Stage 3 of pleural mesothelioma is considered an advanced stage. By this stage, mesothelioma has spread into nearby lymph nodes and tissues. The stage 3 mesothelioma life expectancy is 18.9 months on average. However, treatments like surgery and chemotherapy could help patients live longer. Our team can connect stage 3 mesothelioma patients with top doctors and treatments.
What Is Stage 3 Pleural Mesothelioma?
Stage 3 is considered the second-most aggressive stage of mesothelioma, and marks the point where the cancer has spread deeper and further.
Doctors determine mesothelioma stage by assessing cancer spread. In cases of stage 3 malignant pleural mesothelioma, tumors have reached beyond the lining of the lungs (pleura) and into nearby lymph nodes, the diaphragm, chest wall, and lining of the heart (pericardium).
Specialists treat stage 3 mesothelioma with options like chemotherapy, radiation, and sometimes surgery, depending on the cancer spread. Some stage 3 mesothelioma patients have become long-term survivors with treatment.
Stage 3 Mesothelioma Cancer FAQs
- About 25% of mesothelioma patients are diagnosed with regional-stage cancer, which is the equivalent of stage 3.
- The 5-year survival rate for stage 3 mesothelioma is 13%.
The average stage 3 mesothelioma life expectancy is 18.9 months. - Some patients have lived for 10 years or more with stage 3 mesothelioma thanks to treatment.
- Veterans and civilians with stage 3 mesothelioma often qualify for clinical trials to get new treatments that may improve survival.
Many U.S. veterans with mesothelioma have been diagnosed with stage 3 mesothelioma, and a diagnosis can bring a lot of uncertainty. The Mesothelioma Veterans Center is here to assist these brave veterans and their families.
Get a Free Veterans Packet for help finding treatments, benefits, and compensation if you or a veteran you love has stage 3 mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Stage 3 Symptoms
Stage 3 mesothelioma marks the point where vague or mild symptoms from earlier stages often become concerning due to cancer spread.
Symptoms of stage 3 pleural mesothelioma include:
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Pain when breathing
- Pleural effusions (fluid buildup)
- Weakness
- Weight loss
If you’re experiencing potential symptoms of stage 3 mesothelioma and were exposed to asbestos (the only known cause of this cancer), see a doctor promptly.
“I never thought I would be affected by something like mesothelioma. It never occurred to me that I even was exposed, until I was diagnosed.”
— Alan Bonnin, U.S. Army veteran with stage 3 mesothelioma
This cancer is very aggressive, so getting promptly diagnosed and treated gives you the best chance of long-term survival and easing mesothelioma symptoms.
Diagnosing Stage 3 Mesothelioma
Doctors use a variety of tests to help diagnose mesothelioma and determine the stage. Patients will first receive a basic exam to assess symptoms. Doctors then order imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs to look for signs of cancer.
If cancer is suspected, doctors will order a biopsy (removal of fluid/tissue sample to look for cancer cells under a microscope).
Mesothelioma specialists use biopsy results to confirm if you have this cancer and the results of imaging tests to see if you have stage 3 mesothelioma.
Call (877) 450-8973 now if you or a veteran you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Our team can help you explore benefits, treatments, and compensation options.
Stage 3 Mesothelioma Diagnosis and Staging Systems
If you have pleural mesothelioma, doctors use the tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging system to determine cancer stage.
In cases of stage 3 pleural mesothelioma, the cancer is on one side of the chest cavity and starting to spread.
Stage 3 mesothelioma has 2 substages:
- Stage 3A: The cancer is in the pleura, diaphragm, and mediastinum (space between lungs). It may have also reached the chest wall itself, the heart lining (pericardium), or lymph nodes. Doctors can still treat this stage with surgery.
- Stage 3B: Tumors have reached ribs or muscles in the chest wall, peritoneum (abdominal lining), organs in the mediastinum like the esophagus, spine, the other side of the chest, or lymph nodes. Surgery isn’t possible.
The other types of mesothelioma are not typically classified into specific stages. However, doctors can informally stage patients at the time of diagnosis. Advanced cancer is the equivalent of stage 3 and stage 4 mesothelioma in these cases.
“Peritoneal mesothelioma is a very difficult disease to stage patients. I try to frame each discussion with patients, your volume and severity of your disease is somewhere between zero and 100 on what we tend to see.”
— Dr. James Pingpank, peritoneal mesothelioma specialist
Stage 3 Mesothelioma Prognosis
Stage 3 patients have a slightly less favorable mesothelioma prognosis (health outlook) compared to the earlier stages. This is because stage 3 mesothelioma may be harder to treat due to cancer spread.
Many patients live for less than 2 years after a stage 3 mesothelioma diagnosis. With that said, mesothelioma prognosis stage 3 could improve in your case depending on your treatment plan — and long-term survival is still possible.
Stage 3 Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
Mesothelioma life expectancy is the average amount of time patients live following a diagnosis.
The average mesothelioma life expectancy for stage 3 is 18.9 months when treated with surgery, according to a 2022 review from the National Cancer Database (NCDB).
Some stage 3 mesothelioma patients have lived for 10 years or more in certain cases, thanks to aggressive treatment.
Get our Free Veterans Packet for help exploring different treatments that could potentially allow you to live longer with stage 3 mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Stage 3 Survival Rate
Survival rate measures the percentage of mesothelioma patients still alive after a set period of time. Find stage 3 mesothelioma cancer survival rates for patients treated with surgery below.
| Year | Stage 3 Survival Rate |
|---|---|
| 2-Year Survival Rate | 41% |
| 5-Year Survival Rate | 13% |
Source: National Cancer Database (2022)
Treatment for Stage 3 Mesothelioma
Doctors can use a variety of treatments to potentially help stage 3 mesothelioma patients live longer and manage their overall health.
