Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer whose symptoms typically don’t show up until later stages. Therefore, life expectancy for mesothelioma patients is generally short, especially without treatment.
Life expectancy varies significantly from patient to patient based on a number of individual factors and circumstances. Long-term survival is extremely rare, with fewer than 10 percent of patients living beyond 5 years. Early detection and quality health care are the most important factors in improving one's prognosis.
Factors Affecting Life Expectancy
The life expectancy of a mesothelioma patient is a complex thing to determine, as it depends on a variety of factors.
Stage
An early diagnosis can improve life expectancy significantly. When diagnosed at an early stage (Stage I or Stage II), there is little or no spreading, and treatments are likely to be more effective. However, at Stages III and IV the mesothelioma has expanded beyond the initial location, which makes treatment more difficult.
Mesothelioma Location
Another big factor that can affect life expectancy is where the mesothelioma develops. Historically, patients with pleural mesothelioma have had a slightly longer life expectancy than those with peritoneal mesothelioma, while patients diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma have a very short life expectancy. However, in recent years, the life expectancy of patients diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma has improved, due to the development of more effective treatments.
Patient Age
Generally, older mesothelioma patients have shorter life expectancies, mostly because they are in poorer health and the disease is likely to be at a later stage. One study showed that individuals diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma before the age of 65 lived almost 4 months longer than those diagnosed at age 65, and more than 8 months longer than those diagnosed at age 75 or older.
Cell Type
Mesothelioma can be categorized into three different cell types: epithelioid, sarcomatoid, and biphasic (a mixture of both epithelioid and sarcomatoid cells). Typically, those with epithelioid mesothelioma have a significantly longer life expectancy than those with sarcomatoid mesothelioma, while those with biphasic mesothelioma have a life expectancy in-between.
Patient’s Sex
Fewer women have mesothelioma than men, mostly due to occupational differences and risk of asbestos exposure, and life expectancy in women diagnosed with mesothelioma tends to be longer than for men. In general, women diagnosed with mesothelioma live about 5.5 months longer than men with mesothelioma.
