Mesothelioma Remission and Recurrence

Mesothelioma remission occurs when the signs of cancer reduce or completely go away. Though remission is rare and recurrence (where mesothelioma comes back) could happen, some patients have lived for many years cancer-free. Lung Cancer Group can help you access treatments that could allow you to achieve remission.

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Can Mesothelioma Go Into Remission?

Possibly, yes. Many past mesothelioma cancer patients have entered remission, allowing them to live much longer than expected.

The average mesothelioma life expectancy is 12-21 months, but some patients have lived for 15 years or more in remission.

An older male patient who is sitting down holds the hand of a nurse who is standingWhen remission occurs, you’ll either have fewer or no symptoms of mesothelioma, and cancer tumors might be smaller or no longer seen on imaging scans.

You have a better chance of going into remission by getting treatments, which allow doctors to remove or destroy as much of the cancer as possible.

Speak with our on-staff mesothelioma nurses to find treatment options that could help you potentially achieve remission.

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Mesothelioma Patients

Types of Mesothelioma Remission

There are three main types of mesothelioma remission:

  1. Complete remission: Doctors find no evidence of disease in the body. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) refers to this as complete response.
  2. Partial remission: This is when tumors shrink but don’t go away completely.
  3. Stable disease: If your cancer stops growing but hasn’t gone away after treatment, you have stable disease.

It’s important to note that you could still live for long periods of time if your cancer is in partial remission or becomes stable. In fact, some mesothelioma survivors never experience complete remission.

Call (877) 446-5767 now to talk to our mesothelioma patient advocates about how to improve your chances of going into remission.

Mesothelioma Remission vs. Recurrence

Mesothelioma recurrence happens when the cancer comes back after a period of remission, and sadly, this often happens. In a 14-year study, 78% of pleural mesothelioma patients experienced recurrence.

The Moffitt Cancer Center notes that there’s no way to know when or if your cancer will return. But, treatments could send recurrent cancer back into remission.

A 2022 trial studied if Opdivo® (an immunotherapy drug) could help pleural mesothelioma patients who experienced recurrence after surgery. In the trial, 25 patients achieved remission or stable disease, while the cancer progressed in only 8 patients.

Malignant Mesothelioma Remission Rates

Generally speaking, the mesothelioma remission rates are low because this cancer is very aggressive and usually not diagnosed until it has spread.

That said, you or a loved one still could achieve mesothelioma remission depending on how your cancer tumors respond to treatments.

Here are notable mesothelioma remission statistics and rates:

  • According to a study published in Lung Cancer, about 7% of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, which forms in the lining of the lungs (pleura), achieved complete remission when treated with chemotherapy and lung-removal surgery.
  • An analysis of several studies found that 12-33% of patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (which develops in the abdominal lining) entered complete remission with treatment.

While many cases of mesothelioma do come back even if complete remission occurs, patients often live for years longer than doctors expected them to.

Treatments and Mesothelioma Remission

A female nurse in scrubs walks and pats the back of an older male patient. Both are wearing facemasks.Getting mesothelioma treatments gives you the best chance of achieving remission, since they destroy as much of the cancer as possible.

Learn about treatments that may help you become cancer-free below.

Surgeries

Surgeries allow mesothelioma doctors to remove cancer tumors from the body, increasing the chances of remission and long-term survival.

Top surgeries for mesothelioma remission include:
  • Cytoreduction with HIPEC: Treats peritoneal mesothelioma by combining cytoreductive surgery with heated chemotherapy. The American Cancer Society (ACS) notes that patients may be able to enter remission for long spans of time with this treatment.
  • Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP): This surgery allows doctors to treat pleural mesothelioma by removing the lung closest to the cancer, the lung lining, and mesothelioma tumors.
  • Pleurectomy with decortication (P/D): This is another surgery for pleural mesothelioma, but doctors keep both lungs intact. Doing so allows patients to recover faster than if they’d received an EPP. It also comes with fewer side effects.

An oncologist (cancer doctor) can determine which surgeries, if any, may help you achieve remission and live longer.

Multimodal Treatment

Mesothelioma specialists often combine several treatments together to help patients as much as possible. This is known as multimodal therapy.

Besides surgery, treatments used as part of multimodal therapy include:
  • Chemotherapy: Cancer-killing drugs circulate through the body. Commonly used systemic chemotherapy drugs include pemetrexed and cisplatin.
  • Immunotherapy: This treatment boosts the body’s immune response so it can find and destroy cancer cells more effectively.
  • Radiation therapy: Using radiation, doctors can disrupt cancer growth and shrink tumor size using beams of energy.

Speak with a mesothelioma nurse now to find top treatments that may help you achieve remission.

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Amy Fair
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Clinical Trials

Closeup of a beaker dropping a blue liquid into a vial with a scientist in the backgroundDoctors continue to study new treatments that could help patients reach remission and live longer through clinical trials. In a 2021 trial, all mesothelioma patients treated with rucaparib, a targeted therapy drug, achieved remission or disease stabilization.

