processes, streamline workflows and gain better control of all aspects of property management. This has been achieved mainly through the introduction and evolution of technology, primarily built around property management software.
The first systems in the industry were mixes of DOS-based accounting and rent-roll systems that often proved inflexible and difficult to learn and use. These systems were also limited in their ability to import and export data and were laden with compatibility issues. Stricter reporting demands from investors have made broad compatibility and ease of access to data a necessity.
Next in the evolutionary chain of property management software was the transition to Windows-based software. This allowed for increased functionality, greater ease of use, and simpler deployment. The Windows platform also allowed developers to customize their applications for end users to a degree impractical on the DOS platform.
These Windows-based applications grew to include diverse components or modules covering all aspects of property management: accounting, marketing, lease management, payment and collections, financial management, maintenance management, financial modeling, and communications.
The advent of the Internet and its explosive growth as a pervasive communications and e-commerce medium has lead to the migration of property management software to the Web, with the latest software developed on the Application Service Provider (ASP) platform. Essentially, this means applications are hosted on the service provider's, or developers, servers and accessed over the Internet through the users' web browsers.
Web-based applications and ASPs together offer a number of advantages over traditional platforms. The software is easier to learn and use and significantly easier to manage and maintain. Web-based applications and ASPs together create a web-based solution as a service for rental property managers and owners and reduce the financial impact of technology.
Many of the first web-based property management systems to appear on the market were applications ported from older platforms to the web. Finally, software companies developed property management software for the web built from the ground up. These systems run solely on the web and are accessed through a browser (Software as a Service).
Prior to the emergence of Software as a Service, small to medium-sized owners and managers were locked out of the benefits of high-end property management software due to cost and complexity. Software as a Service levels the playing field for property managers and owners giving them a competitive edge that allows greater control over their properties, access to real-time data, ability to respond more quickly to market changes, and, perhaps most importantly, gives them the most complete and current status of their property available.
The first systems in the industry were mixes of DOS-based accounting and rent-roll systems that often proved inflexible and difficult to learn and use. These systems were also limited in their ability to import and export data and were laden with compatibility issues. Stricter reporting demands from investors have made broad compatibility and ease of access to data a necessity.
Next in the evolutionary chain of property management software was the transition to Windows-based software. This allowed for increased functionality, greater ease of use, and simpler deployment. The Windows platform also allowed developers to customize their applications for end users to a degree impractical on the DOS platform.
These Windows-based applications grew to include diverse components or modules covering all aspects of property management: accounting, marketing, lease management, payment and collections, financial management, maintenance management, financial modeling, and communications.
The advent of the Internet and its explosive growth as a pervasive communications and e-commerce medium has lead to the migration of property management software to the Web, with the latest software developed on the Application Service Provider (ASP) platform. Essentially, this means applications are hosted on the service provider's, or developers, servers and accessed over the Internet through the users' web browsers.
Web-based applications and ASPs together offer a number of advantages over traditional platforms. The software is easier to learn and use and significantly easier to manage and maintain. Web-based applications and ASPs together create a web-based solution as a service for rental property managers and owners and reduce the financial impact of technology.
Many of the first web-based property management systems to appear on the market were applications ported from older platforms to the web. Finally, software companies developed property management software for the web built from the ground up. These systems run solely on the web and are accessed through a browser (Software as a Service).
Prior to the emergence of Software as a Service, small to medium-sized owners and managers were locked out of the benefits of high-end property management software due to cost and complexity. Software as a Service levels the playing field for property managers and owners giving them a competitive edge that allows greater control over their properties, access to real-time data, ability to respond more quickly to market changes, and, perhaps most importantly, gives them the most complete and current status of their property available.
Top 10 Benefits of Using Online Property Management Software for Rental Property
Online property management software is more than useful for the landlords with multiple rental properties. Software provides myriad advantages to its user. To mention a few are ease of use, proper management of properties, management of all financial transactions with 100% accuracy, ease to access any information in actual time from any location using internet.
The property management software in conjunction with internet manages all you property through you website. Tenants can individually apply for your rental properties, request you for maintenance and pay the rent online with security. Moreover they can discuss anything at any time.
The feature to generate reports about individual property units and to compare different property units allows you to make a better strategy about individual property units. Landlord Software is not only 100 % accurate but it also saves time and money for you. Hence it increases the overall efficiency.
The 10 topmost benefits of using online property management software are:
• Information about Property: Using landlord software you can organize information about your property units with finer details regardless of size of property. You can upload images and videos which can be seen by interested people on your website.
• Information about Vacancy: Interested people can find out vacant rental properties on you website and can apply online after going through terms and conditions, payment conditions and any other agreements.
• Lease Management: The landlord can access information about any property unit at any point of time being online. He can manage all the records related to property lease. He can share information with his team members.
• Online Rental Payment: Tenants can pay rentals online. The software will automatically calculate any extra fee such as late fee. And it keeps track of all payment transactions for accuracy and to avoid any controversy.
• Maintenance: You can keep track of all maintenance requirements and expenditures. You can assign the maintenance task to any team a can authorize them to access information regarding property maintenance.
• Maintenance on Tenants Request: Tenants can request the landlord for maintenance of the property. Since tenants are actual users they know the maintenance requirements better then others.
• Centralized Lease Agreements: All the documents related to lease are centralized and online. Property management software informs the landlord and tenant about the date of completion of lease.
• Tracking of Income and Expenses: Property management software will track all the money which comes in the form of rent and all the expenses in any form. All the records can be accessed in future.
• Generating Reports: Landlords can generate specific reports in order to perform research about any particular property unit. It can track depth history about the property can take better decision about it.
• Work in Team: Property management software improves the cooperation among team members. They can communicate with each other, with the landlord and with tenant easily. They can assign task and can manage to complete within time limits.
All these benefit makes the landlord and his team stress free. They can devote themselves to their business and can make most out of it.
The property management software in conjunction with internet manages all you property through you website. Tenants can individually apply for your rental properties, request you for maintenance and pay the rent online with security. Moreover they can discuss anything at any time.
The feature to generate reports about individual property units and to compare different property units allows you to make a better strategy about individual property units. Landlord Software is not only 100 % accurate but it also saves time and money for you. Hence it increases the overall efficiency.
The 10 topmost benefits of using online property management software are:
• Information about Property: Using landlord software you can organize information about your property units with finer details regardless of size of property. You can upload images and videos which can be seen by interested people on your website.
• Information about Vacancy: Interested people can find out vacant rental properties on you website and can apply online after going through terms and conditions, payment conditions and any other agreements.
• Lease Management: The landlord can access information about any property unit at any point of time being online. He can manage all the records related to property lease. He can share information with his team members.
• Online Rental Payment: Tenants can pay rentals online. The software will automatically calculate any extra fee such as late fee. And it keeps track of all payment transactions for accuracy and to avoid any controversy.
• Maintenance: You can keep track of all maintenance requirements and expenditures. You can assign the maintenance task to any team a can authorize them to access information regarding property maintenance.
• Maintenance on Tenants Request: Tenants can request the landlord for maintenance of the property. Since tenants are actual users they know the maintenance requirements better then others.
• Centralized Lease Agreements: All the documents related to lease are centralized and online. Property management software informs the landlord and tenant about the date of completion of lease.
• Tracking of Income and Expenses: Property management software will track all the money which comes in the form of rent and all the expenses in any form. All the records can be accessed in future.
