Mesothelioma Survivors
Mesothelioma survivors are living longer with the cancer than ever before. Breakthroughs in traditional treatments and integrating alternative therapies have helped mesothelioma survivors live on average 12 to 21 months following a diagnosis.
Written by Michelle Whitmer | Medically Reviewed by Dana Nolan | Edited by Amy Edel | Last Update: June 27, 2025
"The Patient Advocates are absolutely amazing and helpful! I ...." see more
Pamela K. - Mesothelioma Patient
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Karen F. - Mesothelioma Patient
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Stan B. - Mesothelioma Patient
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Cindy W. - Sister of a Mesothelioma Patient
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Patrick K. - Son of a Mesothelioma Patient
Surviving Mesothelioma
A person with mesothelioma is called a survivor from the time they’re diagnosed and for the rest of their life. If you’re living with this cancer, you’re a mesothelioma survivor.
Some people live much longer than expected, even reaching mesothelioma remission. This is often achieved with the help of advanced and sometimes aggressive treatments, a strong care team, and a proactive approach to their health.
Because it’s a rare and aggressive cancer, mesothelioma survivors form a strong community of people who have faced unique challenges. There are many ways survivors, caregivers, and their families help one another. Sharing their insights and firsthand experiences in online communities such as private Facebook support groups and getting involved in awareness and advocacy efforts helps others in a similar situation.
Learn about your diagnosis, top doctors and how to pay for treatment in our free mesothelioma guide.
Get Your GuideWhy Do Some Mesothelioma Patients Live Longer Than Others?
How long you may live with mesothelioma depends on where your tumors first started to develop, how far the cancer has spread, your overall health, and how well your body responds to treatment. Most long-term survivors worked with an experienced mesothelioma doctor.
Factors That May Extend Survival
- Age: A patient’s age can affect how the body handles treatment. But your overall health, treatment choices and support often matter more than age alone.
- Cell type: Epithelioid mesothelioma cells tend to respond better to treatment.
- Early stage: Those diagnosed early may be able to have aggressive tumor removing surgery because tumors haven’t spread further yet.
- Gender: Some studies have shown nearly triple the 5-year survival rate for women.
- Treatment: Choosing to get treatment can slow mesothelioma’s spread, ease symptoms and improve survival.
- Tumor location: Peritoneal mesothelioma tends to respond better to aggressive treatments and spread less aggressively than pleural mesothelioma.
Many long-term mesothelioma survivors also pursue a second opinion to ensure they receive the best treatment option. A 2023 clinical trial showed 25% of people with advanced pleural mesothelioma lived more than 3 years when treated with both immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Survival was improved for stage 4 patients as well. A recent case study featured the story of a patient who lived 11 years after diagnosis with chemo and immunotherapy.
New treatments and clinical trials are helping many patients live longer, even those with late-stage mesothelioma. New surgery methods, better drug combinations, and more targeted treatments are helping more people with mesothelioma live longer.
We’ll get you the best specialist for your diagnosis and schedule appointments with them quickly.
Find My DoctorSupport for Mesothelioma Survivors and Their Families
Finding out that you or a loved one has mesothelioma can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to go through it alone. There are many resources for mesothelioma caregivers and survivors. Patient Advocates, for example, are a key resource for families living with mesothelioma.
They can connect you with mesothelioma-specific support groups, financial assistance, and mesothelioma specialists with experience successfully treating survivors with similar cases. Our Patient Advocate team can also help with your claims for VA benefits, help you navigate insurance, assist with scheduling your appointments, and offer personalized support throughout your journey. Their assistance is always free.
Mesothelioma Resources and Support
- Educational resources: Information covering details about this rare cancer, treatment options, specialized cancer centers and experts to help guide you from The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com can help you make empowered choices.
- Financial support: There are a variety of financial assistance options available. Patient Advocates can help you understand and navigate these options. The VA-accredited claims agents in our Veterans Department can also help you file your benefits claim.
- Firsthand experiences: The survivors we work with generously share their personal, firsthand experiences with the community in our series of Stories From Survivors. They also share tips and answer questions from fellow survivors and caregivers when hosting webinars.
- Patient advocacy: Our Patient Advocate team brings extensive and diverse experience to the support they offer mesothelioma survivors and their loved ones. With medical doctors, veterans, a registered nurse, a certified oncology patient navigator, and experts in medical and hospice outreach, this unique mesothelioma resource is here to support survivors.
- Support groups: Support groups help build an essential community and offer an opportunity to exchange ideas and information. Our online support group is open to patients and caregivers with a mental health counselor facilitating discussions.
Many resources are also available for families coping with the physical and emotional challenges of helping a loved one cope with mesothelioma. These resources include tips for emergency planning, diet and nutrition, communication strategies for speaking with specialists and avoiding caregiver burnout.
How The Mesothelioma Center Helps Patients Improve Survival
The Patient Advocates at The Mesothelioma Center help match patients with doctors and medical resources. They also offer continued free support, guiding survivors and their loved ones through the health care system. People we’ve helped have shared stories about how we’ve supported them and their families.
Mesothelioma caregiver Lee Bailes tells us, “Patient Advocate Karen Selby has been my angel. I can’t tell you how amazing she has been through every step of the way. Her knowledge has been golden for us. From connecting us with specialists to just bouncing ideas off her, I couldn’t have done this for Michael without her. We’d be lost.”
