Prognosis is a doctor's informed estimate of how a disease is likely to progress, including expected survival, chances of recovery, and how the illness may affect daily life. It is based on the type and stage of disease, the patient's overall health, and how similar patients have fared. A prognosis is a probability, not a guarantee, and it can change as treatment responds or the disease evolves.
Origin
From the Greek prognosis, meaning "foreknowledge," combining pro ("before") and gnosis ("knowledge"). The concept dates to the earliest Greek medical writings, where forecasting the course of an illness was considered a central skill of the physician.
Significance in Asbestos Context
Prognosis sits where medicine and law meet in asbestos cases. Medically, a mesothelioma prognosis is often measured in months to a few years, and it guides treatment choices and end-of-life planning. Legally, prognosis directly affects a claim because a short life expectancy can support a request to move the case faster on the court's calendar (an expedited or preference trial setting), and it shapes the value of damages for future medical care, lost income, and pain and suffering. If a patient may not survive to trial, the legal team may act early to preserve testimony through a videotaped deposition. Patients should make sure their medical records clearly document the prognosis and the reasons behind it.
Example Sentence
Because his prognosis was only a few months, the attorney asked the court for an expedited trial date and arranged to preserve his testimony on video.
Related Terms
Mesothelioma, Life Expectancy, Trial Preference, Damages, Deposition, Staging
Notes
- Ask your oncologist to state the prognosis and its basis in writing; this documentation can support a request for an expedited trial setting.
- If your prognosis is limited, discuss preserving your testimony by deposition early, before your health declines.
- Prognosis affects how damages are calculated; keep records of treatment costs and of how the illness limits your daily activities.
In the research library
1,622 studies in our medical research library mention Prognosis in the title or abstract. Among the most cited:
- High blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is an indicator of poor prognosis in malignant mesothelioma patients undergoing systemic therapyS.C. Kao, N. Pavlakis, R. Harvie, et al, 2010 · Clinical Cancer Research · cited 267 times
- B7-H1 expression in malignant pleural mesothelioma is associated with sarcomatoid histology and poor prognosisA.S. Mansfield, A.C. Roden, T. Peikert, et al, 2014 · Journal of Thoracic Oncology · cited 187 times
- Utility of osteopontin and serum mesothelin in malignant pleural mesothelioma diagnosis and prognosis assessmentB.D. Grigoriu, A. Scherpereel, P. Devos, et al, 2007 · Clinical Cancer Research · cited 160 times
- CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes predict favorable prognosis in malignant pleural mesothelioma after resectionN. Yamada, S. Oizumi, E. Kikuchi, et al, 2010 · Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy · cited 141 times
- hsa-miR-29c* is linked to the prognosis of malignant pleural mesotheliomaH.I. Pass, C. Goparaju, S. Ivanov, et al, 2010 · Cancer Research · cited 116 times
The journals that publish most on it: Cancers (74), Lung Cancer (47), Frontiers in Oncology (44).
Category: Overlapping Terms (Medical + Legal) · All Lexicon terms A–Z
This page is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Every asbestos case turns on its own facts, exposure history, diagnosis, deadlines, available evidence, and applicable law. Reviewing this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, call 833-4-ASBESTOS for a free case review.