Mesothelioma life expectancy is 12 to 21 months with treatment. Without treatment, life expectancy ranges from 6 to 8 months. Mesothelioma patients may improve life expectancy by making lifestyle changes and undergoing treatment.
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What Is the Life Expectancy for Mesothelioma Patients?
Mesothelioma life expectancy refers to the expected length of time a patient is expected to live after a diagnosis. It can vary greatly depending on whether the patient receives treatment. On average, the life expectancy for someone diagnosed with mesothelioma is as follows:
Life Expectancy With Treatment: 12 to 21 months
Life Expectancy Without Treatment: 6 to 8 months
Factors impacting life expectancy for mesothelioma patients include the stage of cancer at diagnosis, the type of mesothelioma, the type of cells present and the patient’s overall health.
When patients or their loved ones ask, I share that everyone is different and nobody can tell a new patient their life expectancy after just being diagnosed. I explain that mesothelioma is no longer a death sentence.
You can improve your mesothelioma life expectancy and prognosis in many ways. For example, pleural mesothelioma patients undergoing aggressive therapy may have a longer asbestos cancer life expectancy. Studies show that 9.6% of pleural mesothelioma patients undergoing treatment live for 5 years or more. Without treatment, living longer than 6 months is rare.
Oncologists often find it difficult to provide definitive numbers or statistics regarding each patient’s life expectancy. Many factors determine your potential mesothelioma life expectancy.
What Factors Affect Mesothelioma Life Expectancy?
Cancer type, age and health are critical factors in a patient’s mesothelioma life expectancy. Genetics, cell type, stage and gender also play a role. Managing coexisting conditions and improving overall health can help extend your life expectancy.
While many factors may be out of your control, others, such as lifestyle habits and treatment options, are within your control. The combination of multiple factors in each patient’s journey can influence whether someone exceeds the typical life expectancy.
Many patients with an early diagnosis are asymptomatic and have no signs or symptoms of mesothelioma. Those who receive an early diagnosis also often have a higher life expectancy. For this reason, providers should monitor those with pleural fluid and a history of asbestos exposure more closely, even if the effusion is minor or resolves spontaneously.
If you’ve had asbestos exposure in the past, inform your provider about your history and any new or worsening symptoms. Closely watching patients with a history of asbestos exposure leads to more individuals receiving an earlier diagnosis and having a longer life expectancy.
Type of Mesothelioma & Tumor Location
The life expectancy for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma varies significantly depending on where tumors form in the body. For example, patients with peritoneal mesothelioma in the abdomen often live longer than patients with pleural tumors in the chest.
Life Expectancy for Each Mesothelioma Type
Pleural mesothelioma: People with pleural mesothelioma tumors in the protective lining of the chest and outer lungs live an average of 3 years with surgery. Roughly 3 in 4 pleural patients live longer than 1 year after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Peritoneal mesothelioma: Peritoneal patients have mesothelioma in the abdomen. They have a life expectancy of about 12 months with chemotherapy. About 50% of peritoneal mesothelioma patients live 5 years or more with aggressive treatments such as surgery.
Pericardial mesothelioma: Pericardial mesothelioma occurs in the protective heart sac. Patients with this condition have an average life expectancy of 3 to 10 months.
Testicular mesothelioma: Life expectancy for testicular mesothelioma is between 20 months and 2 years.
Tumor location also influences symptoms and complications. Patients with tumors in the chest are more likely to experience respiratory and cardiac issues, such as shortness of breath or abnormal heart rate. Peritoneal tumors in the abdomen can cause digestive problems and organ failure in sensitive organs such as the kidneys and liver.
The average mesothelioma life expectancy is about 1 to 2 years. Here I am, 14 years later. It’s very rare for a peritoneal mesothelioma patient to live this long.
Stage at Diagnosis
The stage of mesothelioma is a vital factor because earlier stages lead to a longer life expectancy. Doctors measure stages from 1 to 4 to describe the extent of metastasis or tumor spread. Stage 4 is the most advanced and final phase. Life expectancy for stage 4 mesothelioma is 12 months with treatment.