Many other trials continue to show promise, and you can ask your doctors if a clinical trial could help you become cancer-free.

How Remission & Recurrence Impact Prognosis

Mesothelioma remission plays a significant impact on your mesothelioma prognosis, or overall health outlook, as you could live much longer than expected.

Here are examples of patients who achieved remission:

  • Complete remission: A woman with pleural mesothelioma achieved complete remission after getting an EPP, radiation, and chemotherapy and was still cancer-free 4 years later.
  • Partial remission: A man with pleural mesothelioma achieved partial remission for 2 years following a minor pain-relieving treatment. This was also considered spontaneous remission as he didn’t receive other treatments.
  • Stable disease: A woman diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in 2006 is still alive today, nearly 20 years later, thanks to treatments that stabilized her cancer.

Mesothelioma recurrence may negatively impact your expected prognosis depending on how far the cancer has spread by the time it is detected. That said, treatments may send recurrent mesothelioma back into remission and allow you to live longer.

Call (877) 446-5767 now to speak with our mesothelioma nurses about treatments that may help you reach remission.

Mesothelioma Survivors in Remission

While mesothelioma is often very aggressive, there are long-term mesothelioma survivors who beat the odds and went into remission. Hear from mesothelioma survivors below.

  • Sissy Hoffman

    Sissy Hoffman, 28-Year Survivor

    Sissy is one of the longest-living pleural mesothelioma survivors. Originally given 6 months to live following her diagnosis in 1996, Sissy decided to undergo an EPP. She is close to celebrating 30 years of survivorship.

    “People need to know that there is help available and that they can get through this.”
    — Sissy Hoffman, pleural mesothelioma survivor

  • Mary Jane Williams

    Mary Jane Williams, 15-Year Survivor

    Mary Jane underwent multiple peritoneal mesothelioma treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, and was cancer-free when she passed away from other causes.

    “I am a very positive person. I had three grandchildren that I wanted to live for, and my son, my daughter, and my husband. I just decided that it was not going to beat me.”
    — Mary Jane Williams, peritoneal mesothelioma survivor

  • John Panza

    John Panza, 12-Year Survivor

    After his pleural mesothelioma diagnosis, John received an EPP, chemotherapy, and radiation in 2012. He was cancer-free for over 5 years until a minor recurrence in 2019 but received follow-up treatment and is still living today.

    “I just go through it. It is the challenge that I’ve been presented, and I guess that’s what I just have to work with.”
    — John Panza, pleural mesothelioma survivor

  • John Stahl

    John Stahl, 5-Year Survivor

    John was diagnosed with stage 4 mesothelioma in 2019. While most patients live for just 1 year or less with stage 4 mesothelioma, John’s cancer responded well to chemotherapy, and he’s resumed an active lifestyle.

    “I’m doing very well, as a matter of fact. I play golf twice a week. I go hang out with my friends when they’re around. I’m pretty well back to normal.”
    — John Stahl, stage 4 mesothelioma survivor

While each person’s journey is different, mesothelioma survivor stories let you know that remission is possible — even if you’re diagnosed with late-stage cancer.

Improving the Chances of Mesothelioma Remission

There’s no way to know for sure if you’ll be able to achieve mesothelioma remission. That said, there are steps you can take to possibly increase your odds.

Access Medical Care

Treatments are the best way to work toward mesothelioma remission. Different treatments allow doctors to remove mesothelioma cells and tumors from the body.

Find Top Doctors

Mesothelioma specialists often have many years of experience treating this cancer. They can create a treatment plan that will give you the best chance of living longer and entering remission.

Stay in Good Overall Health

Your overall health is very important to living longer with mesothelioma. If you’re healthy and active outside of having cancer, you may be able to tolerate more aggressive treatments that can lead to remission and a longer life.

Connect with a mesothelioma nurse now to get suggestions on how to improve your odds of remission.

Speak With a Mesothelioma Nurse
  • Find Top Doctors and Treatments
  • Connect You With Clinical Trials
  • Answer Medical Questions
Talk with Amy

Amy Fair
20+ Years Helping
Mesothelioma Patients

We Can Help You Work Toward Mesothelioma Remission

While mesothelioma remission is rare, it could happen depending on how your cancer responds to treatments.

Work with Lung Cancer Group to get the medical care you deserve to live as long as possible with mesothelioma.

Our registered nurses can help you:

  • Connect with top doctors and cancer treatments for your case
  • Pursue financial compensation to cover medical costs
  • Receive support as you navigate life with cancer
  • Understand mesothelioma remission statistics and rates

Our on-staff mesothelioma nurses are ready to assist you for free. Call (877) 446-5767 or connect with a nurse right now.

Mesothelioma Remission FAQs

Does mesothelioma go into remission?

Yes, in some cases, mesothelioma does go into remission. A patient may experience complete remission (where there’s no sign of the cancer at all) or partial remission (where the cancer tumors have gotten smaller but haven’t gone away completely).