• Generating Reports: Landlords can generate specific reports in order to perform research about any particular property unit. It can track depth history about the property can take better decision about it.
• Work in Team: Property management software improves the cooperation among team members. They can communicate with each other, with the landlord and with tenant easily. They can assign task and can manage to complete within time limits.
All these benefit makes the landlord and his team stress free. They can devote themselves to their business and can make most out of it.
How to Evaluate Land Management Software
Petroleum exploration is a competitive business and every company looks for advantages over their competitors. Having a strong land management software system during the lease acquisition phase allows an oil and gas exploration company or lease broker to stay organized and move quickly. In this article we'll talk about a few core features you should look at carefully.
First, there are two types of land management software: lease administration software and lease acquisition software. Land management products that focus on lease acquisition differ from lease administration packages in a few key ways. Lease acquisition packages are more concerned with pre-lease activities (i.e. getting the leases signed), whereas lease administration packages focus more on the division order and maintaining the leases after they are acquired. Our discussion will focus on the latter, lease acquisition software.
Three key features to evaluate in the software are:
Communication Features
Pre-lease Workflow
Lease Status Tracking
Land management software that tracks and presents communication in a meaningful way is hard to come by. In the past, software user interfaces were designed and built by software engineers who put most of their thought into the back-end system design with little thought for workflow, user interaction, and aesthetics. However, these factors play a key role in obtaining end-user buy-in, and if a key component of the software is communication, you have to get the end-user to actually input their communcations with lessors into the system.
Newer land management software systems place a greater emphasis on the end user experience. They present lease, tract, and lessor communications in a way that a project manager can quickly scan and see what their leasing agents and title landmen are working on. This allows them to act quickly when either an opportunity or disaster is looming.
A key element of a successful leasing operation is a well-defined workflow. When a company is leasing hundreds of thousands or millions of acres, each person in the leasing process has to know their role. From the lease buyers, the landman running title, lease analysts, and general administrative staff, each person must know what they are responsible for.
A good land management system allows the company to configure the workflow to their needs because most companies have a unique workflow. The software needs to provide the security capabilities to limit each user's view to what they need to see and allows users to assign tasks (or auto-assigns tasks) to other users.
Another key workflow feature is document generation and storage. During the lease acquisition phase, the amount of documents generated can be massive. Lease Offer-letters, counter-offers, lease ratifications, lease amendments, lease memorandums, mineral ownership reports, lease purchase reports, and many other documents and reports must be generated. Generating these documents based on the data in the database and storing these documents can save huge amounts of time.
Reports and maps play a critical role in lease status tracking. Real-time leasehold maps and lease schedule reports allow a broker or in-house landman to quickly assess the company position and make decisions based upon that information. Modern land management software typically has real-time GIS systems built in, and very often those GIS maps are available via the web.
The state of oil and gas land management software has improved greatly in the last several years. Many of the packages offered today are web-based with strong GIS offerings and meet the outlined criteria above to varying degrees. Most of these systems tend to outshine the aging "grey" screen software that is available.
First, there are two types of land management software: lease administration software and lease acquisition software. Land management products that focus on lease acquisition differ from lease administration packages in a few key ways. Lease acquisition packages are more concerned with pre-lease activities (i.e. getting the leases signed), whereas lease administration packages focus more on the division order and maintaining the leases after they are acquired. Our discussion will focus on the latter, lease acquisition software.
Three key features to evaluate in the software are:
Communication Features
Pre-lease Workflow
Lease Status Tracking
Land management software that tracks and presents communication in a meaningful way is hard to come by. In the past, software user interfaces were designed and built by software engineers who put most of their thought into the back-end system design with little thought for workflow, user interaction, and aesthetics. However, these factors play a key role in obtaining end-user buy-in, and if a key component of the software is communication, you have to get the end-user to actually input their communcations with lessors into the system.
Newer land management software systems place a greater emphasis on the end user experience. They present lease, tract, and lessor communications in a way that a project manager can quickly scan and see what their leasing agents and title landmen are working on. This allows them to act quickly when either an opportunity or disaster is looming.
A key element of a successful leasing operation is a well-defined workflow. When a company is leasing hundreds of thousands or millions of acres, each person in the leasing process has to know their role. From the lease buyers, the landman running title, lease analysts, and general administrative staff, each person must know what they are responsible for.
A good land management system allows the company to configure the workflow to their needs because most companies have a unique workflow. The software needs to provide the security capabilities to limit each user's view to what they need to see and allows users to assign tasks (or auto-assigns tasks) to other users.
Another key workflow feature is document generation and storage. During the lease acquisition phase, the amount of documents generated can be massive. Lease Offer-letters, counter-offers, lease ratifications, lease amendments, lease memorandums, mineral ownership reports, lease purchase reports, and many other documents and reports must be generated. Generating these documents based on the data in the database and storing these documents can save huge amounts of time.
Reports and maps play a critical role in lease status tracking. Real-time leasehold maps and lease schedule reports allow a broker or in-house landman to quickly assess the company position and make decisions based upon that information. Modern land management software typically has real-time GIS systems built in, and very often those GIS maps are available via the web.
The state of oil and gas land management software has improved greatly in the last several years. Many of the packages offered today are web-based with strong GIS offerings and meet the outlined criteria above to varying degrees. Most of these systems tend to outshine the aging "grey" screen software that is available.
Property Management Software - Protect Your Rental Property
As your rental property business grows, so does the need for a property management software system. Historically it has been the desire for more in-depth financial information that drives a property manager or landlord to abandon simple accounting software for property management software.
Today it is more important than ever for all property managers to use the same type of web based property management software as the larger asset management companies. There is more pressure to find reliable, rent paying tenants, with the possibility of an increased need for tenant debt collections, and the ever-looming threat of tenant landlord litigation.
Even with the best market outlook, the need to screen your prospective tenants is the top priority. Today's online tenant credit screening services allow you to access credit and criminal background information in minutes. With an integrated system, tenant screening information is automatically downloaded into your residential property management database. Later, you can review tenant payment history and property maintenance history and make smart decisions about lease management.
Providing tenants with online rent payment options, such as ACH or credit cards, helps to lower delinquencies and keep rental income at its optimum level. With integrated rental property management software, electronic rent payments reduce accounting errors and data entry, and trips to the bank. Automatic scheduled rent payments ensure that rent is received on time and eliminate past due balances.
With bad debt potentially on the rise, automated tenant debt collection services will also prove invaluable to property managers and landlords. The best property management softwares offer integrated access to national debt collections companies. These are the same programs that larger apartment management companies have been using for years.
Of course, some of these online property management services are available separately. Yet integrating all of these tools with one point of data entry can protect you from another, even more alarming threat-tenant landlord litigation. No matter how unjustified, the mere whisper of a lawsuit is enough to terrify any property manager. While litigation is a serious concern for real estate firms of all sizes, it can be particularly frightening for the small property management company which lacks the legal team of a regional or national real estate management firm.
Tenant credit screening services provide a valuable resource by providing a consistent, accepted process for making the best decisions. When you use quantitative tools for rejecting a tenant, you can be more confident in the leasing decisions you make. More importantly, having one database will help ensure all rental application data is captured and no mistakes are made.
What about cost? Historically cost has been a barrier to this type of software used by larger companies; today the web makes access to new online solutions much more cost effective. In many cases these online services, as well as services like internet listings and electronic rent payments, can be included in one low monthly fee. Hardware, server, upgrades, extra licenses, and other costs are eliminated as well, leading to considerable cost and time savings.
