What is the polycythemia vera life expectancy?

Is "life expectancy" determined at birth, or determined by the current year?

• Hi everyone, We often hear people discussing "life expectancy" and I just have a query regarding the term. I'm wondering, is a person's "life expectancy" determined at birth, or determined by the current year (2011)? Let me illustrate what I mean. Say, hypothetically, someone was born in 1970, and at the time of their birth, the life expectancy was 75 years old. Today, 2011, the life expectancy (hypothetically) is 85 years old (I know it's not, that's not the point I'm making). So, would this person born in 1970, today in 2011, be expected to live to 75 or 85 years old?? Thank you!

• Answer:

  Interesting question, I would think that it would work on a sliding scale slanted more towards the latter date. Considering the medical choices have so much to do with extending our life and the longer we live the more chance that new advances will be made to give us those few extra years.