Learn about your diagnosis, top doctors and how to pay for treatment in our updated 2025 guide.
Get Your Free GuideMesothelioma Survivors and Their Stories
New treatments, medical advancements, and earlier detection have helped mesothelioma survivors live longer and improve their chances of survival. Their stories show that it’s possible to keep fighting and not give up. These survivor stories offer hope and encouragement to others on the same journey.
Mesothelioma survivor shares her story.
I had pain in my back, and I couldn’t lay down. The pain was unbearable. We went right to the hospital. The emergency room, they did an x-ray and came back and the doctor told me that I had a large tumor. Then they ended up doing a biopsy. And that’s how they found out that I had mesothelioma. I was scared. I went online, and I found this, you know, organization at Asbestos.com. And, I had talked to Karen, and she was very encouraging, and, she helped me a lot. She sent me information that I mean, I never dreamed there was that much information about it. She was so positive about doing well and getting better. She was awesome. She’s, she’s an awesome lady. I ended up having chemo, and I think it’s called immunotherapy. After my third, therapy, the tumor had shrunk quite a bit. And that was amazing. To me, that was awesome, you know. My husband, Anthony. He ended up doing everything. He did the housework. He cooked. I just didn’t think he would take over the way he did. Just support me as much as he did. He’s an awesome guy. I had so many people just be there to help me and support me through this. Thank you. Thank you for being there for me and doing what you did for me.
Mesothelioma survivor shares her story.
[PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] I’m Tamron Little. I am from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I am a wife to a veteran of 13 years and counting and a mom of four. I have two boys and two girls. When I was first diagnosed when I was pregnant, I was told I had a fibroid tumor. And even after my pregnancy, I was still told I had a fibroid tumor. And asking women in my family, because fibroid tumors run in my family, they’re like, oh, it’s fine. You’re going to be OK. So I really didn’t think too much of it. But when I was told that I had cancer, it was a shocker. The doctor came in and I remember it like it was yesterday. And he said, you have cancer. Mesothelioma, to be exact. It really didn’t register because I was just like in the Twilight Zone. And everybody was moving around me and all of these emotions were going on. And I was just– felt like I was kind of stuck just– wow. Oh my gosh. And they were coming in and telling me, people don’t survive much with this. And they was just giving me all this. And I’m just like, I haven’t even heard of mesothelioma. First of all, what is mesothelioma? I met Dr. Levine and he is a specialist in mesothelioma. He told me about a surgery and it’s called the HIPEC surgery, which he was very confident in. Since the HIPEC procedure, I have not had any cancer recurrences. So I’m a 13 year and counting survivor. You can survive and have a thriving life after mesothelioma. Asbestos.com is a great resource because I didn’t have hardly anything when I was first diagnosed. I had to go to different places to find out information that just made me even more fearful. But being able to go to one place, Asbestos.com, and get everything that you need in one place is great. I mean, I would recommend it for anybody. [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]
Mesothelioma survivor shares his story.
My name is Epifanio Figueroa. In my days when I was a young kid, they didn’t tell us that asbestos was bad for you. I I knew it once I was sick. I think that’s one of the things that have caused a lot of damage to people, Not knowing, not having that information because the people that actually manufacture all those things don’t want us to know how dangerous it is. It started with my stomach growing, being getting bigger, and it didn’t stop getting bigger. We went to Brigham Young. There, I got six chemotherapies. The tumors in my body were diminishing to the point that, the last time that I went, the doctor says we can’t see almost anything there. And I feel great. I’m alive because of my wife. She was my mentor, my advisor. I owe her my life. That’s that’s what I can tell you. To all my buddies that have mesothelioma, once you get off the treatment, sweep that under the rug and keep on going forward.
Stories From Our Wall of Hope
Our Wall of Hope features stories mesothelioma survivors have personally shared with us. Many of these survivors share firsthand insights into their long-term survival and the challenges they overcame. Survivors share details about treatments they chose to have and the ways they’ve improved their personal outlook or prognosis. Their stories showcase their resilience and hope for the future.
In Memoriam: Mesothelioma Survivors We Lost
We honor the stories of mesothelioma survivors who lived their lives to the fullest before they died. Their stories serve as a reminder of the medical advancements needed to cure this disease.
Common Questions About Mesothelioma Survivors
- Has anyone survived mesothelioma?
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Yes. Some patients have survived mesothelioma. Patients typically live 12-21 months with treatment. But survivors like Tamron Little and Kim Mardil have lived several years after their diagnoses. These survivors underwent treatment plans that included surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
- What are some long-term effects or complications of mesothelioma?
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Mesothelioma and its treatment may cause long-term nerve pain, edema, weight loss and fatigue. Breathing difficulties and digestive issues may result from pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma, respectively.
- How often should mesothelioma survivors undergo follow-up appointments or scans?
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The frequency of follow-up appointments depends on the patient and the type of treatment they receive. Your doctor may recommend scans every three or four months, and routine check-ups may occur more frequently.
- Can mesothelioma recur after treatment?
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Yes, unfortunately, mesothelioma commonly recurs after treatment. Depending on the stage of the disease, recurrences may be treated with surgery, immunotherapy, chemotherapy or radiation. Many patients have lived for years with mesothelioma thanks to effective treatment of recurring tumors.
