A mesothelioma prognosis is how long you are expected to live with this cancer. Mesothelioma patients live for 18 months on average, with 15% living for 5 years or more. However, treatments could allow you to live much longer. We can help you find therapies to improve your mesothelioma prognosis and work toward becoming a survivor.
What Is the Prognosis for Mesothelioma?
The average malignant mesothelioma prognosis is not as favorable as other cancers, with patients typically living for a year and a half.
Your prognosis is measured using two factors:
- Mesothelioma life expectancy: The average length of time you can expect to survive following a diagnosis. The typical life expectancy for mesothelioma is 18 months with treatment.
- Mesothelioma survival rate: This is the percentage of patients still alive after a specified length of time. Just 15% of mesothelioma patients are still alive after 5 years.
You may feel worried or overwhelmed by these figures. It can be helpful to remember that they are just averages, and your mesothelioma prognosis could be different. Some mesothelioma patients have lived for 20 years or more, defying expectations.
Get our Free Veterans Packet to find doctors and treatments that could help improve your mesothelioma prognosis.
Improving Prognosis for Mesothelioma
A mesothelioma prognosis is not set in stone and could change for the better. There are different actions you can take to increase the chances of living longer.
Here are tips on how to improve a mesothelioma prognosis:
Work with a mesothelioma specialist
A mesothelioma specialist can offer the best treatments for your case. If you’re a veteran with mesothelioma, you can get care from specialists for free or at a low cost through VA benefits.
Undergo surgery
Many mesothelioma doctors agree that surgeries offer the best chance to improve your life span. Surgeries allow doctors to remove mesothelioma tumors so the cancer won’t spread.
Get support
Mesothelioma is stressful, but with help from friends, loved ones, and other resources like support groups, you can get the strength needed for your cancer battle.
Call (877) 450-8973 right now to find mesothelioma specialists, cancer treatments, and support that may help improve your prognosis.
Pleural Mesothelioma Prognosis
There are several types of mesothelioma, and pleural mesothelioma is the most common. It develops in the lining of the lungs. The overall life expectancy is 18 months and the 5-year survival rate is 15%.
Your malignant pleural mesothelioma prognosis may be better if you’re diagnosed before the cancer spreads and you get surgery to remove tumors. Some pleural mesothelioma patients have lived for years, and even decades, with the right treatments.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Prognosis
Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma forms in the lining of the abdominal cavity. Patients with this type live for 4 and a half years on average, and the 5-year survival rate is 47%.
Doctors can often treat peritoneal mesothelioma by using surgery and follow-up chemotherapy, which may allow you to live a long time.
Pericardial Mesothelioma Prognosis
Pericardial mesothelioma forms in the lining of the heart and is very rare. If you have pericardial mesothelioma, your prognosis will likely not be very favorable.
The life expectancy is 2-6 months and the 2-year survival rate is just over 12%. However, you could possibly live longer with treatment.
Testicular Mesothelioma Prognosis
Testicular mesothelioma affects the lining of the testicles. It has a relatively good prognosis since there are effective treatments. Patients live for nearly 47 months on average with surgery, and half of all patients are alive 5 years after diagnosis.
Prognosis of Mesothelioma by Stage
Malignant pleural mesothelioma has four stages. If you have early-stage cancer, you’ll likely have a better prognosis since your cancer won’t have spread and will be easier to treat.
Here is the prognosis for each stage of mesothelioma:
- Stage 1 mesothelioma prognosis: Stage 1 patients live for 21 months on average. The 2-year overall survival rate is 39% with surgery, according to a National Cancer Database (NCDB) review.
- Stage 2 mesothelioma prognosis: Stage 2 patients have an average life expectancy of 19 months, with 39% living for 2 years after surgery.
- Stage 3 mesothelioma prognosis: Stage 3 has a 2-year survival rate of 41%, according to the NCDB. The average life expectancy is 16 months.
- Mesothelioma stage 4 prognosis: Stage 4 has the least favorable prognosis because metastasis (spread through the body) has occurred. Patients live for a year with surgery and the 2-year survival rate is 31%.
It’s important to remember that long-term survival may be possible even with advanced-stage mesothelioma. Every case of mesothelioma is different, so you could potentially live longer with the right treatment plan.
Get our Free Veterans Packet to find treatments, doctors, and cancer centers that can help you live as long as possible with mesothelioma.
