What Is Mesothelioma Prognosis?
A prognosis is a predicted health outcome for an individual patient. A mesothelioma doctor can provide a prognosis based on your cancer’s location, cell type, stage, and other factors.
The average prognosis for mesothelioma cancer is 12-21 months with treatment. The average mesothelioma prognosis without treatment is 4-12 months.
With that said, every patient’s life expectancy is different. Many of the patients we’ve helped have become 15+ year survivors after being told they had a few months to live.
“Originally, the doctor said he would have possibly 6 months to 1 year, and that was 7 years ago. I still got him.”
Long-term survivors benefitted from working with a dedicated mesothelioma specialist. Use our Free Doctor Match to connect with specialists near you.
How to Improve Your Mesothelioma Prognosis
Getting specialized mesothelioma treatment and maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle are key to improving your prognosis. Learn specific actions you can take below.
Get Treatment From a Specialist
Mesothelioma treatment and prognosis are closely linked. Finding a mesothelioma specialist who can create a custom treatment plan is the best way to improve your prognosis.
Mesothelioma treatment options include:
- Surgery to remove all visible signs of mesothelioma cancer (extrapleural pneumonectomy, pleurectomy with decortication, and cytoreduction with HIPEC are the most common procedures)
- Chemotherapy to reduce tumor size or slow cancer growth
- Immunotherapy to help the body better recognize and attack cancer cells
- Radiation therapy to shrink tumors and reduce painful symptoms
Depending on your health and other factors, your oncologist (cancer doctor) may recommend a combination of treatments, called multimodal therapy. Multimodal treatment can improve your mesothelioma prognosis by targeting different aspects of the disease.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Making healthy lifestyle choices can help your body recover from mesothelioma treatment and improve your overall well-being. Both of these can have a positive effect on your mesothelioma prognosis.
Here are 4 ways to improve your health and wellness:
- Get proper nutrition. Following a mesothelioma diet can strengthen your immune system and help you feel better after cancer treatments.
- Incorporate light exercise. Walking or doing simple chair exercises can improve blood flow, reduce fatigue, and increase your appetite.
- Manage stress. Anxiety and stress can negatively affect your overall health and recovery. Meditation, prayer, and yoga may help you feel more relaxed.
- Avoid smoking. Smoking can make it harder to recover from mesothelioma treatments and increase your chances of complications and side effects.
Talk to your doctor about specific health and wellness strategies that may help you feel better and improve your mesothelioma prognosis.
“Don’t discount the importance of nutrition, positive attitude, and exercise on the immune system. These things can really impact how a patient does.”
Join Clinical Trials
You may also be able to improve your prognosis by joining mesothelioma clinical trials to access new and emerging treatments.
Clinical trials often involve experimental treatments that have shown promise in preclinical studies or earlier phases of research.
Over 60 clinical trials are recruiting mesothelioma patients in the U.S. as of early 2025.
Prognosis of Mesothelioma by Type
Mesothelioma most commonly forms in the lining of the lungs (pleura) or abdomen (peritoneum). The type of mesothelioma you have will impact your prognosis.
Pleural Mesothelioma Prognosis
Malignant pleural mesothelioma develops in the lining of the lung and has an average prognosis of 8-22 months.
One of the biggest factors in a pleural mesothelioma prognosis is the stage of the cancer. This type of cancer has 4 stages. The higher the number, the further the cancer has spread in your body.
Your age, overall health, and cell type also impact your prognosis. It’s important to remember that although the average prognosis for pleural mesothelioma can seem bleak, many factors impact your survival and quality of life.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Prognosis
Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the lining of the abdomen and has an average prognosis of 53 months.
Many factors, including age, health, and cancer spread affect peritoneal mesothelioma prognosis. The cancer doesn’t have official stages like pleural mesothelioma does, but doctors can informally assess spread to help determine a patient’s prognosis.
Our knowledgeable Patient Advocates can connect you with top specialists who treat your specific type of mesothelioma. Call (866) 608-8933 right now to get started.
Prognosis for Rarer Types of Mesothelioma
There are two rarer types of mesothelioma that develop in the lining of the heart and testes.
The average pericardial mesothelioma prognosis is 2-6 months because of the cancer’s closeness to the heart.
Testicular mesothelioma is very rare, but it has an average prognosis of over 46 months if the cancer is caught before it spreads.
Mesothelioma prognosis is the projected health outlook for this cancer. The average prognosis for mesothelioma is not as favorable as other cancers, with patients living for 15 months on average. But, it's still possible to become a long-term survivor and some patients have lived for 20 years or more. View Transcript.
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Mesothelioma prognosis refers to the predicted life expectancy and projected course of the disease. It’s an important factor in determining a patient’s treatment plan and overall outlook. The median overall life expectancy of mesothelioma patients is 15 months. However, there are mesothelioma survivors who have outlived their prognosis by more than 20 years. Your doctor will determine your prognosis based on your cancer’s location, cell type stage and other factors such as your age and overall health. It’s crucial to work closely with your doctor to understand your prognosis and available treatment options. While the overall prognosis for mesothelioma is poor, advancements in medicine and treatments are offering new hope for patients and their families. Early detection and treatment can make a significant difference in your mesothelioma prognosis. Contact Mesothelioma Hope today to get connected with top Specialists who can give you the best chance at long-term service survival.
Malignant Mesothelioma Prognosis by Cancer Stage
Understanding the stage of your mesothelioma is an important step in determining your prognosis and finding the best treatments.