As the internet has been the great leveler across many industries, all rental property managers can now afford the property management accounting software that larger real estate management companies have been using for decades. The affordability of web based software is a trend with a positive impact on all professional property managers and owners. Property management systems no longer have to be reserved for the larger companies with deep pockets. They can be used by anyone with a computer and an internet connection who wants to protect their real estate investment.
Today it is more important than ever for all property managers to use the same type of web based property management software as the larger asset management companies. There is more pressure to find reliable, rent paying tenants, with the possibility of an increased need for tenant debt collections, and the ever-looming threat of tenant landlord litigation.
Even with the best market outlook, the need to screen your prospective tenants is the top priority. Today's online tenant credit screening services allow you to access credit and criminal background information in minutes. With an integrated system, tenant screening information is automatically downloaded into your residential property management database. Later, you can review tenant payment history and property maintenance history and make smart decisions about lease management.
Providing tenants with online rent payment options, such as ACH or credit cards, helps to lower delinquencies and keep rental income at its optimum level. With integrated rental property management software, electronic rent payments reduce accounting errors and data entry, and trips to the bank. Automatic scheduled rent payments ensure that rent is received on time and eliminate past due balances.
With bad debt potentially on the rise, automated tenant debt collection services will also prove invaluable to property managers and landlords. The best property management softwares offer integrated access to national debt collections companies. These are the same programs that larger apartment management companies have been using for years.
Of course, some of these online property management services are available separately. Yet integrating all of these tools with one point of data entry can protect you from another, even more alarming threat-tenant landlord litigation. No matter how unjustified, the mere whisper of a lawsuit is enough to terrify any property manager. While litigation is a serious concern for real estate firms of all sizes, it can be particularly frightening for the small property management company which lacks the legal team of a regional or national real estate management firm.
Tenant credit screening services provide a valuable resource by providing a consistent, accepted process for making the best decisions. When you use quantitative tools for rejecting a tenant, you can be more confident in the leasing decisions you make. More importantly, having one database will help ensure all rental application data is captured and no mistakes are made.
What about cost? Historically cost has been a barrier to this type of software used by larger companies; today the web makes access to new online solutions much more cost effective. In many cases these online services, as well as services like internet listings and electronic rent payments, can be included in one low monthly fee. Hardware, server, upgrades, extra licenses, and other costs are eliminated as well, leading to considerable cost and time savings.
As the internet has been the great leveler across many industries, all rental property managers can now afford the property management accounting software that larger real estate management companies have been using for decades. The affordability of web based software is a trend with a positive impact on all professional property managers and owners. Property management systems no longer have to be reserved for the larger companies with deep pockets. They can be used by anyone with a computer and an internet connection who wants to protect their real estate investment.
Mesothelioma Prognosis And Treatments
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that frequently will manifest itself in the outer lining of the lungs, known as the pleura. However it may also emerge in the lining of a number of other body organs. The organ's lining is known as the mesothelium. It's most common cause is from being exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma prognosis, diagnosis and remedies are continuously being assessed and researched.
Getting fast diagnosis may very well allow a person to get a more positive Mesothelioma prognosis. Signs and symptoms that may signal Pleural Mesothelioma resemble those of folks who are suffering from pneumonia and other related ailments can experience. Shortness of breath, fluid around the lungs and chest wall, chest pain and weight loss can be the most obvious signs of the illness.
Despite the fact that a Mesothelioma prognosis can be distressing, many discovered with the disease have lived a lot longer than initially predicted. In spite of the negative reports, one individual lived for twenty years following being informed he had a variety of the illness identified as peritoneal mesothelioma. Another affected individual, with the very same diagnosis, in 1997 was given one year to live and is still living today.
If a specialist suspects Pleural Mesothelioma he or she is going to request an x-ray, cat scan or MRI of the chest and lungs. If the tests show indications of the disease he's going to take a biopsy to confirm his suspicions. He will use a thoracoscope to check inside the chest to recover tissue samples. When the physician suspects Mesothelioma in the abdominal area he will do a the same procedure called a laparoscopy to get tissue from the abdominal area.
After the medical diagnosis, Mesothelioma treatment will often include surgery to take out the affected tissue or tumors. The surgery is normally followed up with radiation and chemotherapy. These types of treatments are performed to give the patient an extended life expectancy resulting in an improved Mesothelioma prognosis.
Even though there have been many more incidents of Mesothelioma recorded since 1980, it's still regarded a rare disease. This disease has been submitted from several locations around the world however in most cases from Australia, Britain and Belgium.
Right after becoming identified as having any sort of terminal illness it is very important to be a pro-active patient. Find as much information as you possibly can about the different methods and treatment options available. You will find support groups that meet to offer other patients battling with related diseases new information on what has and hasn't worked for them. These types of support groups also offer encouragement for anyone who have recently been given upsetting information that they have some type of fatal cancer.
Different treatment options are often learned from regular members of such groups that aren't generally offered by conventional medicine. Herbal medicines have often shown to be pretty useful.
Getting fast diagnosis may very well allow a person to get a more positive Mesothelioma prognosis. Signs and symptoms that may signal Pleural Mesothelioma resemble those of folks who are suffering from pneumonia and other related ailments can experience. Shortness of breath, fluid around the lungs and chest wall, chest pain and weight loss can be the most obvious signs of the illness.
Despite the fact that a Mesothelioma prognosis can be distressing, many discovered with the disease have lived a lot longer than initially predicted. In spite of the negative reports, one individual lived for twenty years following being informed he had a variety of the illness identified as peritoneal mesothelioma. Another affected individual, with the very same diagnosis, in 1997 was given one year to live and is still living today.
If a specialist suspects Pleural Mesothelioma he or she is going to request an x-ray, cat scan or MRI of the chest and lungs. If the tests show indications of the disease he's going to take a biopsy to confirm his suspicions. He will use a thoracoscope to check inside the chest to recover tissue samples. When the physician suspects Mesothelioma in the abdominal area he will do a the same procedure called a laparoscopy to get tissue from the abdominal area.
After the medical diagnosis, Mesothelioma treatment will often include surgery to take out the affected tissue or tumors. The surgery is normally followed up with radiation and chemotherapy. These types of treatments are performed to give the patient an extended life expectancy resulting in an improved Mesothelioma prognosis.
Even though there have been many more incidents of Mesothelioma recorded since 1980, it's still regarded a rare disease. This disease has been submitted from several locations around the world however in most cases from Australia, Britain and Belgium.
Right after becoming identified as having any sort of terminal illness it is very important to be a pro-active patient. Find as much information as you possibly can about the different methods and treatment options available. You will find support groups that meet to offer other patients battling with related diseases new information on what has and hasn't worked for them. These types of support groups also offer encouragement for anyone who have recently been given upsetting information that they have some type of fatal cancer.
Different treatment options are often learned from regular members of such groups that aren't generally offered by conventional medicine. Herbal medicines have often shown to be pretty useful.
Mesothelioma Prognosis - What You Can Expect
Having mesothelioma or knowing someone that does is life altering. There are a thousand questions running through your mind as you begin to scour the internet for answers. One of the first questions you've probably asked yourself is, "What is the typical mesothelioma prognosis?" Hopefully this article will help answer that questions and many more.
Mesothelioma Prognosis
Survival Rates
In general, approximately 10% of people diagnosed with mesothelioma will live 2-5 years or longer. Obviously everyone's situation is different, but most people want to know the survival rate to better understand their situation. The stage at which your diagnosis significantly affects your mesothelioma prognosis.
