A cure for mesothelioma has not yet been found, but there are treatment options available to extend the life of the patient. The mesothelioma survival rate is typically 4-18 months, while 9 percent of patients may live for five or more years. Depending on which stage you are in when mesothelioma is discovered by your doctor, your prognosis may vary.
Other contributing factors in determining survival rate/prognosis:
- Tumor size
- Whether or not surgery is an option
- Patient’s age
- Patient’s health
- Tumor’s subtype
- Location of tumor
- Patient’s ability to perform everyday tasks
- Amount of fluid in the chest or abdomen
- Whether or not it is newly diagnosed mesothelioma or a recurrence
Every day, strides are being made to advance research on a cure. It is important for patients to take joy in every day that they have left with families and friends. Staying positive about the treatments you will be undergoing will benefit your survival rate. There are also alternative treatments that help improve your quality of life such as acupuncture, yoga or meditation.
Trimodality Therapy May Increase Survival Rate
Trimodality therapy is a combination of surgery to remove the cancer, radiation and chemotherapy and is often beneficial to patients who want to extend their life. If trimodality therapy is undergone during the earliest stage I of diagnosis, the average prognosis for patients is 22 months. There are even rare cases of patients living up to 12 years after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Percentages of Survival Rates After Diagnosis:
* 39% survive 1 year
* 20% survive 2 years
* 11% survive 3 years
* 10% survive 4 years
* 9% survive 5 years
Patients Defying the Odds: Long-Term Survival a Possibility for Some
There have been cases of patients that defied the odds. For example, Paul Kraus is an Australian man who lived with mesothelioma for years surpassing his prognosis. He opted to design a treatment program for himself that focused on nutrition and the immune system. There have been rare cases of mesothelioma patients who have survived the disease for longer than 10 years. Patients that lived longer than the average were involved in treatments that enhanced the immune system. This could mean that the immune system plays a large role in longer survival of mesothelioma.
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