Mesothelioma Prognosis
A mesothelioma prognosis estimates how long a patient with this cancer is expected to live. The average mesothelioma prognosis is a life expectancy of 12-21 months and a 5-year survival rate of 12%. Your prognosis could improve depending on which treatments you receive and other factors. We can help you find the best treatments so you can live as long as possible.
What Is Mesothelioma Prognosis?
Mesothelioma doctors provide a prognosis based on cancer type, stage, cell type, and other factors. It’s measured in two ways: life expectancy (average survival time) and survival rate (percentage of patients still alive after a set time span).
The average malignant mesothelioma prognosis is fewer than 2 years. This is because the cancer is often not detected until it has reached advanced stages, making it harder to treat.
However, your mesothelioma prognosis may improve with treatment. Some mesothelioma patients have become long-term survivors, living for 15 years or more.
“They gave me a death sentence. I proved them wrong.”
— Larry, peritoneal mesothelioma patient
Our registered nurses can help you find top doctors and cancer centers to improve your mesothelioma prognosis. Speak with a mesothelioma nurse for free now to learn more.
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Amy Fair
20+ Years Helping
Mesothelioma Patients
Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
The average mesothelioma life expectancy is 12-21 months, with patients typically living longer if they’re diagnosed before the cancer has spread.
Mesothelioma Survival Rate
The 5-year mesothelioma survival rate is 12%, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). This means only 12% of patients are still living 5 years after diagnosis. That said, you could become a long-term survivor with medical care.
Prognosis for Mesothelioma by Type
There are four types of mesothelioma, depending on where tumors form in the body following asbestos exposure. Each type has a different prognosis as some are easier to treat than others.
Learn about the prognosis of mesothelioma by type below.
Pleural Mesothelioma Prognosis
Malignant pleural mesothelioma develops in the lining of the lungs (pleura). It is the most common type of mesothelioma, accounting for over 75% of cases.
The average life span is 13.1-19.2 months, and the 5-year survival rate is 11-13%, according to a 2022 review of National Cancer Database (NCDB) patient data.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Prognosis
Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the abdominal lining. It’s the second most common type of this cancer and has the best prognosis.
A treatment called cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) can greatly improve abdominal mesothelioma prognosis, with patients living for 53 months on average and having a 5-year survival rate of 47%.
Call (877) 446-5767 to speak with our nurses about treatments to help improve your mesothelioma prognosis.
Pericardial Mesothelioma Prognosis
Pericardial mesothelioma is rare, developing in the lining of the heart, and has the worst prognosis. Patients typically live for only 2-6 months and have a 5-year survival rate of about 9%.
Testicular Mesothelioma Prognosis
Testicular mesothelioma is the rarest of all types and forms in the testicle lining. Patients with this cancer have an average life expectancy of 46 months and a five-year survival rate of 49%, as it can often be effectively treated with surgery.
Malignant Mesothelioma Prognosis by Stage
Mesothelioma stage greatly impacts prognosis, as earlier stages are easier to treat. Doctors use the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system to determine how far pleural mesothelioma has spread.
The other types of mesothelioma don’t have official stages, but doctors can assess cancer spread at the time of diagnosis and factor that into the patient’s prognosis.
Stage 1 mesothelioma has a life expectancy of 19.2 months and a 2-year survival rate of 39% with surgery, according to a NCDB data review. This stage is the easiest to treat.
Stage 2 mesothelioma has a similar prognosis to stage 1. Patients can live for 19.2 months and have a 39% 2-year survival rate when treated with surgery, according to the NCDB review. The cancer has started to spread in stage 2 but still responds well to treatments.
Stage 3 mesothelioma has a slightly lower overall life expectancy but a higher survival rate than earlier stages. Patients live for 18.9 months on average and have a 2-year survival rate of 41%. This cancer may be harder to treat depending on the spread, which could lead to a lower prognosis.
Stage 4 mesothelioma has the worst prognosis of all stages. Patients live for 13.1 months and have a 2-year survival rate of 11%, as noted by the NCDB. By this point, the cancer has spread past the lung lining to distant parts of the body, but long-term survival is still possible.
“I’m doing very well, as a matter of fact. I’m pretty well back to normal.”
— John, stage 4 mesothelioma survivor
Connect with our registered nurses to find the best treatments and doctors to improve your mesothelioma prognosis.
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Amy Fair
20+ Years Helping
Mesothelioma Patients
Mesothelioma Prognosis by Cell Type
Mesothelioma tumors are made up of different types of cells, some of which are easier to treat than others. Because of this, mesothelioma cell type directly affects a patient’s prognosis.
![Epithelioid cells]()
Epithelioid Mesothelioma Prognosis
Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common type, making up 70% of cases. These round cells don’t spread as quickly and are easy to treat, so patients have the best prognosis. The average life expectancy is 14 months, and the 2-year survival rate is 65%.
![Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Prognosis]()
Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Prognosis
Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the rarest type, accounting for about 10-20% of cases. These spindle-shaped cells don’t stick together and spread rapidly, making them resistant to treatment. The life expectancy is 7 months, and the 2-year survival rate is 20%.
![Biphasic mesothelioma]()
Biphasic Mesothelioma Prognosis
Biphasic mesothelioma is when both epithelioid and sarcomatoid cells make up a cancer tumor. It’s easier to treat if there are more epithelial cells. The life expectancy for patients is about 10 months, with a 2-year survival rate of 22% when treated using surgery.
What Factors Influence Mesothelioma Prognosis?
The most notable prognostic factors of mesothelioma are how early the cancer is detected and how quickly treatment can begin. However, many other factors impact prognosis for mesothelioma patients.
- Age: Younger patients who are relatively healthy tend to have a better mesothelioma prognosis since they can withstand more aggressive treatments and are at a lower risk of complications.
