The mesothelioma survival rate varies based on cell type, location, stage and other factors. The 5-year survival rate is 12% for pleural mesothelioma and 65% for peritoneal mesothelioma. The overall survival rate is 15 months with treatment, but some individuals survive for more than 10 years.
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The 5-year relative survival rate for pleural mesothelioma is 12%; for peritoneal mesothelioma, it’s much higher, at 65%. Survival rates describe the percentage of people with a particular cancer who are still alive a certain amount of time (usually 5 years) after they were diagnosed.
Note that such statistics don’t necessarily apply to any individual person. Some patients with mesothelioma have survived for 10 years or more after diagnosis with treatment.
Peritoneal mesothelioma has a significantly higher survival rate than pleural mesothelioma.
Peritoneal mesothelioma has a significantly higher survival rate than pleural mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma survival rates vary by location, cancer stage, individual patient health and treatments selected. The most successful mesothelioma treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy.
The National Cancer Institute publishes survival data on mesothelioma every few years through the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. SEER data shows a steady trend of improved survival rates for mesothelioma over the past 2 decades.
Key Facts About Mesothelioma Survival Rate
The 5-year survival rate for peritoneal mesothelioma is 65%.
The 5-year survival rate for pleural mesothelioma is 12%.
SEER’s recent trends data from 2000-2020 show that 1-year, 3-year and 5-year relative survival rates are trending upward with increasing survival rates.
The average survival after a patient’s diagnosis is 18 months, with a 1-year survival rate of 73% for pleural and 92% for peritoneal.
Factors Affecting Mesothelioma Survival Rates
Factors affecting a person’s mesothelioma cancer survival rate include their tumor location, cell type and disease stage, as well as age, gender and overall health. These affect how long a person will live after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Factors Affecting Mesothelioma Survival
Age
Cell type
Disease stage
Gender
Genetics
Location
Overall health
Type of treatment
Women and younger patients tend to live longer. Patients with peritoneal tumors, early-stage disease, epithelioid cells and a history of multimodal therapy also tend to live longer.
Tumor Location
Peritoneal mesothelioma survival rates are significantly better than rates for pleural disease. About 65% of all peritoneal mesothelioma patients survive for 5 years or more.
Pleural and Peritoneal Mesothelioma Survival Rates
This is 5 times the 5-year survival rate compared to pleural patients. Eligible patients with asbestos-related cancer in the peritoneum live between 31 months and 103 months with HIPEC surgery.
Gender
Women with mesothelioma appear to survive longer than men regardless of age, cancer stage, race or type of treatment. The 5-year relative survival rate for pleural mesothelioma is 21.42% for women compared to 9.3% for men.
Mesothelioma Survival Rates by Gender
Gender
1-Year Survival
3-Year Survival
5-Year Survival
Females
56.8%
30.7%
21.4%
Males
49.6%
16.7%
9.3%
Source:
SEER Program, 2015-2019, the most recently available data
Researchers are exploring the possible reasons why women with mesothelioma survive longer than men. Women are also more likely to be diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma has better survival than pleural tumors. This further skews survival rates to favor women living longer on average.
Age
Younger people diagnosed with mesothelioma have higher survival rates compared with people diagnosed at an older age. About 75% of the patients diagnosed before age 50 live for 1 year, whereas about 44% of patients diagnosed at 65 years old or older live that long.
One-Year Mesothelioma Survival by Age
Age Range
1-Year Survival Rate
< 50
75.2%
50+
47.0%
65+
49.6%
75+
37.5%
Source:
SEER Program, 2019, the most recently available data
Younger patients tend to be healthier than older patients, which means they’re eligible for more aggressive and effective therapies. They are also less likely to be diagnosed with coexisting chronic conditions such as pulmonary disease, diabetes or a history of other cancers.
Survivor Story
Survivor Story
Kevin SinyardPleural Mesothelioma
Pleural Mesothelioma Survivor Surpasses Average Survival
Pleural mesothelioma survivor Kevin Sinyard far surpassed the average mesothelioma survival rate. He was initially told he only had 6 months to live before undergoing extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery. He then underwent aggressive chemotherapy and radiation regimens. Kevin told us, “I’m proof that you can survive and still live a really good life.”
The stage of mesothelioma at diagnosis is a strong predictor of your overall survival. The SEER Program groups cancer survival rates into localized, regional and distant stages. This grouping distills the 4 pleural mesothelioma stages into 3. “Localized” represents stage 1. “Regional” roughly represents stages 2 and 3. “Distant” represents stage 4.
5-Year Relative Survival Rates by SEER Groupings for Mesothelioma Patients
1-Year
3-Year
5-Year
Localized
61.1%
30.7%
20.6%
Regional
56.7%
26.0%
13.8%
Distant
42.9%
15.7%
9.2%
Source:
This table shows data from SEER 2014-2020; NOT by TNM stage
Patients in the early stages who receive prompt treatment experience improved survival rates. They’re more likely to qualify for surgery and other aggressive treatment options. More aggressive therapies are associated with better outcomes.
Mesothelioma Cell Type
The types of cells that make up tumors impact patient survival. Mesothelioma has 3 cell types: epithelioid, sarcomatoid and biphasic.
