Mesothelioma Survival Rates
A cancer diagnosis is scary, but malignant pleural mesothelioma is especially so. It’s a difficult cancer to treat successfully, and most of those with it don’t live long. You and your cancer are unique, so statistics can only give a general and outdated idea of what you’re up against. But to make the right decisions on treatment and how to live the rest of your life, you should know what you’re facing.
What Survival Rates Should Mean to You
Survival rates state what percentage of people with the same type and stage of mesothelioma are alive a given amount of time (usually five years) after their diagnosis, according to the American Cancer Society. No statistic or study can tell you how long you will live, but they should give you a better idea of how effective your treatment will likely be.
Survival rate estimates are usually based on prior outcomes of many people with mesothelioma. Your survival is also affected by other things in your life (age, overall health, other conditions you have), and you should get better treatment than what others received in the past.
The Five-Year Relative Survival Rates for Mesothelioma
A relative survival rate compares those with the same stage and type of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) with the overall population. If the five-year relative survival rate for a specific mesothelioma stage is 30%, that means those with it are, on average, about 30% as likely as people who don’t have it to live for at least five years after diagnosis.
The American Cancer Society uses information from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to create survival statistics for different cancers. They consider whether the mesothelioma has spread and, if so, how far.
- Localized: The mesothelioma is limited to the lung’s pleura
- Regional: It’s spread to nearby structures or lymph nodes.
- Distant: The mesothelioma is in other parts of the body, such as organs, bones, or the pleura on the other side of the body.
These statistics are based on those diagnosed with mesothelioma from 2011 to 2017.
| SEER Stage | Five-Year Relative Survival Rate |
| Localized | 20% |
| Regional | 16% |
| Distant | 8% |
| All SEER stages combined | 12% |
These numbers apply to the mesothelioma stage when it’s first diagnosed. They don’t apply when later during treatment the mesothelioma progresses or returns afterward.
How Does This Compare to Other Cancers?
To put things in perspective, these are the American Cancer Society’s survival rate estimates for breast cancer patients, based on those diagnosed between 2011 and 2017.
| SEER Stage | Five-Year Relative Survival Rate |
| Localized | 99% |
| Regional | 86% |
| Distant | 29% |
| All SEER stages combined | 90% |
These are the estimates for colon cancer patients based on those diagnosed from 2011 to 2017.
| SEER Stage | Five-Year Relative Survival Rate |
| Localized | 91% |
| Regional | 72% |
| Distant | 14% |
| All SEER stages combined | 64% |
What are Survival Rates By Stage?
The SEER stages are somewhat different than how your physician might stage you. Cancer Research UK has one-year survival statistics by stage for those diagnosed with mesothelioma in England between 2013 and 2017:
- About 60% of those in Stages I and II
- About 50% of people diagnosed with Stage III
- About 30% of those diagnosed with Stage IV
Overall, 45% of people at all stages survive a year after diagnosis. Just over 5% will live for five or more years after their disease is diagnosed.
Diagnosed With Mesothelioma? Talk to Lawyers You Can Trust
If you or a family member’s diagnosed with mesothelioma, or you work at a site known for asbestos exposure and are worried about your risk of developing it, you should understand your rights to compensation. We can review your case and help you recover damages to cover your lost wages, medical expenses, and even pain and suffering.
Schedule a free consultation at our Louisville office by calling us at 502-589-5600 or toll-free at 800-655-2117. You can also fill out our online contact form if it’s more convenient.