- Blood traits: Studies have shown that red and white blood cell counts and platelet levels may impact survival time. Mesothelioma doctors will order regular blood work to ensure your body is responding well to treatment.
- Gender: Female mesothelioma patients have a better prognosis as their bodies typically respond to treatments better than males.
- Overall health: Patients who don’t have other health problems may tolerate treatments more easily.
Call (877) 446-5767 to speak with our nurses about treatments that could help you live longer with mesothelioma.
How to Improve Prognosis for Mesothelioma Patients
After being diagnosed with mesothelioma and receiving a prognosis, stay hopeful: it may be possible to live longer than expected. Learn about ways to improve your prognosis below.
Mesothelioma Treatment and Prognosis
Mesothelioma treatment is the most important way for you to potentially live longer with this cancer.
Highly effective treatments for mesothelioma include:
- Cytoreduction with HIPEC: Treats peritoneal mesothelioma by using abdominal surgery and chemotherapy. Patients live for 53 months on average with this treatment.
- Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP): Surgically removes pleural mesothelioma cancer tumors, the lung closest to the cancer, and the lung lining. Patients who receive an EPP have a life expectancy of about 36 months.
- Pleurectomy with decortication (P/D): Less invasive than EPP, doctors take out any visible tumors and the lung lining, but both lungs are left intact. The average life expectancy of patients who receive a P/D is around 34 months.
- Chemotherapy: Drugs that circulate through the body to kill cancer. Pleural mesothelioma patients live for 14 months on average when treated with just chemotherapy.
- Radiation therapy: Beams of energy that shrink cancer tumors. The average life expectancy is 12.2 months in pleural mesothelioma patients who receive this treatment.
- Immunotherapy: Boosts the body’s immune system response to kill cancer. Patients with pleural mesothelioma live for an average of 15.2 months, thanks to immunotherapy.
Doctors may recommend using several of these therapies together in a multimodal treatment plan for best results.
“My surgical team did everything in their power to help me. They researched. They talked to doctors from other hospitals all over the country.”
— Alexis, 17+ year mesothelioma survivor
Without treatment, a mesothelioma prognosis is poor, with most patients living less than 1 year on average.
Healthy Habits
Mesothelioma patients should try to maintain their overall health as best they can while getting treatment. Doing so can keep their bodies as strong as possible and help increase their chances of outliving their prognosis.
Habits that may help improve mesothelioma prognosis include:
- Exercising regularly: Keeping the body moving can improve blood flow, reduce stress, and boost mood.
- Quitting smoking: Smoking can worsen mesothelioma symptoms and make it much harder to recover from treatments.
- Joining a support group: Support groups made up of other cancer patients and professional facilitators may help you feel less alone.
- Working with a nutritionist: Cancer nutritionists can ensure you are eating properly while battling cancer to keep your strength up. Some cancer centers might have nutritionists available within oncology (cancer) departments.
Speak with our registered nurses now to get more tips on how to improve your mesothelioma prognosis. It costs nothing to speak with our team.
- Find Top Doctors and Treatments
- Connect You With Clinical Trials
- Answer Medical Questions
Amy Fair
20+ Years Helping
Mesothelioma Patients
Get Help To Improve Your Mesothelioma Prognosis
Every case of mesothelioma is different, and a prognosis could change for the better over time, depending on how your body responds to treatments.
The entire Lung Cancer Group team is ready to walk with you after a mesothelioma diagnosis, so you can get the care and support needed to live longer.
Our registered nurses can help you:
- Connect with top doctors and cancer centers nearby
- Explore different treatment options
- Find support groups and other resources
- Understand your compensation options to help cover expenses
Remember: long-term survivorship may be possible, even with aggressive cancers like mesothelioma.
Call (877) 446-5767 or connect with our mesothelioma nurses now to get started.
Prognosis for Mesothelioma FAQs
What are the odds of beating mesothelioma?
Though rare, it may be possible to beat mesothelioma or greatly improve your prognosis. Your best option is to seek out mesothelioma treatments from top doctors.
By working with mesothelioma specialists, you can get the treatments needed to destroy as much of the cancer as possible and increase your odds of living longer.
Can mesothelioma be cured if caught early?
There is technically no cure for mesothelioma at this time, but patients may be able to improve their prognosis if the cancer is diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
Early-stage mesothelioma is easier to treat since it hasn’t spread. Some mesothelioma patients have lived for 15 years or more thanks to aggressive treatments like surgery, far outliving the typical prognosis of 12-21 months.
Can mesothelioma go into remission?
Possibly, yes. Though rare, there have been reports of mesothelioma patients achieving remission. Mesothelioma remission means cancer signs and symptoms have disappeared, which can greatly improve prognosis.
Mesothelioma doctors can develop a treatment plan to help you live as long as possible and potentially achieve remission.
How long will I live if I have mesothelioma?
The average life expectancy of mesothelioma is between 12 and 21 months. However, each case of mesothelioma is unique.
Patients should work closely with a mesothelioma specialist who can provide a more specific prognosis based on the factors in their case.
Contact us now to find out more about treatments that may help you live longer with mesothelioma.
What is the longest someone has lived with mesothelioma?
The longest someone has lived with mesothelioma is over 25 years. Some mesothelioma patients respond very well to treatments that destroy the cancer or stop it from growing.
Working with your mesothelioma doctor will ensure you have the best treatment plan to improve your mesothelioma prognosis.
Does mesothelioma spread fast?
Yes, mesothelioma can spread quickly through the body if it’s not properly diagnosed and treated. This can limit a patient’s overall prognosis.
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, see a doctor promptly and let them know of your concerns. Be sure to let them know about any asbestos exposure history, as this can help them rule out more common and less serious health issues when making a diagnosis.
