One of the most common questions asked by those diagnosed with cancer is what they should expect as far as life expectancy. The prognosis for patients with mesothelioma depends on a variety of factors:

Mesothelioma Latency Period

Mesothelioma can remain dormant for several decades meaning that many years can pass before the symptoms become apparent. Unfortunately, by the time the cancer is diagnosed, the cancer has often spread to other areas of the body.

Stages of Mesothelioma

When the cancer is diagnosed during its early stages, the patient is far more likely to have a better prognosis due to better treatment options. However, during the advanced stages, treatment is typically less successful as the cancer has usually metastasized.

Operability of the Tumor

If the cancer is diagnosed during stages 1 or 2, before metastasis has occurred, it is sometimes possible for the tumor to be removed surgically.

Age of the Patient

The older the patient, the less likely that a favorable prognosis will be achieved.

Co-morbidity with Other Illnesses

Patients who are not compromised by other health conditions such as heart disease or diabetes are more likely to have a longer life expectancy.

Mesothelioma Treatment Plan

Patients who are able to undergo more aggressive treatments are more likely to have a longer life expectancy.

Area and Type of the Disease

The cancer is most often found in the pleura or lining of the lungs, accounting for about 75% of cases. Between 15% and 20% of cases are associated with mesothelioma of the peritoneum and the rest occur in the pericardium. Individuals with pleural mesothelioma typically have a longer life expectancy as do those with epithelial mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Survival Rate Statistics

The usual life expectancy of a patient diagnosed with mesothelioma is 8 to 14 months. This is largely due to the fact that the disease remains dormant for many years before being expressed through symptoms. In addition, the early symptoms of mesothelioma mimic those of other, lesser respiratory illnesses. For this reason, the cancer is often in a later stage before it is diagnosed thus making a cure practically impossible.

Today, the five-year rate of survival for mesothelioma is approximately 10% which, although small, is much larger than it was only a decade ago. The rate of survival for one year has also increased and currently stands at 40%.

Despite these small numbers, there are some exceptions to the generally unfavorable prognosis. One example is Paul Kraus who has survived with the disease since 1997 through the use of alternative therapies. Other patients have survived through the use of both alternative therapies and medical treatments such as radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy. There have also been documented cases of the disease going into remission.

The reasons why some patients survive while others succumb to the disease are not yet known although there has been some evidence that treatments enhancing the immune system have an effect.