Prognosis

Mesothelioma Prognosis

Unfortunately, the prognosis for mesothelioma is poor, with most patients living less than one year.

Malignant mesothelioma is extremely aggressive and has a long latency period. In other words, the disease usually remains undetected until the cancer has reached an advanced stage. While there is no cure for mesothelioma, the prognosis has been slowly improving over the years. This advancement is due to the development of experimental treatments, new detection and diagnostic methods, and research within clinical trials.

Prognosis depends on many factors, including the stage of the mesothelioma.
The life expectancy for most mesothelioma patients approximately 1 – 2 years after diagnosis.
Early detection and treatment can improve mesothelioma survival rate for many patients.

What Factors Affect Mesothelioma Prognosis?

There are five primary factors that doctors consider when determining a prognosis for mesothelioma patients. Although these factors can help physicians provide patients with a prognosis, how quickly the disease advances will still vary on a case-by-case basis.

Stage Location Cell Type Metastasis Health

Early Detection is Key

Stage is the most important factor in determining a patient's prognosis. Patients diagnosed at an early stage of mesothelioma will have more treatment options and a better prognosis than those diagnosed at a later stage.

Lungs, Abdomen, or Heart

While average life expectancy varies for patients diagnosed with each type of mesothelioma, peritoneal (abdomen) patients typically survive one year or longer, and pleural (lung) mesothelioma patients have an average prognosis of about six months to one year.

Epithelioid, Biphasic, or Sarcomatoid

Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common cell type and also has the best prognosis. The prognosis worses with biphasic mesothelioma due to the presence of sarcomatoid cells. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma has the least favorable prognosis, as these cells spread aggressively and are not as responsive to cancer treatments.

Cancer Spreads

Mesothelioma metastasis means the cancer has spread beyond where the tumors originated, limiting treatment options and greatly impacting life expectancy. Once the disease begins to spread, it is much harder to remove the cancer through surgery or kill the cancer cells with chemotherapy.

Overall Health of Patient

Poor overall health will limit treatment options and lower life expectancy for patients facing a mesothelioma diagnosis. Older patients may not be able to withstand the side effects of surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and also tend to have other conditions that can worsen the disease or limit treatment options.

Mesothelioma Remission and Recurrence

Despite a generally poor prognosis, some mesothelioma patients have been able to achieve remission and long-term survival. While remission is a large accomplishment for patients, it’s important to maintain frequent follow ups and monitoring to recognize any potential recurrence, or the return of tumors after remission. Early detection of recurrent tumors is important, and patients with a history of benign mesothelioma should also be aware that tumors have a potential to recur as malignant.

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Types

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There are four main types of mesothelioma based on the location in the body where tumors originate—most commonly affecting the lungs.

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Stages

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Mesothelioma can be categorized into one of four stages, which classify how far the cancer has progressed in the body.

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Treatment

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While there is no cure for malignant mesothelioma, there are treatment options that can help patients improve their prognosis and reduce symptoms.

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