Some patients may also achieve stable disease, which occurs when they still have cancer in their body, but it’s stopped growing.

Yes, some people have recovered from mesothelioma, living for 15 years or more thanks to medical treatments.

These mesothelioma survivors often go into complete or partial remission for long spans of time. Others may end up having stable disease, where the cancer is still in the body but not spreading.

Contact us now to find out more about treatments that could help you achieve mesothelioma remission and long-term survivorship.

The average life expectancy for mesothelioma is 12-21 months with treatment. That said, if your cancer goes into remission or stabilizes with treatment, you could potentially live for many years.

Your doctors can provide updates on your mesothelioma prognosis (health outlook) as you undergo treatments.

There’s not an ‘official’ cure for mesothelioma at this time. That said, there are treatments that can help mesothelioma patients live longer.

Some patients may be able to enter remission for years thanks to the mesothelioma treatments they receive.

Possibly, yes. There have been reports of lung cancer patients achieving remission and living for 15 years or more following their diagnosis, which should offer hope to others battling this cancer.

Lung cancer isn’t the same disease as mesothelioma, so it will require different treatments if you want to achieve remission.

Lung Cancer Group was established by a team of caring advocates so those with lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases can get the help they deserve. Our site provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about lung cancer, its link to asbestos, and financial compensation available to patients. Contact us to learn more and get assistance.

  1. American Cancer Society. (2019, May 28). Treatment of mesothelioma based on the extent of the cancer. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/malignant-mesothelioma/treating/by-extent.html
  2. American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Malignant mesothelioma. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/malignant-mesothelioma.html
  3. Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative. (n.d.). Jim Pantelas. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://ctti-clinicaltrials.org/our-work/patient-engagement/patient-engagement-collaborative/jim-pantelas/
  4. Fennell, D., King, A., Mohammed, S., Branson, A., Brookes, C., Darlison, L., . . . Thomas, A. (2021, January 27). Rucaparib in patients with BAP1-deficient or BRCA1-deficient mesothelioma (mist1): An open-label, single-arm, phase 2a clinical trial. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2213260020303908
  5. Firsov, I. S., & Sivov, I. G. (2019). Remission in the Patient with Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: A Case Report. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.hilarispublisher.com/open-access/remission-in-the-patient-with-malignant-pleural-mesothelioma-a-casereport.pdf
  6. Higashiyama, M., Oda, K., Okami, J., Maeda, J., Kodama, K., & Imamura, F. (2009, March 27). Malignant pleural mesothelioma with long-term tumor disappearance of a local relapse after surgery: A case report – journal of medical case reports. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1752-1947-3-6800
  7. Kostron, A., Friess, M., Crameri, O., Inci, I., Schneiter, D., Hillinger, S., . . . Opitz, I. (2016, May). Relapse pattern and second-line treatment following multimodality treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26590183/
  8. Lau, B., Kumar, S., Yan, T., Burn, J., Kennedy, C., McLean, J., . . . Kao, S. (2017, September). Pathological complete response in malignant pleural mesothelioma patients following induction chemotherapy: Predictive factors and outcomes. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28838403/
  9. Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Director). (2020, December 01). MesoTV | Mesothelioma patients who had the EPP (extrapleural pneumonectomy) discuss their experience [Video file]. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://youtu.be/tKfENMo2Z4k?t=288
  10. Moffitt Cancer Center. (n.d.). Mesothelioma recurrence. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://moffitt.org/cancers/mesothelioma/recurrence/
  11. Moninger, J. (2019, November 18). Longtime Lung Cancer thrivers. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.curetoday.com/view/longtime-lung-cancer-thrivers
  12. Nakamura, A., Kondo, N., Nakamichi, T., Kuroda, A., & Et al. (2020, May 28). Initial evaluation of nivolumab in patients with post-operative recurrence of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://academic.oup.com/jjco/article/50/8/920/5848077
  13. National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). NCI Dictionary of Cancer terms: Complete response. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/complete-response
  14. Penn Medicine. (n.d.). Prognosis. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer/types-of-cancer/mesothelioma/prognosis
  15. Raphael, J., Lui, M., Jimenez-Juan, L., Khanna, S., & Verma, S. (2015, February 19). Spontaneous regression of malignant pleural mesothelioma: A case report. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213089615000067
  16. Rog, C., Reiter, S., Ong, E., & Alassas, M. (2020, March 16). A Rare Case of Peritoneal Mesothelioma with Complete Pathological Response after Treatment with Pemetrexed/ Cisplatin and Cytoreductive Surgery with HIPEC. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.remedypublications.com/open-access/a-rare-case-of-peritoneal-mesothelioma-with-completenbsppathological-5872.pdf
  17. Takanen, S., Resuli, B., Graziano, V., Parisi, A., Lisi, R., Raffetto, N., & Tombolini, V. (n.d.). Complete response and long-term survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma: Case report. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22493390
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