On average, the life expectancy of peritoneal mesothelioma patients is 12 months. However, multiple studies have shown that patients who have cytoreduction with HIPEC experience significantly longer survival times. Many patients now survive up to 5 years and some even live beyond 7 years.
It was written by co-creator Mark Gatiss, who also portrays Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's brother in the series, and was directed by Paul McGuigan. The episode is a contemporary adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles, one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 's most famous works.
Peter Cushing portrayed Sherlock Holmes in the 1968 BBC series, and The Blue Carbuncle is one of only six surviving episodes. Frank Middlemass appears in both the Granada TV version and the BBC adaptation. In the BBC adaptation he plays Peterson, whilst in the Granada adaptation he plays Henry Baker.