Stages 1 and 2 are early stages. Patients with early-stage mesothelioma cancer tend to live for 19 to 21 months. Late-stage mesothelioma involves stages 3 and 4. These patients have a life expectancy of 12 to 16 months. If the cancer spread is not significant, you may be able to consider surgery.
Cell Type
The type of cells within tumors influence which treatments are most effective. Life expectancy is higher for patients with epithelial tumor cells. Pleural patients with the epithelial cell type have a life expectancy of 14.4 months. Peritoneal tumors with epithelial cells increase life expectancy to 51.5 months.
Sarcomatoid mesothelioma cells are more aggressive and resistant to treatment. The life expectancy for pleural patients with these cells is 5.3 months and 10.5 months for peritoneal patients. The biphasic type is a mixture of epithelial and sarcomatoid cells, leading to a life expectancy of 9.5 months for pleural and 10.5 months for peritoneal.
Age, Gender and Overall Health
Age, gender and overall health can all affect mesothelioma life expectancy. Older patients, those with co-existing conditions and men generally have shorter life expectancies, while women and individuals in better health tend to live longer.
Age: Pleural mesothelioma patients at age 40 may expect to live between 4 to 9 years, whereas at age 80, life expectancy is between 1 to 3 years. Life expectancy also improves the longer you live with mesothelioma.
Gender: Mesothelioma statistics show roughly 50% of men live for 5 or more years with mesothelioma. More than 75% of women with peritoneal mesothelioma live for at least 5 years.
Health: Chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, COPD, obesity and diabetes, can decrease life expectancy.
Although smoking doesn’t cause mesothelioma like asbestos exposure, it can significantly decrease life expectancy for those with asbestos-related cancer. Studies show that when asbestos exposure is combined with smoking, the lung cancer death rate is 28 times higher than average.
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Treatment can extend life expectancy several years for most patients. Stage 4 mesothelioma life expectancy is about 1 year with treatment. Late-stage mesothelioma patients treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy may see improved life expectancy.
Palliative care may help increase your life expectancy when started alongside conventional treatment. It can help ease your symptoms such as pain and other discomfort. Most palliative options are less-invasive forms of traditional therapy, such as chemotherapy or radiation.
Mesothelioma Treatments and Your Life Expectancy
Chemotherapy: Alimta (pemetrexed) and cisplatin chemotherapy improve life expectancy more than 100% for some. Chemo is the primary treatment for mesothelioma.
Clinical Research: Newer drugs and procedures are used. Some clinical trials use the immune system or genes in your DNA to treat cancer.
Immunotherapy: Checkpoint inhibitor drugs can improve mesothelioma life expectancy about 30%. Immunotherapy drugs use your immune system cells to fight cancer.
Radiation: Combined with chemotherapy, it can improve life expectancy for asbestos cancer patients about 40%. Radiotherapy is a practical part of a multimodal treatment plan.
Surgery: HIPEC surgery in peritoneal patients may boost life expectancy 37%. Surgical procedures can improve pleural mesothelioma life expectancy more than 45%.
TTFields: In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Tumor Treating Fields for mesothelioma. This at-home treatment can extend life expectancy almost 50%.
Mesothelioma survivor Jerry Lampe has lived more than 40 years since his peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosis. Initially told he had 6 to 12 months to live, Jerry tells us he found immunotherapy worked for him.
“I say my prayer of thanks for the privilege of another day,” Lampe told The Mesothelioma Center. “It’s my way of not forgetting reality, but I often ask myself why I’m still alive.”
Survivor Story
Survivor Story
Doug JacksonMesothelioma Survivor
Pleural Mesothelioma Survivor Defies the Odds
In December 2016, Doug Jackson was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, and given a prognosis of just one year. By May 2017, he courageously underwent pleurectomy and decortication surgery at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Doug’s surgery and follow-up treatments were successful, and he now passionately cares for his family ranch in Wyoming.