Stage 1 - The disease may be seen in the diaphragm, and typically in the pleural lining of either side of the chest cavity.
Stage 2 - The disease may be on both sides of the chest cavity in the pleural lining, and could have spread to other organs or lymphnodes around the chest.
Stage 3 - Typically the disease has reached the abdominal cavity and lymph nodes outside the chest cavity might be affected.
Stage 4 - The disease has entered the blood stream and has moved to other organs.
Survival rates decline as the stages progress.
After you have an understanding of the survival rates, you're probably wondering about what treatments are available. This is a very personal decision, and you should make sure you're discussing all of your available options with your doctor. Depending on your mesothelioma prognosis, your treatment options will vary.
Available treatments may include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or holistic approaches focusing on quality of life, diet, supplements, etc. Again, you want to discuss all of these options with your doctor.
Ultimately you will have to make a decision about what if any treatment options you are going to explore. You should weigh the pros and cons of all the options available to you, as well as, your mesothelioma prognosis, before making your decision. Consider things like your quality of life when going through treatment. How the specific treatment works, and its side effects. Consult others who have
Mesothelioma Prognosis
Survival Rates
In general, approximately 10% of people diagnosed with mesothelioma will live 2-5 years or longer. Obviously everyone's situation is different, but most people want to know the survival rate to better understand their situation. The stage at which your diagnosis significantly affects your mesothelioma prognosis.
Stage 1 - The disease may be seen in the diaphragm, and typically in the pleural lining of either side of the chest cavity.
Stage 2 - The disease may be on both sides of the chest cavity in the pleural lining, and could have spread to other organs or lymphnodes around the chest.
Stage 3 - Typically the disease has reached the abdominal cavity and lymph nodes outside the chest cavity might be affected.
Stage 4 - The disease has entered the blood stream and has moved to other organs.
Survival rates decline as the stages progress.
After you have an understanding of the survival rates, you're probably wondering about what treatments are available. This is a very personal decision, and you should make sure you're discussing all of your available options with your doctor. Depending on your mesothelioma prognosis, your treatment options will vary.
Available treatments may include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or holistic approaches focusing on quality of life, diet, supplements, etc. Again, you want to discuss all of these options with your doctor.
Ultimately you will have to make a decision about what if any treatment options you are going to explore. You should weigh the pros and cons of all the options available to you, as well as, your mesothelioma prognosis, before making your decision. Consider things like your quality of life when going through treatment. How the specific treatment works, and its side effects. Consult others who have
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Survival Rate
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma. Many factors may be involved in determining the survival rate for this aggressive cancer; some are better understood than others. Estimates of median survival time range from one to two years; survival depends on underlying factors such as the type and extent of spread of the mesothelioma. Only seven percent of people with this cancer survive to five years after diagnosis, but this outlook is gradually improving with some promising experimental treatments. Some people live well beyond five years from the time of diagnosis.
In general, younger age at diagnosis, absence of weight loss and limited loss of lung function are associated with chances for increased survival. Stage I mesotheliomas, which have not spread to the lymph nodes or adjacent tissues and organs, also carry the best prognosis. The type of cell the cancer is comprised of can also affect survival. The epithelioid cell type has the best prognosis, the mixed or biphasic cell type the next best prognosis, and the sarcomatoid cell type the worst prognosis. The majority of malignant pleural mesotheliomas are of the epithelioid cell type.
Because this cancer takes so long to manifest, people are usually diagnosed at an older age and with more advanced disease, potentially worsening the prognosis and the treatment options available. The more aggressive the treatment, the better the outcome may be, but in cases with cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, chemotherapy may be the only alternative. New drugs, such as the combination of Alimta with Platinol, have been shown to improve survival in malignant mesothelioma patients whose only option is chemotherapy. A number of experimental treatments, such as immunotherapy and biotherapy, are currently being evaluated in clinical trials.
In general, younger age at diagnosis, absence of weight loss and limited loss of lung function are associated with chances for increased survival. Stage I mesotheliomas, which have not spread to the lymph nodes or adjacent tissues and organs, also carry the best prognosis. The type of cell the cancer is comprised of can also affect survival. The epithelioid cell type has the best prognosis, the mixed or biphasic cell type the next best prognosis, and the sarcomatoid cell type the worst prognosis. The majority of malignant pleural mesotheliomas are of the epithelioid cell type.
Because this cancer takes so long to manifest, people are usually diagnosed at an older age and with more advanced disease, potentially worsening the prognosis and the treatment options available. The more aggressive the treatment, the better the outcome may be, but in cases with cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, chemotherapy may be the only alternative. New drugs, such as the combination of Alimta with Platinol, have been shown to improve survival in malignant mesothelioma patients whose only option is chemotherapy. A number of experimental treatments, such as immunotherapy and biotherapy, are currently being evaluated in clinical trials.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Prognosis Options
If you have been given a peritoneal mesothelioma prognosis your next step is to learn everything you can about the disease. This cancer attacks the lining of the abdominal cavity, and accounts for about a third of all mesothelioma cancers. Slightly more men get it than women. The usual cause is asbestos exposure, and unfortunately, you usually do not see any symptoms for twenty or thirty years. In the rare cases that have nothing to do with asbestos, it may not show up until your late sixties.
The symptoms become chronic quickly once they begin to appear. Increased abdominal girth, abdominal masses, abdominal pain, and abdominal distention, caused by fluid retention in the abdomen may occur. Digestive problems, weight loss, anemia, fatigue, and fever can be expected with a peritoneal mesothelioma prognosis. This usually starts being noticeable anywhere from two years to six months before you actually are diagnosed.
Exacerbating the difficulty of diagnosing this condition is the fact that many other conditions have similar side effects. You might think you have a hernia, or gallbladder problems, or, if you are a woman, female problems or cancers. You finally go to the family doctor, and instead, mesothelioma is found. Late-stage peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include bowel obstruction and increased tendency of the blood to clot. Blood tests show increased platelet count in half of peritoneal patients, although this is of little use in diagnosis because it can be caused by so many disorders. Anemia and low albumin levels are also found.
Expect imaging tests such as the CT scan to be requested. These can help to determine an accurate prognosis for peritoneal mesothelioma, since it can be one of two clinical types. Wet peritoneal mesothelioma will show many small modules, no dominant mass, and fluid retention distending the abdomen. The Dry type will show either one large mass or multiple small ones, with very little or no fluid buildup.
Paracentesis, a procedure that removes the fluid may be called for if you have the wet variety of this disease. Analysis of this fluid does not always give you a definite peritoneal mesothelioma prognosis. In that case, a tissue biopsy is the next step. It is done with a laparoscope, and will give definite conclusions.
Treatment may include a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, alternative treatments, special diets, and immunotherapy. Alimta and Cisplatin, used in combination, is a hopeful new treatment being used in clinical trials. Surgery alone has been ineffective, and is usually used for palliative therapy (to make the patient more comfortable and slow down the disease, with no hope of curing it). Finding ways to diagnose this condition sooner is the only sure way to improve the peritoneal mesothelioma prognosis.
The symptoms become chronic quickly once they begin to appear. Increased abdominal girth, abdominal masses, abdominal pain, and abdominal distention, caused by fluid retention in the abdomen may occur. Digestive problems, weight loss, anemia, fatigue, and fever can be expected with a peritoneal mesothelioma prognosis. This usually starts being noticeable anywhere from two years to six months before you actually are diagnosed.
