Survival statistics for mesothelioma

Survival statistics for mesothelioma are very general estimates and must be interpreted very carefully. Because these statistics are based on the experience of groups of people, they cannot be used to predict a particular person’s chances of survival.

There are many different ways to measure and report cancer survival statistics. Your doctor can explain the statistics for mesothelioma and what they mean to you.

Net survival represents the probability of surviving cancer in the absence of other causes of death. It is used to give an estimate of the percentage of people who will survive their cancer.

In Canada, the 5-year net survival for mesothelioma is 7%. This means about 7% of people diagnosed with mesothelioma will survive for at least 5 years.

Survival varies with each location, stage and particular cell subtype of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is generally associated with a poor prognosis as it is an aggressive disease.

• Mesothelioma is usually not found until it is at an advanced stage, which makes it more difficult to treat. Only a small number of people are diagnosed with early stage mesothelioma.
• Epithelioid cell subtype mesothelioma has a better prognosis than other cell subtypes. This type of mesothelioma is easier to treat and has a longer life expectancy.
• Sarcomatoid cell subtype has the worst prognosis of the mesothelioma cell subtypes. This type of mesothelioma spreads quickly and does not respond well to treatment.

Survival by stage of mesothelioma is reported as median survival. Median survival is the length of time after diagnosis or the start of treatment at which half of the people with this type of cancer are still alive. The other half will not live as long.

There are no specific Canadian statistics available for the different stages of mesothelioma. The following information comes from a variety of sources. It may include statistics from other countries that are likely to have similar outcomes as in Canada. The statistics below are for pleural mesothelioma.

There are no statistics available for peritoneal mesothelioma by stage, as this type of mesothelioma does not yet have a staging system. A median survival of 1 year has been reported in people with peritoneal mesothelioma who were given chemotherapy. But this statistic may change with improved treatments for peritoneal mesothelioma.

Talk to your doctor about your prognosis. A prognosis depends on many factors, including:

• your health history
• the type of cancer
• the stage
• certain characteristics of the cancer
• the treatments chosen
• how the cancer responds to treatment

Only a doctor familiar with these factors can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.