With any diagnosis, cancer can progress fast without therapy. Pleural mesothelioma life expectancy without treatment is about 6 to 8 months. Peritoneal mesothelioma life expectancy without treatment is about 6 months.
Some patients feel uncomfortable with cancer treatment. Deciding if the benefits outweigh the risks of treatment is a personal decision. Consider discussing the benefits and risks with your loved ones and physician. Electing treatment is your best chance at living longer with asbestos-related cancer.
How to Improve Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
Working with a specialist and maintaining fitness can improve your health and extend your lifespan. You and your family have access to many resources. Consult your doctor before starting any new diet, exercise or therapy. Some supplements can cause harmful effects with cancer drugs.
5 Tips to Improve Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
Consider Integrative Medicine. Complementary or integrative therapy examples include acupuncture or yoga. Along with proven cancer therapy, it may help reduce your stress and pain.
Eat Right. Cancer patients need adequate protein and calories to recover from treatments. A mesothelioma diet can prevent weight loss and help maintain your immune function.
Find a Mesothelioma Specialist. Mesothelioma doctors include oncologists, surgeons and others. They can offer you the latest and best therapies at top research and treatment centers.
Increase Activity Level. “Performance status” refers to activity level and general fitness. It affects life expectancy and your ability to recover from aggressive cancer treatments.
Stop Smoking. Smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases the risk of developing lung cancer and also decreases mesothelioma life expectancy.
Life expectancy information can be very personal. Remember that support is available. A mesothelioma diagnosis is challenging, but you don’t have to cope with the stress alone. The range of emotions and stress during cancer treatment can be overwhelming. Reaching out for mental health support can help you cope with a mesothelioma diagnosis.
When we talk about the life expectancy for a mesothelioma patient, we tend to talk about numbers. But people are people and an individual human being, not numbers and not data.
Common Questions About Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
What is the longest someone has lived with mesothelioma?
Jerry Lampe has lived more than 40 years with peritoneal mesothelioma, longer than any known survivor. Some mesothelioma patients live more than 10 years after their diagnosis. Tamron Little, a contributing writer for The Mesothelioma Center, has survived 15 years with peritoneal mesothelioma.
Tim C. was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2002. He underwent an extrapleural pneumonectomy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He’s lived more than 20 years since then and attributes his success to the support of his family.
Which type of mesothelioma has the longest life expectancy?
Peritoneal mesothelioma has the longest life expectancy. This is due to the effectiveness of the heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy procedure. A 2018 study reported that median disease-free life expectancy with HIPEC was almost five years. The median overall life expectancy was more than eight years.
Does mesothelioma have the shortest life expectancy compared to other cancers?
Yes. The cancers with the least favorable 5-year life expectancy estimates are mesothelioma (7.2%), pancreatic cancer (7.3%) and brain cancer (12.8%). The cancers with the highest 5-year life expectancy estimates are seen in patients with testicular cancer (97%), skin melanoma (92.3%) and prostate cancer (88%).
Will remission extend the lifespan of a mesothelioma patient?
Remission does not necessarily increase mesothelioma lifespan. A patient in remission has limited symptoms with no noticeable signs of cancer. Tumor cells may still be present and recurrence is possible. Mesothelioma can progress rapidly, but a long remission often indicates successful treatment.
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Landau, D. A. (2024, August 26). Mesothelioma Life Expectancy. Asbestos.com. Retrieved October 3, 2024, from https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/life-expectancy/
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Landau, Daniel A. "Mesothelioma Life Expectancy." Asbestos.com, 26 Aug 2024, https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/life-expectancy/.
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Landau, Daniel A. "Mesothelioma Life Expectancy." Asbestos.com. Last modified August 26, 2024. https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/life-expectancy/.
A medical doctor who specializes in mesothelioma or cancer treatment reviewed the content on this page to ensure it meets current medical standards and accuracy.
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Dr. Jacques Fontaine is a thoracic surgeon at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, where he heads up the Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center. He specializes in minimally invasive robotic surgery and aggressive surgeries for mesothelioma.
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