Exacerbating the difficulty of diagnosing this condition is the fact that many other conditions have similar side effects. You might think you have a hernia, or gallbladder problems, or, if you are a woman, female problems or cancers. You finally go to the family doctor, and instead, mesothelioma is found. Late-stage peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include bowel obstruction and increased tendency of the blood to clot. Blood tests show increased platelet count in half of peritoneal patients, although this is of little use in diagnosis because it can be caused by so many disorders. Anemia and low albumin levels are also found.
Expect imaging tests such as the CT scan to be requested. These can help to determine an accurate prognosis for peritoneal mesothelioma, since it can be one of two clinical types. Wet peritoneal mesothelioma will show many small modules, no dominant mass, and fluid retention distending the abdomen. The Dry type will show either one large mass or multiple small ones, with very little or no fluid buildup.
Paracentesis, a procedure that removes the fluid may be called for if you have the wet variety of this disease. Analysis of this fluid does not always give you a definite peritoneal mesothelioma prognosis. In that case, a tissue biopsy is the next step. It is done with a laparoscope, and will give definite conclusions.
Treatment may include a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, alternative treatments, special diets, and immunotherapy. Alimta and Cisplatin, used in combination, is a hopeful new treatment being used in clinical trials. Surgery alone has been ineffective, and is usually used for palliative therapy (to make the patient more comfortable and slow down the disease, with no hope of curing it). Finding ways to diagnose this condition sooner is the only sure way to improve the peritoneal mesothelioma prognosis.
Mesothelioma: Description, Diagnosis and Treatment Prognosis
"The number one cause of cancer is ignorance. Applied knowledge of nutrition can help you remove or reduce the risk factors and abort the manifestation of any growth."
--Uzo Onukwugha, MD
Mesothelioma is a tumor of the flat cells that cover the surface of the lungs, adjacent wind pipes and the thoracic cavity. Mesothelioma is an acronym of mesothelium (flat or cellophane covering) and oma (Latin name for growth or tumor). It is a rare type of lung tumor and tends to be associated with occupational hazard. It is an affliction that involves a multi-disciplinary approach and institutions: the physicians, occupational and preventive medicine, surgeons, occupational safety, worker's compensation, attorneys, occupational therapists and labor unions.
Risk Factors and Evolution of Tumor:
Long term inhalation of asbestos fibers is associated with certain occupations like ship-building, insulation, construction and demolition. The worst culprits are blue and white asbestos. Cigarette smoking may double the risk. The disease is subtle and may take several years if not decades to produce symptoms. At onset, the diseases may not produce symptoms. A construction worker may only notice symptoms long after retirement. Appearance of symptoms may prompt the victim to seek medical help. The symptoms and signs may include shortness of breath, chest pain, fibrosis, pleural effusion, calcified plaques and bronchial cancer. The cancer may eat up the lungs, wind-pipes, ribs and adjacent muscles.
Types of Mesothelioma: The growth may be fibrosed and localized or it may be diffused and malignant spreading to adjacent tissues.
Fibrous Mesothelioma:
Presents as chest discomfort, and all sorts of breathing problems. As with pleural-affected tumors, joint pain may be noticed in the hands, wrists, ankles and knees. Examination of the hands may reveal finger clubbing.
Chest x-ray is important in the clinical diagnosis and may reveal localized growth as soft-tissue mass. There may be air-fluid level showing effusion into the lung cavity.
The prognosis with surgical resection for this type is good even with evidence of spread. However, some may progress to full-blown malignancy.
Malignant Mesothelioma:
The symptoms of malignant mesothelioma appear much later and seem to peak at 55. The symptoms are diffuse and tend to develop in a couple of decades after exposure to asbestos. Cigarette smoke tends to worsen the onset of the symptoms like breathlessness, and chest pain.
Chest x-ray may reveal connective tissue complications like clumping of the pleural tissues (pleurisy), pleural effusion, lung collapse, basal fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension and lupus erythematosis. Other autoimmune diseases and bronchial cancer may develop.
Sputum test is non-contributory and open pleural biopsy may be necessary to characterize the type of tumor before treatment.
At this stage, surgery is hopeless. Palliative radiotherapy or anticancer chemotherapy may be attempted but the prognosis is hopeless.
Prevention--better than cure:
The best treatment of mesothelioma is preventive measures and health advice to the at- risk professions. These include wearing face masks and finding alternatives to asbestos and quitting smoking. Change of jobs may be necessary.
Complimentary Treatment:
Green super foods like spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, wheat grass, green kamut, and alfalfa helps the body to stand the stress of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Green foods are also known to boost immunity and attack free radicals, neutralize toxins released by cancer cells and improve the overall quality of life of patients. Supplements like multivitamins, minerals, aloe vera, and essential fatty acids can be added to the greens as adjunct to treatment.
--Uzo Onukwugha, MD
Mesothelioma is a tumor of the flat cells that cover the surface of the lungs, adjacent wind pipes and the thoracic cavity. Mesothelioma is an acronym of mesothelium (flat or cellophane covering) and oma (Latin name for growth or tumor). It is a rare type of lung tumor and tends to be associated with occupational hazard. It is an affliction that involves a multi-disciplinary approach and institutions: the physicians, occupational and preventive medicine, surgeons, occupational safety, worker's compensation, attorneys, occupational therapists and labor unions.
Risk Factors and Evolution of Tumor:
Long term inhalation of asbestos fibers is associated with certain occupations like ship-building, insulation, construction and demolition. The worst culprits are blue and white asbestos. Cigarette smoking may double the risk. The disease is subtle and may take several years if not decades to produce symptoms. At onset, the diseases may not produce symptoms. A construction worker may only notice symptoms long after retirement. Appearance of symptoms may prompt the victim to seek medical help. The symptoms and signs may include shortness of breath, chest pain, fibrosis, pleural effusion, calcified plaques and bronchial cancer. The cancer may eat up the lungs, wind-pipes, ribs and adjacent muscles.
Types of Mesothelioma: The growth may be fibrosed and localized or it may be diffused and malignant spreading to adjacent tissues.
Fibrous Mesothelioma:
Presents as chest discomfort, and all sorts of breathing problems. As with pleural-affected tumors, joint pain may be noticed in the hands, wrists, ankles and knees. Examination of the hands may reveal finger clubbing.
Chest x-ray is important in the clinical diagnosis and may reveal localized growth as soft-tissue mass. There may be air-fluid level showing effusion into the lung cavity.
The prognosis with surgical resection for this type is good even with evidence of spread. However, some may progress to full-blown malignancy.
Malignant Mesothelioma:
The symptoms of malignant mesothelioma appear much later and seem to peak at 55. The symptoms are diffuse and tend to develop in a couple of decades after exposure to asbestos. Cigarette smoke tends to worsen the onset of the symptoms like breathlessness, and chest pain.
Chest x-ray may reveal connective tissue complications like clumping of the pleural tissues (pleurisy), pleural effusion, lung collapse, basal fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension and lupus erythematosis. Other autoimmune diseases and bronchial cancer may develop.
Sputum test is non-contributory and open pleural biopsy may be necessary to characterize the type of tumor before treatment.
At this stage, surgery is hopeless. Palliative radiotherapy or anticancer chemotherapy may be attempted but the prognosis is hopeless.
