Stage 2 Mesothelioma

Stage 2 mesothelioma is still considered an early stage of this aggressive cancer. At this stage, the cancer is beginning to grow through the lung lining and to nearby areas on one side of the chest. This stage may respond to treatment well and, as a result, patients have a longer life expectancy — 19 months — than those in later stages. Learn how Lung Cancer Group can help connect you with mesothelioma treatment to help you live longer.

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Written and Fact-Checked by: Lung Cancer Group

Last updated: January 2, 2024

Top Topics:

Signs and Symptoms
Prognosis
Treatment
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What Is Stage 2 Mesothelioma?

Under the Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) cancer staging system, stage 2 is considered an early stage of mesothelioma.

In this stage, mesothelioma cancer tumors have started to spread outside of the lung lining and into the diaphragm, lung, tissue, and/or nearby lymph nodes. But, doctors can still often effectively treat stage 2 mesothelioma so patients can live longer.

Stage 2 mesothelioma typically only applies to pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs. Peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects the abdomen, is informally staged as “localized” or “advanced.”

Quick Facts on Mesothelioma Stage 2

Life expectancy: 19 months
Symptoms: Mild chest pressure or no symptoms at all
Treatments: Surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and more

Lung Cancer Group has on-staff nurses and patient advocates who can connect you with top doctors and oncology (cancer treatment) centers, allowing you to get treatment for any stage of mesothelioma. Connect with a nurse now.

Signs and Symptoms of Mesothelioma Stage 2

Because asbestos, the only cause of mesothelioma, has a long latency period, it can take 10-50 years for symptoms to develop. Many people in stages 1 and 2 of mesothelioma do not feel any signs or symptoms until the cancer advances to stage 3 or 4 when it is more difficult to treat.

That said, possible signs and symptoms of mesothelioma stage 2 include:

Cough that doesn’t go away
Fatigue
Fever
Mild chest pain or pressure from fluid buildup (effusion)
Shortness of breath
Unexplained weight loss

If you are suffering from any possible stage 2 mesothelioma symptoms and were exposed to asbestos decades ago, make sure to see your doctor immediately. Doctors can help run tests to confirm your diagnosis.

Diagnosing Mesothelioma at Stage 2

It is rare for mesothelioma to be diagnosed in stage 2, but it is possible. Oncologists (cancer doctors) will run several tests to determine if you have mesothelioma stage 2.

Diagnostic tests for mesothelioma include:

A physical exam to check for symptoms and discuss asbestos exposure and family medical history
Blood tests to look for biomarkers (signs that you could have cancer) and rule out other conditions
Imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, and PET scans of the chest to look for abnormal tissue or fluid buildup
A biopsy, where a fluid/tissue sample is removed and checked for mesothelioma cells

A biopsy is the only way to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis. The same tissue samples taken for the biopsy will be used to determine the cell types present in the mesothelioma tumor, which informs prognosis and treatment plans.

Mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as other conditions at first. If you have a history of asbestos exposure and are experiencing mesothelioma symptoms, consider seeking a second opinion from a specialist. Contact our nurses for help finding a specialist near you.

Stage 2 Mesothelioma Prognosis

Each patient with stage 2 mesothelioma will have a unique prognosis (expected health outlook). Generally, mesothelioma stage 2 has a more positive prognosis than later stages.

Factors that affect a stage 2 mesothelioma prognosis include:

Age at diagnosis
General health of the patient
Type of cells present in the mesothelioma tumor

Mesothelioma prognosis is often explained with two different estimates: life expectancy and survival rate.

Stage 2 Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

Mesothelioma life expectancy is an estimate of how long someone will live after their diagnosis.

The average life expectancy for a person with stage 2 mesothelioma is 19 months. However, some patients may live much longer than this if they get prompt treatment.

Survival Rate of Mesothelioma Stage 2

Mesothelioma survival rate is the percentage of people still alive after a certain period after their diagnosis. It can help you to understand how likely it is that you’ll become a long-term survivor.