Aggressive treatments like surgery are your best chance of living a longer life. If your doctor doesn’t think surgery is right for you, you can get a second opinion. Your doctor may even recommend a colleague who can run independent diagnostics.
Key stage 3 mesothelioma treatments include:
- Surgery: Stage 3 mesothelioma can potentially be treated with surgery. Surgeries include extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), which removes a lung and all visible cancer, and pleurectomy with decortication (P/D), which spares the lung but still extracts tumors.
- Chemotherapy: If surgery isn’t an option, chemotherapy gives patients the best chance of living longer. Cancer-killing medication works to shrink mesothelioma tumors and kill cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy: This is a newer treatment in which medications boost the immune system’s response to cancer. It may be recommended for stage 3 patients who can’t get surgery.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation can sometimes be used in cases of stage 3 mesothelioma. Beams of energy work to destroy mesothelioma cells.
- Palliative care: Doctors can recommend palliative (pain-relieving) treatment to improve quality of life. For example, thoracentesis (needle drains) or pleurodesis are minor procedures to help manage pleural effusions.
Doctors typically try to combine therapies in a multimodal treatment plan to remove and destroy as much of the cancer as possible so patients can live longer.
For example, John Panza underwent an EPP, chemotherapy, and radiation following his stage 3 pleural mesothelioma diagnosis in 2012. Thanks to this combination of cancer treatments, he’s still alive today.
“I have had a recurrence of mesothelioma in 2019. I had a lymph node taken out that was cancerous, and I’ve had a little bit of chemo since then. But for the most part, I’ve been fine.”
— John Panza, stage 3 mesothelioma survivor
VA Benefits & Compensation for Mesothelioma Stage 3
Veterans with mesothelioma deserve — and often qualify for — key benefits offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
They may also be able to pursue additional compensation to help cover any expenses that stem from their cancer diagnosis and treatment plan.
Key resources for stage 3 mesothelioma include:
- VA benefits: Veterans with mesothelioma qualify for monthly VA disability compensation worth $4,044.91 a month, as well as free or low-cost health care, and many other benefits.
- Mesothelioma lawsuits: The average lawsuit for mesothelioma awards $1 million or more. These lawsuits are never filed against the military or government, and veterans often start to get money in 90 days or less.
- Asbestos trust fund claims: Trusts contain over $30 billion and veterans may qualify to access some of this compensation without going to court.
These benefits and compensation options can go a long way toward making your life easier and protecting your family after a stage 3 mesothelioma diagnosis.
“At one point, we didn’t know where our next meal would come from. When the first check came in, I can remember how relieved I was.”
— Connie, wife of U.S. Army veteran and stage 3 mesothelioma patient Alan Bonnin
Get a Free Case Review now to connect with our legal partners and explore benefits and compensation available for stage 3 mesothelioma.
Get Help for Stage 3 Mesothelioma Cancer
Veterans and civilians facing stage 3 mesothelioma cancer may feel uncertain or worried about the future.
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center is here to help those affected find peace of mind during this difficult time.
Work with our team to:
- Access or increase VA benefits
- Find top doctors and treatments
- Pursue financial compensation for any expenses
Our caring and dedicated Patient Advocates will walk with you through a stage 3 mesothelioma diagnosis, making life easier for you and your loved ones.
Get a Free Veterans Packet or call (877) 450-8973 to see how we can assist you.
Mesothelioma Stage 3 FAQs
How long can a stage 3 cancer patient live?
The average life expectancy of stage 3 mesothelioma cancer is 18.9 months, according to a review of data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB).
With that said, some veterans and civilians with mesothelioma can live much longer depending on which treatments they receive.
What stage of mesothelioma is death?
Stage 4 mesothelioma is considered the last stage. In stage 3 mesothelioma, the cancer has spread regionally to nearby organs and tissue but still can be treated.
Stage 4 marks the point where distant metastasis has occurred. This means the cancer has spread to many parts of the body, limiting a patient’s health outlook and treatment options.
See a doctor promptly if you have possible symptoms of mesothelioma, like a cough or shortness of breath. This may help catch the cancer in an earlier stage when it’s easier to treat.
Can stage 3 mesothelioma be cured?
There’s no cure for mesothelioma stage 3 or any other stage. With that said, doctors can recommend treatments to help you live as long as possible.
Thanks to treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and more, some stage 3 mesothelioma patients have become long-term survivors.
Contact us now for help finding top doctors and cancer centers treating stage 3 mesothelioma.
Does cell type affect mesothelioma stage 3 prognosis?
Yes, your mesothelioma cell type can impact how long you live with stage 3 cancer. There are three cell types: epithelioid, sarcomatoid, and biphasic.
Epithelioid mesothelioma stage 3 has the best prognosis since these cells grow more slowly and are easier to treat. Biphasic and sarcomatoid mesothelioma spread faster and may not be as responsive to treatments.
Your mesothelioma doctor can determine your cell type and stage at the time of diagnosis and recommend the best treatment plans specific to your case.
Can you survive stage 3 mesothelioma?
Yes, it may be possible to survive stage 3 mesothelioma if you get aggressive treatments.
For example, John Panza is still living today over a decade after his stage 3 mesothelioma diagnosis following surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
Sid Toney also achieved long-term survival, living for 6 years following his diagnosis in 2019.
Get a Free Veterans Packet for help exploring treatments that may allow you or a veteran you love to survive mesothelioma stage 3.