The average survival for patients with the epithelioid cell type is 18 months. Patients with a sarcomatoid mesothelioma diagnosis have a survival range of approximately 7 months. Those with biphasic cells live an average of 10 months, but it can vary depending on the ratio of cells present.
Mesothelioma patients with a history of smoking, heavy alcohol use or poor diet tend to have lower survival rates. Coexisting conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, can affect your survival as well.
Overall Health and Mesothelioma Survival
Alcohol and Tobacco: Heavy alcohol use and smoking can lower mesothelioma survival.
Coexisting Medical Conditions: Heart disease, lung disease, diabetes and other chronic medical problems can lower mesothelioma survival.
Exercise: Regular exercise is essential for maintaining overall health.
Genetics: Black patients have a higher mesothelioma survival rate than white patients.
Nutrition: Staying hydrated and getting adequate calories and nutrients can improve mesothelioma survival.
Good nutrition and exercise habits can positively impact your survival. A healthy diet and regular exercise help patients respond better to cancer treatment.
Your genes and family history also play a role. More than 90% of mesothelioma cases occur in white men, but Black patients have a nearly 5% better 5-year survival rate.
Many long-term mesothelioma survivors attribute their survival to multidisciplinary care or clinical trials. Others say lifestyle changes, such as nutritional improvements, helped them after diagnosis.
Don’t assume your own prognosis follows mesothelioma survival statistics alone. A 5-year survival rate doesn’t describe how mesothelioma cancer symptoms may impact your quality of life.
A study of pleural patients showed those who received surgery, chemotherapy and radiation lived for 21.7 months on average. Those who decided against treatment reported an overall survival of 10.2 months. Patients with a better nutritional status lived an average of 18 months compared to 11 months among those with poor nutritional status, according to another study published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology.
How Do Mesothelioma Survival Rates Affect Me?
Your doctor will use mesothelioma survival rate data to evaluate your prognosis. This data averages patient survival time based on thousands of cases. While it can’t predict your individual outcome, it can help you understand what happened to other patients with a similar diagnosis.
There have been people who survived way beyond what the statistics say. I plan on being one of those. I have a lot of people counting on me being around. I’m not going to disappoint them.
Survival rate data is one piece of the puzzle when a doctor determines the best mesothelioma treatment for you. For example, statistics show better survival rates among people diagnosed at a younger age who are eligible for aggressive treatments. This could mean that if you’re a younger patient, your doctor may recommend more aggressive mesothelioma treatment options.
What frustrates me the most, and I hear this almost every time I have a new patient … ‘I just saw my doctor today and they said I have a year to 16 months to live.’ That is just not the case,” says Karen Selby, RN and Patient Advocate. “You’re an individual. This is your story.”
Individuals and Survival Rate Data
Depending on the course of mesothelioma treatment you choose and your circumstances, you may live longer than survival rates suggest. The 5-year survival rates don’t take the most recent advances in medicine into consideration.
Statistics may be a source of comfort for some people and confusing or frightening for others. However, survival rates only consider people diagnosed in the past. Those diagnosed today may have more available treatment options and a better chance of survival.
“We had been living a ‘live the year’ type of thing. But after recovery … now it’s not only that we have a bucket list, now we have a ‘we’re going to do this’ list,” mesothelioma survivor Brunilda Villareal told The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com. “Tomorrow is very important – it’s sacred.”
You may wish to focus on your treatment plan and let your doctor provide more personalized information. Advances in treatment options help some patients live beyond average survival rates.
Get Help Paying for Treatment
Get help paying for mesothelioma treatment by accessing trust funds, grants and other options.
Common Questions About Mesothelioma Survival Rates
What is the average mesothelioma survival rate?
Based on tumor location alone, the average 5-year survival rate for pleural mesothelioma is approximately 12%, while peritoneal mesothelioma has an average 5-year survival rate of 65%. The mesothelioma survival rate depends on several factors, including the location, cell type and mesothelioma stage. Age, sex and overall health also influence the survival rate.
Is mesothelioma always fatal?
Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive and fatal disease, however, some patients have survived more than 10 years after their diagnosis. While there is no cure for this cancer, there have been advances in care. Most mesothelioma patients only survive approximately 12 months after diagnosis, but treatment may extend mesothelioma survival.
What is the difference between a mesothelioma survival rate and mortality rate?
Survival rate is the percentage of cancer patients who live a certain number of years after diagnosis. For example, 20.7% of mesothelioma patients live for 3 years or more. The mesothelioma mortality rate is the number of deaths within specific geographical locations and groups of people. For example, as of 2021, there were 0.7 deaths from mesothelioma per 100,000 people in the United States.
How does the survival rate of mesothelioma compare to the lung cancer survival rate?
The 5-year survival rate for mesothelioma patients is approximately 12%. The 5-year survival rate for lung cancer patients is about 26.6%.
How do other health conditions affect mesothelioma survival rates?
People who have underlying health conditions like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are at risk of complications with mesothelioma surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. These conditions may exclude some patients from surgery, which is the most effective treatment to extend survival.
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Selby, K. (2024, September 11). Mesothelioma Survival Rate. Asbestos.com. Retrieved October 14, 2024, from https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/survival-rate/
Dr. Rupesh Kotecha is a renowned radiation oncologist in leadership roles at Miami Cancer Institute. He is an associate professor at Florida International University's college of medicine and an adjunct faculty member at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
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