Cell Type and Prognosis of Mesothelioma
Your doctor may refer to your mesothelioma by the type of cells found in a cancer tumor. The three cell types are epithelioid, biphasic, and sarcomatoid. Each mesothelioma cell type has its own unique prognosis since some respond better to treatment.
Here’s what to know about mesothelioma prognosis by cell type:
- Epithelioid mesothelioma prognosis: Epithelial cells are the easiest to treat, so you may have a better prognosis. Patients live for 14 months on average and have a 2-year median survival rate of 45%, according to NCDB data.
- Sarcomatoid mesothelioma prognosis: These cells spread quickly, so the prognosis isn’t as good. The life expectancy is 4 months and 15% of patients were alive 2 years later, as noted in the NCDB data.
- Biphasic mesothelioma prognosis: Biphasic tumors contain both epithelial and sarcomatoid cells. If there are more epithelioid cancer cells, your prognosis will be better. Biphasic patients live for 10 months on average, and the 2-year survival rate is 22%.
If you’re confused or concerned, ask your doctor to explain which cell type you have and how it will affect your overall health. This can give you a better idea of what to expect moving forward.
Mesothelioma Treatment and Prognosis
The best way to improve your mesothelioma prognosis is to get treatment since it allows doctors to destroy or remove cancer tumors. You may outlive your prognosis by months or even years with the right mesothelioma treatments.
Treatments that may improve your mesothelioma prognosis include:
- Surgeries: Doctors can remove cancer tumors with different types of surgery. With pleural mesothelioma, patients live for around 3 years on average with surgery. For peritoneal mesothelioma, the average survival time is 4 and a half years with surgery and chemotherapy.
- Chemotherapy: This is medicine that kills cancer. Mesothelioma patients treated with chemotherapy lived for 14 months on average and had a 2-year survival rate of 29%, according to the NCDB.
- Immunotherapy: These medications help the immune system fight cancer. Mesothelioma patients treated with immunotherapy lived for over 18 months in a recent study. The 2-year survival rate was 41%.
- Radiation: Beams of energy shrink cancer tumors. The NCDB found that mesothelioma patients had a 2-year survival rate of 26% and lived for a year when treated with radiation therapy.
- Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields): Electrical pads stop cancer from spreading. Mesothelioma patients treated with TTFields and chemotherapy lived for over 18 months on average and had a 2-year survival rate of 42% in a recent study.
- Clinical trials: These test new treatments and combinations of treatments. You may live longer thanks to a mesothelioma treatment offered only in a trial. A doctor can help find trials near you to join if you’re interested.
Top doctors can recommend the best treatments to improve your mesothelioma prognosis depending on your cancer type, stage, and other factors.
Mesothelioma Prognosis Without Treatment
Mesothelioma is aggressive, so if you don’t get treated, your prognosis could be less favorable since cancer will spread unchecked.
Pleural mesothelioma patients only live 4-12 months without treatment, according to Cancer Therapy Advisor. Untreated peritoneal mesothelioma patients live for 6-12 months, as noted by Translational Lung Cancer Research.
Getting aggressive treatment is a personal decision, though. If you decide against it, doctors can still recommend palliative care to ease pain and give you the best quality of life. Some patients have lived a long time even without getting major treatments.
Get a Free Veterans Packet to explore which treatments could be best for your prognosis of mesothelioma and find out how to access them.
Remission, Recurrence, and Prognosis for Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma remission means cancer is no longer growing, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). You could enter remission after treatment, and your prognosis could improve as a result.
Mesothelioma recurrence is when the cancer comes back after remission. While it can be scary to know that your cancer has returned, you could get more treatment to help you live longer or go into remission again.
Your mesothelioma doctors can recommend the best treatment plan to work toward remission or fight cancer recurrence.
Other Factors Affecting Mesothelioma Prognosis
Many demographic factors affect mesothelioma prognosis, including your age, race, and sex, as shown in data from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER).
Factors that impact your mesothelioma prognosis include:
- Age: If you’re younger, you’re more likely to qualify for more aggressive treatments and live longer. Patients 65 or older have a 5-year survival rate of 8.5%, while those 50 and younger have a 5-year survival rate of over 52%.
- Race: Black people have a 14% 5-year survival rate, White and Hispanic people have roughly an 11% 5-year survival rate, and Asian people or Pacific Islanders have a 9% 5-year survival rate.
- Sex: Women tend to have a better prognosis than men. The 5-year survival rate of women with mesothelioma is about 23%, while the average 5-year survival rate for men is 12.5%.
