Stage 3 Mesothelioma

What Is Stage 3 Mesothelioma?

Stage 3 mesothelioma has spread beyond the pleura and into organs throughout the chest. Many patients develop noticeable symptoms like chest pain or a cough and are diagnosed in this stage.

Since it’s an advanced stage of mesothelioma, the prognosis (health outlook) is less favorable than earlier stages. However, some patients can live for over a decade if their cancer responds well to different treatment options.

We can help stage 3 mesothelioma patients find the best doctors and treatments for their case. Connect with a mesothelioma nurse now to see how we can assist you or a loved one.

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Amy Fair
20+ Years Helping
Mesothelioma Patients

Substages of Mesothelioma Stage 3

Stage 3 mesothelioma can be classified into 2 substages depending on where and how far the cancer has spread.

The substages of mesothelioma stage 3 are:

• Stage 3A: The cancer is in the chest wall, diaphragm, pericardium (lining of the heart), or deeper lung tissue. However, it’s still localized to one side of the body and can be treated with surgery.
• Stage 3B: Mesothelioma cancer cells have grown throughout the chest space and can’t be removed with surgery. Tumors may reach muscles or tissue around the ribs, peritoneum (abdominal lining), and pericardium on both sides of the chest.

“With mesothelioma, they save stage 4 for if it spreads to different organs. So, even though my husband is being torn up by this, it’s only considered stage 3B.”

— Connie Bonnin, wife of mesothelioma patient Alan Bonnin

Stage 3 Mesothelioma Symptoms

By stage 3, symptoms of mesothelioma may start to become more noticeable or disruptive.

Mesothelioma stage 3 symptoms include:

• Coughing up blood
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Fluid buildup in the lining of the lungs (pleural effusion)
• Pain that radiates from the chest to the back
• Persistent cough
• Shortness of breath
• Unexplained weight loss

“By this stage of mesothelioma, symptoms are typically noticeable and interfere with everyday life. Chest pain and pressure may worsen, and breathing may become increasingly labored.”

— Moffitt Cancer Center

If you notice any of these symptoms, talk with your doctor immediately to begin diagnostic testing.

Diagnosing Stage 3 Mesothelioma Cancer

Getting an accurate and prompt mesothelioma diagnosis allows patients to access treatments that can ease symptoms and hopefully allow them to live longer.

To diagnose mesothelioma stage 3, doctors use tests like:

1. A physical exam to discuss medical history and symptoms. Patients should mention any history of asbestos exposure during this appointment.
2. Blood tests to rule out other conditions and look for signs of cancer.
3. Imaging tests like chest X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and PET scans to identify any abnormal tissue or fluid buildup.
4. A biopsy to take a fluid or tissue sample to determine if cancer is present. This is the only way to know for sure if you have mesothelioma.

After confirming your mesothelioma diagnosis, doctors will then use the results of your imaging scans to determine if your cancer is in stage 3. This will also inform which treatments can be used in your case.

Contact one of our on-staff nurses now to get help finding a trusted mesothelioma specialist who can accurately diagnose you.

Speak With a Mesothelioma Nurse

• Find Top Doctors and Treatments
• Connect You With Clinical Trials
• Answer Medical Questions

Talk with Amy

Amy Fair
20+ Years Helping
Mesothelioma Patients

Stage 3 Mesothelioma Prognosis

A mesothelioma prognosis helps patients understand what to expect after their diagnosis. Generally speaking, the prognosis for mesothelioma stage 3 is less favorable than earlier stages. Patients typically live for less than 2 years in stage 3.

However, prognosis depends on several factors and is unique for every patient.

These factors include:

• Age: Younger patients can often endure more aggressive treatments than older patients, potentially allowing them to live longer with mesothelioma stage 3.
• Health and lifestyle: Patients with good overall health and no other chronic conditions may have more treatment options available.
• Mesothelioma cell type: Mesothelioma tumors consist of different cell types. Tumors with mainly epithelioid cells (the most common type) respond better to treatment.

Mesothelioma prognosis is measured using life expectancy and survival rate. Learn about each below.

Stage 3 Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

Life expectancy refers to how long doctors expect a patient to live after their diagnosis.

A 2023 review of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) found the average life expectancy for stage 3 mesothelioma is nearly 19 months with surgery.

Remember that life expectancy is only an estimate and some patients have lived for longer depending on their treatment plan.

Stage 3 Mesothelioma Cancer Survival Rate

Stage 3 mesothelioma survival rates measure the percentage of patients still alive after a set amount of time (typically 5 years).

The 5-year survival rate for stage 3 mesothelioma is 13%, according to data from the NCDB.

With that said, other stage 3 mesothelioma patients have surpassed the 5-year survival rate in some cases, living a decade or more.

Can Stage 3 Mesothelioma Go Into Remission?

Yes, although it is rare, some patients can achieve remission even during the later stages of mesothelioma.

Remission isn’t a cure. Instead, signs of cancer have disappeared or lessened, potentially giving patients more time to live.

Treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and more can help you potentially achieve remission and become a long-term survivor.