The 5-year survival rate for stage 2 mesothelioma is 11%, according to a 2023 review of National Cancer Database data. This is the same 5-year survival rate as stage 1 mesothelioma.

Can Mesothelioma Stage 2 Enter Remission?

It is rare for patients with stage 2 mesothelioma to enter remission, a clinical term for when there are no longer signs of cancer growing. However, it is possible for patients to achieve long-term survival with aggressive treatment at this stage.

Early-stage patients may have better odds of achieving long-term survival because they are often better candidates for surgery.

The best way to improve your mesothelioma prognosis and to achieve remission or long-term survival is to receive treatment as soon as possible. Connect with our on-staff nurses now to see how we can help you find top doctors and treatments.

Top Treatments for Stage 2 Mesothelioma

There are many treatment options for stage 2 mesothelioma. This is because the cancer hasn’t spread very far, making it easier to treat. Learn about some of the best mesothelioma treatment options below.

Mesothelioma Surgery

Surgery is an effective treatment at this stage of mesothelioma. During surgical procedures, doctors remove any cancerous tissue to significantly slow or stop the spread.

Surgeries for mesothelioma stage 2 include:

Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP): An EPP involves removing the lung affected by the cancer, the lung lining (pleura), part of the diaphragm, and the lining of the heart (pericardium).
Pleurectomy with decortication (P/D): This procedure removes the cancerous pleura, and any other cancerous tissue. It is considered lung-sparing since both lungs are kept intact, but it is still an effective treatment.

Some patients may not be good candidates for surgery, while others might receive surgery and other treatments as part of a multimodal therapy plan, which incorporates multiple types of treatment.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses cancer-killing drugs typically given intravenously (through a vein). Chemotherapy drugs will then travel through the body and destroy mesothelioma cells along the way.

Chemotherapy for stage 2 mesothelioma is often used in combination with surgery, as this method usually has the best results.

Radiation

Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. For stage 2 mesothelioma, radiation therapy can help shrink tumors so they are easier to remove in surgery, or be used after surgery to kill any remaining cancerous cells.

In advanced stages of mesothelioma, this type of treatment is used mostly as a way of easing and managing symptoms of the disease.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy boosts the immune system to help it fight cancer cells. For mesothelioma stage 2, this treatment is often combined with other therapies like chemotherapy and surgery.

This treatment is seeing a lot of positive results in improving survival times for mesothelioma patients.

Clinical Trials

New treatments for stage 2 mesothelioma patients and those in the other stages are tested in clinical trials every year.

By joining a clinical trial, you may be able to access a possibly more effective treatment. Clinical trials may also offer treatments that could work for you if your mesothelioma doesn’t respond to other therapies.

Our team of nurses can help find nearby clinical trials that you might be able to join. Get in touch now to see how we can help.

Find Help With a Mesothelioma Stage 2 Diagnosis

A diagnosis of stage 2 mesothelioma can feel devastating, but there is hope. Many patients diagnosed with mesothelioma are able to receive treatments that improve their survival.

Our team at Lung Cancer Group can help you and your loved ones by:

Connecting you with experienced mesothelioma specialists
Explaining treatment options
Determining your eligibility for financial compensation

To learn more about your options, connect with our mesothelioma nurses now or call (877) 446-5767. We are ready to help you in any way we can.

Mesothelioma Stage 2 FAQs

Is stage 2 mesothelioma curable?

There is no cure for any stage of mesothelioma at this time. However, some patients may survive a long time or even enter remission. The best way to do this is to seek mesothelioma treatment as soon as possible.

How long can you live with stage 2 mesothelioma?

The average life expectancy for a stage 2 mesothelioma patient is 19 months with treatment, though many people have survived much longer.

Factors that affect your life expectancy include age, gender, and overall health outside of having mesothelioma.

How fast does mesothelioma progress?

It takes 10-50 years after asbestos exposure before mesothelioma tumors appear. However, once they form, the cancer can progress very quickly.

Treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and more are able to slow the progression of stage 2 mesothelioma and allow patients to survive for years or sometimes decades after their diagnosis.