Prevention--better than cure:
The best treatment of mesothelioma is preventive measures and health advice to the at- risk professions. These include wearing face masks and finding alternatives to asbestos and quitting smoking. Change of jobs may be necessary.
Complimentary Treatment:
Green super foods like spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, wheat grass, green kamut, and alfalfa helps the body to stand the stress of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Green foods are also known to boost immunity and attack free radicals, neutralize toxins released by cancer cells and improve the overall quality of life of patients. Supplements like multivitamins, minerals, aloe vera, and essential fatty acids can be added to the greens as adjunct to treatment.
The Prognosis of Advanced Stage Mesothelioma
There is an array of features in the advancement of a patient's mesothelioma prognosis and specific variations in these features may have a significant impact on the development of the disease. The statistical models used in mesothelioma usually overlook the exceptional differences between a patient's prognosis or diagnosis and how the cancer actually influences the patient's life.
Similar to other types of cancer, staging is essential to determine the prognosis of mesothelioma. Although, statistical data for mesothelioma are quite difficult to find and the data currently existing today are unreliable. Early diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma is imperative for a favorable prognosis. One problem is that mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, thus the five year survival rate is statistically often unreliable. Stage IV mesothelioma cancer has distant organ metastasis and is untreatable at this stage thus giving it a poor prognosis. Treatment at this terminal stage usually consists of pain management and supportive care.
Mesothelioma's latency period is usually about 10 to 30 years with symptoms such as breathing problems and a decrease of lung elasticity. For approximately two thirds of mesothelioma patients, pleural and peritoneal effusion is a main symptomatic problem. For stage II mesothelioma patients, single agent and combined chemotherapy have resulted in increased response rates, although causing higher levels of toxicity. Also, there is minimal evidence of which combination treatments results in longer survival or better control of the symptoms.
The diagnostic procedure of malignant mesothelioma starts with a systematic medical history to record the patient's symptoms and any possible exposure to asbestos, continued with a thorough physical examination. Diagnosis is continued with additional examinations such as chest or abdominal X-ray, computed tomography scan (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). One important aspect to consider is that signs and symptoms of mesothelioma are quite similar to other cancers and lung diseases.
The level of symptomatic severity varies for each individual, although in a majority of cases the development of Pleural Mesothelioma is quite slow with symptoms localized in the chest such as chest pain. At times, the chest pain is accompanied by severe breathing problems or shortness of breath. Symptoms such as breathlessness, coughing, and chest pain shows advancement of asbestosis and this usually causes the sufferer to seek medical care. After taking the patient's history and general physical examinations, the physician will usually order chest imaging studies such as X-rays, MRI, CT scan to assess the lungs.
Patients suffering from mesothelioma have symptoms similar to other lung diseases which the physician may not even think to be correlated to asbestos let alone malignant mesothelioma. Usually, malignant mesothelioma develops within 10 to 30 years and during this period of latency patients suffering from this disease may have minimal to no symptoms. Several of these signs and symptoms develop in an advanced stage of the cancer which maybe accompanied with distant metastasis to other organs of the body. Men have a higher risk to develop this disease and the risk increases with age.
Although surgery is quite successful for palliative control of the symptoms, it only has a minimal effect on the median survival rate since it is a radical form of treatment. Pleurectomy or decortications can be done to alleviate the symptoms in pleural mesothelioma. Several other procedures, like thoracentesis can be done to drain pleural effusion and prevent them from recurring. Extrapleural pneumonectomy which is known as a radical treatment approach will have an average survival rate of approximately 15-24 months.
Similar to other types of cancer, staging is essential to determine the prognosis of mesothelioma. Although, statistical data for mesothelioma are quite difficult to find and the data currently existing today are unreliable. Early diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma is imperative for a favorable prognosis. One problem is that mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, thus the five year survival rate is statistically often unreliable. Stage IV mesothelioma cancer has distant organ metastasis and is untreatable at this stage thus giving it a poor prognosis. Treatment at this terminal stage usually consists of pain management and supportive care.
Mesothelioma's latency period is usually about 10 to 30 years with symptoms such as breathing problems and a decrease of lung elasticity. For approximately two thirds of mesothelioma patients, pleural and peritoneal effusion is a main symptomatic problem. For stage II mesothelioma patients, single agent and combined chemotherapy have resulted in increased response rates, although causing higher levels of toxicity. Also, there is minimal evidence of which combination treatments results in longer survival or better control of the symptoms.
The diagnostic procedure of malignant mesothelioma starts with a systematic medical history to record the patient's symptoms and any possible exposure to asbestos, continued with a thorough physical examination. Diagnosis is continued with additional examinations such as chest or abdominal X-ray, computed tomography scan (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). One important aspect to consider is that signs and symptoms of mesothelioma are quite similar to other cancers and lung diseases.
The level of symptomatic severity varies for each individual, although in a majority of cases the development of Pleural Mesothelioma is quite slow with symptoms localized in the chest such as chest pain. At times, the chest pain is accompanied by severe breathing problems or shortness of breath. Symptoms such as breathlessness, coughing, and chest pain shows advancement of asbestosis and this usually causes the sufferer to seek medical care. After taking the patient's history and general physical examinations, the physician will usually order chest imaging studies such as X-rays, MRI, CT scan to assess the lungs.
Patients suffering from mesothelioma have symptoms similar to other lung diseases which the physician may not even think to be correlated to asbestos let alone malignant mesothelioma. Usually, malignant mesothelioma develops within 10 to 30 years and during this period of latency patients suffering from this disease may have minimal to no symptoms. Several of these signs and symptoms develop in an advanced stage of the cancer which maybe accompanied with distant metastasis to other organs of the body. Men have a higher risk to develop this disease and the risk increases with age.
Although surgery is quite successful for palliative control of the symptoms, it only has a minimal effect on the median survival rate since it is a radical form of treatment. Pleurectomy or decortications can be done to alleviate the symptoms in pleural mesothelioma. Several other procedures, like thoracentesis can be done to drain pleural effusion and prevent them from recurring. Extrapleural pneumonectomy which is known as a radical treatment approach will have an average survival rate of approximately 15-24 months.
Pleural Mesothelioma and Black Lung Disease Prognosis
The prognosis of Pleural Mesothelioma is determined with not one but several factors. The detection of cancer at the early stage usually leads to a favourable prognosis and can have a vast impact on the expectancy of the patient. Mesothelioma, like other forms of cancer, tends to have seriously limited choices of treatment when diagnosed at a later stage and prognosis is even compromised most of the time.
Black lung disease is literally making the miners' lungs black and obtained from constant inhalation of coal dust. The effects of black lung disease are long term and can even cause death. Its reaction to accumulated dust can appear and even worsen during your exposure or even after the inhalation.
Factors
The general health condition of the patient is the most significant factor that influences the prognosis. Mesothelioma diagnosed at an early stage will be able to go through the treatments easier than those who are older, and those with existing conditions. According to studies, persons aged older than 55 are at a higher risk and are more likely to occur to men than women.
The next consideration would be the extent of the metastasis. If the cancer has not yet metastasized to other parts of the body, patient are likely to have several treatment options that will help increase the person's prognosis. Poor prognosis are likely to be in patients that are experiencing difficulty in breathing, having chest pains, cannot carry out daily tasks, weight loss and high level of LDH (lactate dehydrogenase). These are usually indications that the cancer is already on its later stages.
Prognosis for patients who exhibits these symptoms is usually present from six to twelve months. However, persons who are not having these signs will normally have more than a year.
