Mesothelioma Prognosis

Every mesothelioma patient’s prognosis is different. That’s because a number of individual factors, such as the stage and location of the cancer, can influence a patient’s outcome. When determining a patient’s prognosis, a physician will consider the following factors:

• The stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis – The earlier the cancer is detected, the better the prognosis tends to be.
• The part of the body where the tumor developed – Peritoneal mesothelioma, which develops in the lining of the abdomen, often has a better prognosis than pleural or pericardial mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs and heart.
• The type of cells that make up the tumor – Epithelial cells are more responsive to treatment, so patients with this histological type of mesothelioma often have a better prognosis than patients whose tumors involve more aggressive sarcomatoid cells. 

A patient’s prognosis also depends on the way his or her body responds to treatment, which physicians refer to as their “performance status.” Patients who respond favorably to treatment, seek treatment at high-volume specialty centers like Moffitt Cancer Center and do not experience severe symptoms tend to have better outcomes. When learning about your prognosis, it’s important to remember that your individual outcome will likely be quite different from the average mesothelioma survival rate. The survival rate is a general statistic that takes into account thousands of patients who have been diagnosed with the cancer, without taking into consideration important individual factors.

At Moffitt Cancer Center, we personalize every aspect of mesothelioma care – from giving a patient a prognosis to building their individualized treatment plan. We offer an extensive range of innovative therapies, and our multispecialty teams evaluate each patient’s case to recommend the most promising treatments. Additionally, our robust clinical trials program provides our patients with access to new and emerging therapies that hold the potential to improve their prognoses. No referral is required to seek mesothelioma treatment at Moffitt. 

To discuss your mesothelioma prognosis with one of our oncologists, call 1-888-663-3488 or request an appointment online.