Stage 3 Mesothelioma by Type

Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lungs, is the one type of mesothelioma officially staged with the Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging system. The other types of mesothelioma are informally staged.

Learn about the different types of stage 3 mesothelioma below.

Stage 3 Pleural Mesothelioma

Under stage 3 of the TNM system, pleural mesothelioma tumors have spread past the lung lining and into the lungs, chest wall, and pericardium (lining of the heart). However, distant metastasis to other parts of the body has not occurred.

Over 62% of pleural mesothelioma patients are diagnosed in stage 3 according to a Thoracic Cancer report. It marks the point at which many patients start to experience noticeable symptoms, which include a cough, difficulty breathing, and chest pain.

Surgery — a crucial treatment for early-stage pleural mesothelioma patients — may or may not be available depending on cancer spread.

Stage 3 Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma, which forms in the abdominal lining, is unofficially staged as “localized” or “advanced” cancer in most cases.

However, doctors sometimes stage peritoneal mesothelioma with the peritoneal cancer index (PCI) staging system.

Using the PCI, doctors divide the abdominal cavity into different sections and assign a score to each based on cancer spread. Stage 3 peritoneal mesothelioma has a PCI score ranging from 21-30.

Stage 3 Mesothelioma Treatment

Doctors can use a wide variety of treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and sometimes surgery, to help patients with stage 3 mesothelioma live longer.

Learn about some of the top stage 3 mesothelioma treatments below.

Mesothelioma Surgery

If a patient has stage 3A mesothelioma, doctors may recommend using surgery (resection) to remove all visible cancer tumors from the body.

Common stage 3 mesothelioma surgeries include:

• Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP): An EPP involves the resection (removal) of the entire lung affected by mesothelioma, the pleura, diaphragm, and pericardium.
• Pleurectomy/decortication (P/D): A P/D removes the pleura and any visible tumors on the lung surface. This procedure aims to ease symptoms and improve lung function. It is less extensive than an EPP, so recovery times are faster.

Surgery is often combined with other stage 3 mesothelioma treatments like chemotherapy for best results.

“I think patients who have disease that can be resected can have long-term survivals after removal of that disease in conjunction with chemotherapy.”

— Dr. Taylor Ripley, mesothelioma specialist

Surgery isn’t possible for cases of stage 3B mesothelioma. However, doctors can recommend other treatments to help these patients.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs can help combat cancer cells throughout the body. For stage 3 mesothelioma, chemotherapy can reduce the size of tumors and slow the spread of cancer cells.

It’s often used as a supplement to surgery. It might be the main treatment if a stage 3 mesothelioma patient can’t safely undergo a surgical procedure.

Radiation

Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to target and shrink tumors. In stage 3, it can help relieve pain and discomfort associated with mesothelioma and may be used with other treatments to improve survival.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy boosts the body’s immune system so it can better target and attack cancer cells.

Over the last few years, immunotherapy has proven to be successful in treating mesothelioma, even for those who are not good candidates for surgery in stage 3.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials test novel therapies and approaches to improve mesothelioma treatment and offer hope for patients with stage 3 mesothelioma.

While not all patients may be eligible, these approaches can provide access to cutting-edge treatments that may have the potential to improve survival rates and enhance quality of life.

Stage 3 Mesothelioma Survivors

While stage 3 is considered advanced and harder to treat, many mesothelioma patients have lived longer than expected. Some have even become long-term survivors.

Notable stage 3 mesothelioma survivors include:

• Alan Bonnin: Alan was exposed to asbestos throughout his life, leading to his mesothelioma diagnosis in 2022. Alan bravely fought the cancer for three years and filed a mesothelioma lawsuit to afford treatments and financially protect his family.
• John Panza: Diagnosed in 2012 at just 38 years old, John received aggressive surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation to improve his life expectancy as much as possible. John is still alive today and is approaching 15 years of survivorship.
• Sid Toney: Following his stage 3 mesothelioma diagnosis, Sid decided on an aggressive treatment plan to spend as much time with his wife, children, and grandchildren as possible. Sid became a 6-year survivor.

“I just go through it. It is the challenge that I’ve been presented, and I guess that’s what I have to work with.”

— John Panza, stage 3 mesothelioma survivor

Connecting with experienced mesothelioma doctors after a diagnosis is the best way to work toward survivorship. Cancer specialists can recommend treatments to help you live as long as possible.

Get Help for a Mesothelioma Stage 3 Diagnosis

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with stage 3 mesothelioma, you’re not alone. Many others develop mesothelioma each year, and most patients are diagnosed in stage 3.

While a diagnosis can be scary and shocking, our mesothelioma nurses can help you access the resources you need.

Work with our team to:

• Connect with top mesothelioma doctors
• Find the best treatments for your case
• Get supportive resources to make life with cancer easier
• Pursue financial compensation and justice

Lung Cancer Group is ready to assist you and your family in any way we can following a stage 3 mesothelioma diagnosis.

Connect with one of our nurses now or call (877) 446-5767 to get started.