Mesothelioma Survival Rate: An Introduction

The mesothelioma survival rate indicates the percentage of people with a certain type and stage of mesothelioma who survive the disease for a specific period of time after their diagnosis. In most cases, statistics refer to the 5-year mesothelioma survival rate. The 5-year mesothelioma survival rate is the percentage of people who are alive 5 years after a mesothelioma diagnosis, whether they have few or no signs or symptoms of mesothelioma, are free of disease, or are receiving treatment for mesothelioma.

The mesothelioma survival rate is based on large groups of people, and it cannot be used to predict what will happen to a particular patient. No two patients are exactly alike, and mesothelioma treatment and responses to treatment vary greatly.

Factors Influencing the Mesothelioma Survival Rate

In general, the mesothelioma survival rate will depend on:

• The stage of mesothelioma (see Mesothelioma Stages)
• The size of the tumor
• Whether the tumor can be removed completely by surgery
• The amount of fluid in the chest or abdomen
• The patient's age and general health, including lung and heart health
• The type of mesothelioma cancer cells and how they look under a microscope
• Whether the mesothelioma has just been diagnosed or has come back.

Overall Mesothelioma Survival Rate

Survival rates can be calculated by different methods for different purposes. The survival rates presented here are based on the relative survival rate. The relative survival rate measures the survival of mesothelioma patients in comparison to the general population to estimate the effect of cancer. The overall 5-year relative mesothelioma survival rate for 1998-2002 was approximately 9 percent.

Below are the relative survival rates for each year following a mesothelioma diagnosis:

• Year 1 mesothelioma survival rate: 39 percent
• Year 2 survival rate: 20 percent
• Year 3 survival rate: 11 percent
• Year 4 survival rate: 10 percent
• Year 5 survival rate: 9 percent.

Mesothelioma Treatment by Stage: An Overview

Malignant mesothelioma stages are grouped into two categories; each stage of the cancer falls into one of the two categories: localized or advanced. Mesothelioma treatment is generally conducted based on the stage of cancer.

Localized Mesothelioma Treatment (Stage I)

If the mesothelioma is in one part of the chest lining, treatment will probably consist of surgery to remove the part of the chest lining with cancer and some of the tissue around it.

If localized mesothelioma is found in more than one place in the chest, mesothelioma treatment may be one of the following:

• Pleurectomy and decortication surgery (with or without radiation therapy) as palliative therapy to relieve mesothelioma symptoms and improve the quality of life
• Extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery
• Radiation therapy as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life.

Advanced Mesothelioma Treatment (Stage II, Stage III, and Stage IV)

Treatment of advanced mesothelioma may include the following:

• Surgery to drain fluid that has collected in the chest, to reduce discomfort. Pleurodesis may be done to stop more fluid from collecting in the chest.
• Pleurectomy and decortication surgery, as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life.
• Mesothelioma radiation therapy as palliative therapy to relieve pain.
• Chemotherapy with one anticancer drug.