Ways That May Help Improve Prognosis
Stage I patients with Pleural Mesothelioma can opt for a surgery called extrapleural pneumonectomy. This surgery is only offered to patients that are generally in good health. The surgery will remove the affected lung and the lining of the wall of the chest, pericardium and diaphragm. This approach is highly recommended for patients affected with epithelioid cell plerual mesothelioma.
For those patients on the latter stages with black lung disease, an attempt for pleuroctomy can be performed to help increase prognosis. This medical treatment relieves the pain without having to cure the cause of the suffering since it will control the buildup of fluids in the mesothelium or sac. This does not cure, but it can take the pain away and any pressure on the lung.
Survival Rate
As in other lung diseases, the back lung disease is also bleak and narrow. After the diagnosis, there are cancer patients who live for five years or even more. This is called the five-year-survival rate, and the survival rate for this is about 10%. We still need to find out if there's more since these figures come from five years ago. Since treatment and technology have been continually improving, there are chances to improve the survival rate for patients with Mesothelioma and black lung disease.
There are more compelling stories about survivors that are living, and they are willing to tell their stories. This provides hope for other patients under treatment process. Since prognosis may differ depending on cell types, any patient can always hope for a different and longer life expectancy.
Black lung disease is literally making the miners' lungs black and obtained from constant inhalation of coal dust. The effects of black lung disease are long term and can even cause death. Its reaction to accumulated dust can appear and even worsen during your exposure or even after the inhalation.
Factors
The general health condition of the patient is the most significant factor that influences the prognosis. Mesothelioma diagnosed at an early stage will be able to go through the treatments easier than those who are older, and those with existing conditions. According to studies, persons aged older than 55 are at a higher risk and are more likely to occur to men than women.
The next consideration would be the extent of the metastasis. If the cancer has not yet metastasized to other parts of the body, patient are likely to have several treatment options that will help increase the person's prognosis. Poor prognosis are likely to be in patients that are experiencing difficulty in breathing, having chest pains, cannot carry out daily tasks, weight loss and high level of LDH (lactate dehydrogenase). These are usually indications that the cancer is already on its later stages.
Prognosis for patients who exhibits these symptoms is usually present from six to twelve months. However, persons who are not having these signs will normally have more than a year.
Ways That May Help Improve Prognosis
Stage I patients with Pleural Mesothelioma can opt for a surgery called extrapleural pneumonectomy. This surgery is only offered to patients that are generally in good health. The surgery will remove the affected lung and the lining of the wall of the chest, pericardium and diaphragm. This approach is highly recommended for patients affected with epithelioid cell plerual mesothelioma.
For those patients on the latter stages with black lung disease, an attempt for pleuroctomy can be performed to help increase prognosis. This medical treatment relieves the pain without having to cure the cause of the suffering since it will control the buildup of fluids in the mesothelium or sac. This does not cure, but it can take the pain away and any pressure on the lung.
Survival Rate
As in other lung diseases, the back lung disease is also bleak and narrow. After the diagnosis, there are cancer patients who live for five years or even more. This is called the five-year-survival rate, and the survival rate for this is about 10%. We still need to find out if there's more since these figures come from five years ago. Since treatment and technology have been continually improving, there are chances to improve the survival rate for patients with Mesothelioma and black lung disease.
There are more compelling stories about survivors that are living, and they are willing to tell their stories. This provides hope for other patients under treatment process. Since prognosis may differ depending on cell types, any patient can always hope for a different and longer life expectancy.
Advanced Mesothelioma Prognosis
There are a variety of details in the advancement of a person's mesothelioma prognosis and fine differences amongst these details may have a dramatic impact on the course the disease will take. The statistical models employed in mesothelioma often miss the extraordinary differences between a person's stated prognosis/diagnosis and the way in which the disease actually impacts his or her life.
Stage is important for determining mesothelioma prognosis because it can be for other cancers. However, mesothelioma stats are hard to find, and the stats that exist are unreliable. Early diagnosis and remedy are alot of important in looking for a favorable mesothelioma prognosis. Since mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, the statistics for you to five year survival are usually unreliable. At Stage IV, mesothelioma has spread to other organs, and since a cure is not possible, the mesothelioma prognosis is poor. Remedy at this stage consists mainly of pain management and supportive care.
The latency period with this disease is usually 10 to 30 years, and symptoms include breathing difficulties and a decrease in the elasticity of the lungs. Effusions, both pleural and peritoneal, represent major symptomatic problems for at least two thirds of the patients. Unfortunately, the duration of symptom control is short-lived. Single agent and combimed chemotherapy have reported higher response rates in STAGE II patients, however the toxicity reported is also higher and there is no evidence which combination treatments cause longer survival or longer control of the symptoms.
Diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma begins with a thorough medical history to document the patient's symptoms and any conceivable asbestos exposure, followed by a complete physical examination. These steps are generally followed by a chest or abdominal x-ray, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to other lung diseases and cancers.
The severity of the affliction varies from person to person, but in most cases the onset of Pleural Mesothelioma is usually very slow with the alot of frequent presenting symptom being persistent pain localized in the chest. Sometimes the pain is accompanied by severe difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath. The advancement of asbestosis symptoms including coughing, breathlessness and chest pain typically prompts a sufferer to seek medical attention. Following an initial physical assessment of the patient, a physician will employ the use of a chest imaging scan (x-ray, MRI, CT scan) thus as to view the lungs.
Mesothelioma patients have such common symptoms which the md can not even consider the illness to be asbestos-related let alone malignant mesothelioma. This is a symptom that develops in the later stages of the disease. However, it is critical to note which these tumors are able to spread to various parts of the body, affecting various organs. Surgery, while used successfully for palliative control of symptoms, has only minimal effect on median survival times whenever used because a radical treatment. Extrapleural pneumonectomy, defined as a "radical treatment" is associated with a median survival of 15-24 months.
Typically, mesothelioma takes 10 to 50 years to develop, and during this latency period, sufferers may have no symptoms. Furthermore, mesothelioma happens more often in men than in patient and risk increases with age. Pleurectomy/decortication can be performed to relieve symptoms in pleural mesothelioma. Other procedures such as thoracentesis may be performed to drain pleural effusions and prevent them from recurring. Other symptoms include hoarseness, coughing up blood, swelling of the face and arms, muscle weakness, and sensory loss
Stage is important for determining mesothelioma prognosis because it can be for other cancers. However, mesothelioma stats are hard to find, and the stats that exist are unreliable. Early diagnosis and remedy are alot of important in looking for a favorable mesothelioma prognosis. Since mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, the statistics for you to five year survival are usually unreliable. At Stage IV, mesothelioma has spread to other organs, and since a cure is not possible, the mesothelioma prognosis is poor. Remedy at this stage consists mainly of pain management and supportive care.
The latency period with this disease is usually 10 to 30 years, and symptoms include breathing difficulties and a decrease in the elasticity of the lungs. Effusions, both pleural and peritoneal, represent major symptomatic problems for at least two thirds of the patients. Unfortunately, the duration of symptom control is short-lived. Single agent and combimed chemotherapy have reported higher response rates in STAGE II patients, however the toxicity reported is also higher and there is no evidence which combination treatments cause longer survival or longer control of the symptoms.
Diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma begins with a thorough medical history to document the patient's symptoms and any conceivable asbestos exposure, followed by a complete physical examination. These steps are generally followed by a chest or abdominal x-ray, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to other lung diseases and cancers.
