Mesothelioma Statistics

Key Facts About Mesothelioma

Knowing key mesothelioma statistics helps you better understand this disease and spread awareness. Learning about the therapies to treat it can help you make more educated decisions about your health.

Who Is Most at Risk of Mesothelioma?

Men older than 65 with a blue-collar or military background are most at risk. That’s because blue-collar industries and all branches of the U.S. military used asbestos products. But anyone with a history of asbestos exposure is at risk.

Secondary asbestos exposure is a risk for family members of asbestos workers. This exposure has caused mesothelioma in spouses and children of asbestos workers.

Mesothelioma Incidence by Demographic

Mesothelioma incidence describes the risk of developing mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma is 4.6 times more likely to affect men.

Mesothelioma Incidence by Gender

Of all diagnosed patients, more than 90% are white. Hispanic diagnoses outnumber those of Black or Asian people.

Mesothelioma Incidence by Race/Ethnicity

How Long Does Mesothelioma Take to Develop?

Mesothelioma starts to develop 20 to 60 years after exposure to asbestos. The latency period is the gap between first exposure and appearance of symptoms..

Mesothelioma Latency Period by Gender

Average Latency Periods by Mesothelioma Type

The average latency period for pleural mesothelioma is 30 to 60 years. For peritoneal mesothelioma, it is 20 to 40 years.

Researchers do not understand why the latency period is shorter for peritoneal mesothelioma.

Where Does Mesothelioma Occur?

Most mesothelioma cases occur in the pleura, the tissue lining surrounding the lungs. About 20% of cases appear in the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdomen.

In 1% of cases, this cancer forms in the lining of the heart, called the pericardium. Less than 1% of cases are in the tunica vaginalis, which is the covering of the testes.

Symptoms by Tumor Location

Mesothelioma symptoms vary depending on where this cancer forms. Early-stage symptoms are usually mild or nonexistent. This factor makes mesothelioma challenging to catch early.

Mesothelioma Survival and Mortality Rates

Mesothelioma survival and mortality rates are similar. The number of people diagnosed with the disease each year resembles the number of annual deaths. The average life expectancy is around one year.

The prognosis for mesothelioma is generally poor compared to other cancers. But, the prognosis is better for certain types of mesothelioma. Half of the peritoneal patients who undergo aggressive treatment live longer than five years.

Survival Rate by Mesothelioma Type

Survival rates vary significantly among the different types of mesothelioma. Medical advances have made peritoneal mesothelioma easier to treat than pleural mesothelioma.

A 2015 study from Translational Oncology reveals a large difference in survival rates. Most patients survive a year after diagnosis. But peritoneal patients see longer survival rates.

More survival rate data is available for pleural mesothelioma because it is the most common type. For example, researchers have analyzed pleural survival by stage of tumor progression.  

Median Survival Time by Pleural Mesothelioma Stage

Doctors sort pleural mesothelioma cases into stages to describe how far the cancer has spread. The mesothelioma stage at diagnosis affects the patient’s treatment options and prognosis.

Patients have more treatment options and a better prognosis in the early stages. As tumors progress, treatment options diminish and prognosis worsens. 

5-Year Survival Rates for Pleural Mesothelioma

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program tracks 5-year survival rates. Pleural mesothelioma has three groups: Localized, regional and distant stages.

When compared to patients with distant tumors, those with localized tumors are more than twice as likely to live at least five years.

5-Year Survival Rate for Peritoneal Mesothelioma

The SEER program tracks and publishes survival rate data for pleural mesothelioma but not for the peritoneal type. This is likely because pleural cases far outnumber peritoneal cases. 

Researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine evaluated 380 mesothelioma patients. They reported a five-year survival rate of 65.3% for peritoneal mesothelioma.  

Long-term survival is better in peritoneal cases because treatment is more effective.  

Mesothelioma Survival Rates by Demographic

Survival among women diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma is higher compared to men. The 5-year survival rate for men with pleural mesothelioma is 7.3% compared to 16.4% for women.

The five-year survival rate differs by race. In 2015, which is the most recent year for compiled race data, the five-year survival rate was 18.6% for Black people and 9.4% for those who are white.

Overall, younger mesothelioma patients have a significantly higher survival rate than older patients. More than 50% of patients diagnosed before the age of 50 survive one year, while less than 33% of those 75 or older survive the same length of time.

Mortality Statistics for Mesothelioma

The mortality rate for mesothelioma is about 0.8 cases per 100,000 people. This is according to data collected from 1999 to 2020 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The death rate for mesothelioma is close to the incidence rate, which is 0.7 cases per 100,000 people.  

Mesothelioma Death Rate by State, 1999-2015

The mesothelioma mortality rate varies throughout the United States. Higher rates exist in areas with a strong history of industrial work and manufacturing.

Data collected from 1999 to 2015 remains the most current mortality rate data available for mesothelioma by state.

Mesothelioma Treatment Statistics

Mesothelioma treatment may involve surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Patients may also enroll in clinical trials to try emerging treatments such as immunotherapy.

Mesothelioma is a complex disease, and few doctors have experience diagnosing and treating it. Mesothelioma specialists offer patients the best options.

Research has shown improved survival with multimodal therapy. This approach combines two or more treatments.

A 2018 study presented at the eighth annual European Lung Cancer Congress showed a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation produced a one-year survival rate of 79.6% for pleural mesothelioma patients.

Combining surgery with chemotherapy is also effective for peritoneal mesothelioma. A 2018 International Journal of Hyperthermia study showed median disease-free survival was almost five years for peritoneal patients receiving HIPEC surgery. The median overall survival was more than eight years.

Only about 20% of pleural mesothelioma patients are eligible for aggressive tumor-removing surgery. Researchers are testing new drug regimens for those who do not qualify for surgery. These include drugs already used in lung cancer treatment.

Human studies, called clinical trials, give patients access to the latest breakthroughs in treatment. Researchers have conducted more than 300 clinical trials for mesothelioma worldwide.

Mesothelioma Costs and Compensation

Additional Cancer Statistics Resources

Additional information and statistics are available from the following cancer resources.

More information is found at local hospitals, cancer centers and nonprofit cancer organizations.