It can be helpful to think of these statistics as a starting point, but don’t let them define what to expect. Each person’s journey with mesothelioma is different, and in some cases, patients given just months to live have survived for decades.
U.S. Veterans Who Outlived Their Mesothelioma Prognosis
Many U.S. veterans who have developed mesothelioma went on to defy a poor prognosis, living for much longer than expected. Hear mesothelioma survivor stories from real U.S. veterans below.
Art Putt
- Military branch: U.S. Air Force & U.S. Army
- Diagnosis: Pleural mesothelioma
- Original prognosis: 6 months to 1 year
Art Putt suffered asbestos exposure while working as a mechanic. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2018 and is still living today thanks to treatments and nutritional changes.
Ernie Conry
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Diagnosis: Pleural mesothelioma
- Original prognosis: 12 to 21 months
Following decades of working with asbestos as a mechanic, Ernie was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He lived for 7 years and used his new lease on life to warn others about the dangers of asbestos.
Walt Twidwell
- Military branch: U.S. Navy
- Diagnosis: Pleural mesothelioma
- Original prognosis: Under 1 year
Walt was diagnosed with advanced mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos on U.S. Navy ships. Deciding against major treatment, Walt lived 2 and a half years, which was an incredible feat.
Contact us now for help potentially improving your mesothelioma prognosis after a diagnosis.
Get Help Improving Your Mesothelioma Prognosis
Knowing you have a rare cancer like mesothelioma can be scary, especially since the average prognosis is not favorable. But you may live longer than expected with medical care, giving you more time with the people you love.
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center is here to help you or someone you love after a diagnosis.
Work with our team to:
- Explore treatments that could help you live longer
- Find top mesothelioma doctors near you
- Seek VA benefits and compensation for treatment costs
- Get the support you need throughout your cancer journey
Our experienced and dedicated Patient Advocates will stand by you every step of the way. Call (877) 450-8973 or get a Free Veterans Packet now to learn more.
Prognosis for Mesothelioma FAQs
What is the prognosis of mesothelioma?
The average prognosis for mesothelioma is 18 months, with 15% of patients still alive 5 years after diagnosis.
That said, you could live much longer depending on your cancer stage, type, and which treatment options you receive. Some mesothelioma patients have lived for over 20 years, becoming long-term survivors.
Is mesothelioma always fatal?
Mesothelioma is not always fatal. There are many U.S. veterans and civilians living full lives after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
“There is a misconception that mesothelioma is a death sentence. It's not,” says mesothelioma specialist Dr. Raja Flores. “Yes, a lot of patients do die from it, but you're not guaranteed to die if you have mesothelioma.”
The best way to become a long-term survivor is to get treatment. Get our Free Veterans Packet to explore treatments that may improve your mesothelioma prognosis.
How long do you live after being diagnosed with mesothelioma?
The average mesothelioma prognosis is 18 months, but you could live much longer depending on the type you have, your stage, and treatment options.
Your doctor can tell you how long you can expect to live and which treatments you qualify for.
Has anyone beaten mesothelioma?
Yes, some mesothelioma patients have beaten this cancer, living for many years or even decades. U.S. veteran Art Putt has lived for nearly 10 years despite an aggressive mesothelioma diagnosis in 2018.
Mary Jane Williams also beat mesothelioma. After receiving treatments like surgery and chemotherapy, she lived for 15 years cancer-free. She passed away without the cancer ever coming back.
While not everyone beats mesothelioma, you have a better chance of doing so by getting treatment from doctors who specialize in this cancer.
What is the prognosis for recurrent mesothelioma?
The prognosis for recurrent mesothelioma depends on how far the cancer spreads and how it responds to treatments. Some cases of recurrent mesothelioma resist treatments that worked at first. However, catching a recurrence early on increases your odds of having a better prognosis.
What is the mesothelioma prognosis stage 4?
The average stage 4 mesothelioma prognosis is poor, with patients living 1 year on average. The 2-year survival rate is 31%. But you may be able to live longer if you’re able to undergo aggressive treatments.
John Stahl has lived for over 6 years with stage 4 mesothelioma thanks to chemotherapy. “I’m doing very well, as a matter of fact,” he says today. “I play golf twice a week. I ride the side-by-side. I’m pretty well back to normal.”
Call (877) 450-8973 to find top doctors and treatments to help improve your stage 4 mesothelioma prognosis.