The severity of the affliction varies from person to person, but in most cases the onset of Pleural Mesothelioma is usually very slow with the alot of frequent presenting symptom being persistent pain localized in the chest. Sometimes the pain is accompanied by severe difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath. The advancement of asbestosis symptoms including coughing, breathlessness and chest pain typically prompts a sufferer to seek medical attention. Following an initial physical assessment of the patient, a physician will employ the use of a chest imaging scan (x-ray, MRI, CT scan) thus as to view the lungs.
Mesothelioma patients have such common symptoms which the md can not even consider the illness to be asbestos-related let alone malignant mesothelioma. This is a symptom that develops in the later stages of the disease. However, it is critical to note which these tumors are able to spread to various parts of the body, affecting various organs. Surgery, while used successfully for palliative control of symptoms, has only minimal effect on median survival times whenever used because a radical treatment. Extrapleural pneumonectomy, defined as a "radical treatment" is associated with a median survival of 15-24 months.
Typically, mesothelioma takes 10 to 50 years to develop, and during this latency period, sufferers may have no symptoms. Furthermore, mesothelioma happens more often in men than in patient and risk increases with age. Pleurectomy/decortication can be performed to relieve symptoms in pleural mesothelioma. Other procedures such as thoracentesis may be performed to drain pleural effusions and prevent them from recurring. Other symptoms include hoarseness, coughing up blood, swelling of the face and arms, muscle weakness, and sensory loss
Mesothelioma Prognosis Facts
Unfortunately, individuals suffering from mesothelioma (a form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure) have a rather poor prognosis. There is currently no cure for mesothelioma, and once the disease is discovered, patients usually only have a short time to live. Without treatment, mesothelioma is fatal within four to eight months. New forms of treatment are always being developed and tested, however, and there is evidence that the healthier a patient is at the time of diagnosis, the longer the life expectancy of the patient.
There are cases where patients receiving treatment have lived for as long as five or even ten years, but this is very rare. Even under treatment, most people survive less than one year, and often only a few months after receiving their mesothelioma diagnosis. According to recent studies, around 10% of victims live at least three years after their diagnosis, and 5% reach five years.
One of the reasons that the prognosis is so bad is that there is such a long period of time between a person's exposure to asbestos and the development of mesothelioma symptoms. It can take several decades before signs of mesothelioma begin to show up in a person. One study showed that when mesothelioma is caught and treated in its early stages, 50% of patients survived two years, and 20% reached five years, but unfortunately it is very difficult to discover the disease early on. The fact that the symptoms of mesothelioma are so easily confused with other illnesses further delays a correct mesothelioma diagnosis in many cases.
There are cases where patients receiving treatment have lived for as long as five or even ten years, but this is very rare. Even under treatment, most people survive less than one year, and often only a few months after receiving their mesothelioma diagnosis. According to recent studies, around 10% of victims live at least three years after their diagnosis, and 5% reach five years.
One of the reasons that the prognosis is so bad is that there is such a long period of time between a person's exposure to asbestos and the development of mesothelioma symptoms. It can take several decades before signs of mesothelioma begin to show up in a person. One study showed that when mesothelioma is caught and treated in its early stages, 50% of patients survived two years, and 20% reached five years, but unfortunately it is very difficult to discover the disease early on. The fact that the symptoms of mesothelioma are so easily confused with other illnesses further delays a correct mesothelioma diagnosis in many cases.
Mesothelioma Prognosis: A Difficult Challenge to Face
Mesothelioma prognosis and mesothelioma treatment options depend on the size of the tumor, the stage of cancer, potential surgical removal of any tumor, amount of fluid in the chest or abdomen, overall health and age of patient, specific type of mesothelioma cancer cell and whether cancerous cells are found anywhere else in the body.
The mesothelioma prognosis is determined through physical examination and the results of a number of medical tests designed to evaluate the rare asbestos cancer. Once a mesothelioma prognosis is finally determined, then treating this aggressive and rare cancer can begin. Early diagnosis and treatment are most important in looking for a favorable mesothelioma prognosis.
Since mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, the statistics for one to five year survival are usually unreliable.
The two most common types of mesothelioma are peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma and pleural (lung) mesothelioma, with pleural mesothelioma being the most common. Peritoneal mesothelioma can be difficult to stage because of its rarity. The initial symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are subtle and often ignored resulting in the cancer being more advanced when it is finally diagnosed causing it to be difficult to stage. However, because it is the most common of the mesothelioma cancers, pleural mesothelioma has multiple staging systems.
Unfortunately, patients who have been diagnosed with peritoneal or pleural mesothelioma are often advised of a grim mesothelioma prognosis, one which can often be less than one year survival expectancy from the time of diagnosis. Of course every patient is so different requires a different mesothelioma treatment plan and as a result of the individuality of each patient, an accurate mesothelioma prognosis must be individualized by your physician.
The mesothelioma prognosis has several important factors such as the patient's overall health at the time of diagnosis, exact type of mesothelioma tumor, size of the mesothelioma tumor and precise location of the mesothelioma tumor. Normally mesothelioma is located near the vital organs such as the heart and lungs which can cause severe consequences if the cancerous tumors begin to press on these vital organs. It is important to remember that the healthier a patient is going in to treatment for malignant mesothelioma then the patient generally responds better to treatment and has a greater chance of a prolonged survival.
After properly being diagnosed with mesothelioma and a mesothelioma prognosis is made, the doctor and patient will discuss treatment options. Because there is currently no known cure for mesothelioma, treatment options are designed to relieve symptoms, try to prevent metastasis and to prolong life while maintaining an acceptable quality of life.
The mesothelioma prognosis is determined through physical examination and the results of a number of medical tests designed to evaluate the rare asbestos cancer. Once a mesothelioma prognosis is finally determined, then treating this aggressive and rare cancer can begin. Early diagnosis and treatment are most important in looking for a favorable mesothelioma prognosis.
Since mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, the statistics for one to five year survival are usually unreliable.
The two most common types of mesothelioma are peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma and pleural (lung) mesothelioma, with pleural mesothelioma being the most common. Peritoneal mesothelioma can be difficult to stage because of its rarity. The initial symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are subtle and often ignored resulting in the cancer being more advanced when it is finally diagnosed causing it to be difficult to stage. However, because it is the most common of the mesothelioma cancers, pleural mesothelioma has multiple staging systems.
Unfortunately, patients who have been diagnosed with peritoneal or pleural mesothelioma are often advised of a grim mesothelioma prognosis, one which can often be less than one year survival expectancy from the time of diagnosis. Of course every patient is so different requires a different mesothelioma treatment plan and as a result of the individuality of each patient, an accurate mesothelioma prognosis must be individualized by your physician.
The mesothelioma prognosis has several important factors such as the patient's overall health at the time of diagnosis, exact type of mesothelioma tumor, size of the mesothelioma tumor and precise location of the mesothelioma tumor. Normally mesothelioma is located near the vital organs such as the heart and lungs which can cause severe consequences if the cancerous tumors begin to press on these vital organs. It is important to remember that the healthier a patient is going in to treatment for malignant mesothelioma then the patient generally responds better to treatment and has a greater chance of a prolonged survival.
After properly being diagnosed with mesothelioma and a mesothelioma prognosis is made, the doctor and patient will discuss treatment options. Because there is currently no known cure for mesothelioma, treatment options are designed to relieve symptoms, try to prevent metastasis and to prolong life while maintaining an acceptable quality of life.