The chart below lists the average pleural mesothelioma prognosis for each stage and the percentage of patients still alive after 2 years (also known as the mesothelioma survival rate).
| Mesothelioma Stage | Prognosis* | 2-Year Survival Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 21 months | 45% |
| Stage 2 | 19 months | 41% |
| Stage 3 | 16 months | 37% |
| Stage 4 | 12 months | 26% |
Since the other types of mesothelioma don’t have formal staging systems, doctors use factors like tumor size and the extent of cancer spread to predict prognosis. Larger tumors may indicate a more advanced stage, which is usually associated with a poorer prognosis than early-stage disease.
Even if you or your loved one has late-stage cancer, there is always hope. John Stahl was diagnosed with stage 4 pleural mesothelioma. After chemotherapy, John is back to living an active lifestyle and has surpassed the average stage 4 mesothelioma prognosis by more than 5 years.
Read more about John and other survivors like him in our Free Survivors Guide. Get actionable tips and inspiring stories now.
Other Factors That Affect Mesothelioma Prognosis
In addition to your type and stage, there are other factors that may impact your asbestos cancer prognosis.
These include:
- Age at diagnosis: Younger patients may be able to withstand more rigorous treatments like surgery and recover from chemotherapy more quickly.
- Cell type: Epithelioid mesothelioma is the least aggressive of all mesothelioma cell types and responds the best to treatment, often leading to a better prognosis. Patients with biphasic and sarcomatoid cell types usually have a poorer prognosis.
- Gender: Women with mesothelioma tend to live longer and respond better to treatment than men, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Despite these factors, you should remember that a mesothelioma diagnosis can’t be defined by statistics or one doctor’s prediction. Each patient’s experience is unique, and there’s always hope to be found.
“A misconception I see is patients assuming they can’t survive or live with mesothelioma. But many of our patients are walking around living relatively normal lives.”
Points of Hope: Mesothelioma Survivor Stories
Some patients have far surpassed their doctors’ expectations and become long-term survivors.
A few of these mesothelioma survivors are highlighted below. All of them were originally given a prognosis of 6-12 months but went on to beat the odds by many years.
Julie, 19+ Year Survivor
- Type of mesothelioma: Peritoneal
- Year diagnosed: 2006
- Treatment received: Cytoreductive surgery with heated chemotherapy
John, 6+ Year Survivor
- Type of mesothelioma: Pleural
- Year diagnosed: 2019
- Treatment received: Chemotherapy
Alexis, 18+ Year Survivor
- Type of mesothelioma: Peritoneal
- Year diagnosed: 2007
- Treatment received: Cytoreductive surgery with heated chemotherapy
Arthur, 7+ Year Survivor
- Type of mesothelioma: Pleural
- Year diagnosed: 2018
- Treatment received: Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and alternative nutritional therapy
“Your mesothelioma prognosis is a little bit of a moving target. After treatment, the longer you go with no evidence of any recurrence (where cancer comes back), the better your prognosis becomes.”
Reaching Remission From Mesothelioma
Achieving remission is a significant milestone for mesothelioma patients. Remission means the signs and symptoms of the cancer greatly decrease (partial remission) or disappear entirely(complete remission).
Patients who enter mesothelioma remission can continue receiving maintenance therapy to prevent their cancer from returning and help them live longer.
While achieving remission from mesothelioma can be challenging, it’s not impossible. More patients are experiencing periods of remission, some for extended periods, thanks to treatment advancements.
Mary Jane Williams reached remission from peritoneal mesothelioma. After being diagnosed in 2003, she was declared cancer-free in 2004. She spent nearly 15 years in remission before passing away from Alzheimer’s complications in 2018.
Get help reaching remission from mesothelioma with our Free Doctor Match. Connect with an experienced mesothelioma specialist who can create a personalized treatment plan for you or a loved one.
Get Help Improving Your Mesothelioma Prognosis
It can be overwhelming to get diagnosed with mesothelioma and see bleak survival statistics. But you’re more than a number, and you don’t have to face this cancer alone.
Our team has helped thousands of patients like you access medical treatment, financial compensation, and supportive care to improve their length and quality of life.
We can help you:
- Get a second opinion
- Understand your diagnosis
- Make lifestyle changes
- Manage treatment side effects
Call us at (866) 608-8933 or contact us any time for free, dedicated support from our Patient Advocates.
Prognosis for Mesothelioma FAQs
What is the prognosis for mesothelioma?
The prognosis (expected outlook) for mesothelioma is 12-21 months with treatment.
This is simply an average based on data from past cases. A doctor can determine your mesothelioma prognosis after considering your age, health, type and stage of mesothelioma, and other factors.
Is mesothelioma always terminal?
While mesothelioma is a terminal illness, some patients respond extremely well to treatment and have not just survived — but thrived — for 15 years or longer.
Knowing that long-term survival may be possible can help you maintain hope while navigating a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Can the prognosis for mesothelioma patients improve?
Yes, your mesothelioma prognosis can improve after your initial diagnosis. Your overall health and response to treatment are major factors in determining whether your prognosis gets better over time.
Advances in cancer research and mesothelioma treatment have helped many patients live much longer than their doctors predicted.
Supportive care and encouragement from friends and family can also give patients the physical and mental resilience to help fight this cancer and become survivors.
What is the life expectancy of a person with mesothelioma?
Life expectancy after a mesothelioma diagnosis varies from person to person. There are mesothelioma survivors who are still enjoying time with family many years later after getting treatment.
If you’ve been diagnosed with this cancer, make sure to get a personalized treatment plan from a specialist and try to maintain a positive outlook.
Reach out to us at (866) 608-8933 for help finding mesothelioma treatment in your area.
What is the prognosis for pleural mesothelioma?
The average prognosis, or expected life expectancy, of pleural mesothelioma is 8-22 months. However, your actual prognosis depends on your body’s response to treatment, your overall health, and other factors.
Many pleural mesothelioma patients have outlived their prognosis for many years and continue to thrive today.
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