Stage 2 Mesothelioma

Stage 2 mesothelioma is still considered an early stage of this cancer. The tumors have spread from the lung lining and into nearby organs on one side of the chest. However, there are still many treatments to help patients live longer at this stage. Explore top treatments for stage 2 mesothelioma that could help you live longer.

Free Case Review

Written and Fact-Checked by: Lung Cancer Group

Last updated: May 14, 2025

Top Topics:

Signs and Symptoms
Prognosis
Treatment
Get Help

What Is Stage 2 Mesothelioma?

Stage 2 mesothelioma is more advanced than stage 1, but many treatment options are still available to possibly improve survival.

If mesothelioma cancer tumors have started to spread outside of the lung lining and into the diaphragm, lung, tissue, or nearby lymph nodes, a patient may be in stage 2.

Even though the cancer has spread by stage 2, it won’t have gotten very far. This means doctors can often use aggressive treatment options like surgery for this stage of mesothelioma to improve patient survival.

The average stage 2 mesothelioma life span is 19 months for patients who receive surgery. Some patients have even become long-term survivors, living for decades.

Our nurses can help you find the best doctors and oncology (cancer treatment) centers for any stage of mesothelioma, if eligible. Connect with a nurse now.

What Are the Symptoms of Stage 2 Mesothelioma?

Many patients with stage 1 or stage 2 mesothelioma have little to no symptoms due to the cancer’s limited spread.

That said, possible stage 2 mesothelioma symptoms include:

Cough that doesn’t go away
Fatigue
Fever
Loss of appetite
Mild chest pain
Shortness of breath
Unexplained weight loss

One of the most common early symptoms of stage 2 mesothelioma is pleural effusion, or fluid buildup in the chest. This is the first symptom in up to 80% of all patients and causes difficulty breathing, weight loss, and a feeling of fullness.

“Draining that fluid out can actually not just help patients breathe better, but help them eat better as well.”

— Dr. Joseph Freidberg, mesothelioma specialist

If you are suffering from any possible stage 2 mesothelioma symptoms and were exposed to asbestos — the only known cause of this cancer — decades ago, see an oncologist (cancer specialist) immediately.

Diagnosing Mesothelioma at Stage 2

Cancer doctors use a series of tests to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis and determine the stage.

Diagnostic tests for stage 2 mesothelioma include:

A physical exam to check for symptoms and discuss family history of asbestos exposure
Blood tests to look for biomarkers (signs that you have cancer) and rule out other conditions
Imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, and PET scans to detect abnormal tissue or fluid buildup
A biopsy, the only way to confirm a diagnosis by checking tissue samples for mesothelioma cells

Once you’re diagnosed, doctors will determine your stage by reviewing imaging scans using the Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) cancer staging system.

Only malignant pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs, follows the TNM staging system. Peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects the abdomen, is informally staged as “localized” or “advanced.”

Cases of stage 1 and 2 mesothelioma are often misdiagnosed as other conditions at first. Contact our nurses for help finding a specialist near you to ensure you’re correctly diagnosed.

Mesothelioma Prognosis Stage 2

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 a patient will live after their diagnosis.

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

Mesothelioma Stage 2 Survival Rate

Mesothelioma survival rate is the percentage of patients still alive after a certain period after their diagnosis.

The 5-year survival rate for stage 2 mesothelioma is 11%, according to a 2023 review of National Cancer Database data. Still, some patients have lived for over 5 years, becoming long-term survivors.

Can Mesothelioma Stage 2 Enter Remission?

It’s generally rare for mesothelioma to enter remission (where signs of cancer disappear or lessen). However, stage 2 mesothelioma patients may achieve remission if they are diagnosed early and treated aggressively.

The best way to improve your quality of life and work toward remission is to receive treatment for stage 2 mesothelioma as soon as possible.

Connect with our nurses for help finding the best mesothelioma doctors and treatments that may send your cancer into remission.

Stage 2 Mesothelioma Treatment

There are many treatments for stage 2 mesothelioma since it hasn’t spread very far, with the most notable being surgery. Learn about top mesothelioma treatment options below.

Mesothelioma Surgery

Surgery is an often effective treatment at this stage of mesothelioma. Different types of surgery allow doctors to remove all visible cancer tumors from the body to help patients live longer.

Surgeries for stage 2 pleural mesothelioma include:

Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP): Removes 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): Extracts the pleura and other cancerous tissues but keeps both lungs intact

Many patients receive surgery as part of a multimodal therapy plan, where multiple types of treatment are used to kill as much cancer as possible.

“I think patients who have disease that can be resected (removed with surgery), especially those with earlier stage disease, can have long-term survivals in conjunction with chemotherapy.”

— Dr. Taylor Ripley, mesothelioma specialist

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses cancer-killing drugs typically given intravenously (through a vein). The chemotherapy drugs travel through the body to destroy mesothelioma cells.

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 shrink tumors so they are easier to remove in surgery or destroy leftover cancerous cells when administered after surgery.

Immunotherapy

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

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 more effective treatment. Clinical trials may also offer treatments that could work for you if your cancer doesn’t respond to other therapies.

Connect with our nurses now for help finding nearby clinical trials for stage 2 mesothelioma.

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 can receive treatments to improve their survival.

We can help after a stage 2 mesothelioma diagnosis by:

Connecting you with experienced mesothelioma specialists
Helping you get the best treatments possible
Pursuing financial compensation to cover any expenses

Connect with our mesothelioma nurses now or call (877) 446-5767 to get started. We are ready to assist you an your ‌loved ones in any way we can.

Mesothelioma Stage 2 FAQs

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 at the time of diagnosis. Younger patients who are in otherwise good health typically live longer.

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 without delay. Different treatment plans can destroy as much of the cancer as possible and ease symptoms.

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 can slow the progression of stage 2 mesothelioma and allow patients to survive for years or even decades.

Is stage 2 cancer terminal illness?

Stage 2 mesothelioma doesn’t have a cure and will be terminal without treatment.

However, since the cancer tumors are still found on only one side of the chest, it’s easier to treat and patients could potentially achieve long-term survival.

Speak to a mesothelioma nurse now to learn about therapies that could improve your life expectancy.

What is peritoneal mesothelioma stage 2?

Peritoneal mesothelioma is usually staged as “localized” or “advanced” disease. However, doctors may sometimes use a different staging system called the Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) that has four stages.

Stage 2 peritoneal mesothelioma indicates that the cancer has spread through the abdominal cavity but has not reached other areas of the body.

Early-stage peritoneal mesothelioma patients may qualify for treatments like cytoreductive surgery with heated chemotherapy (HIPEC) that could improve survival.

What is stage 2 sarcomatoid mesothelioma?

Stage 2 sarcomatoid mesothelioma means you’re in the early stages of this cancer but have an aggressive cell type.

There are three mesothelioma cell types: Epithelioid, sarcomatoid, and biphasic. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the rarest and most aggressive. These cells can spread faster than the other types through the body, making it harder to treat.

Still, if doctors determine your sarcomatoid mesothelioma is in stage 2, you’ll have more treatments available since the cancer hasn’t spread to other parts of the body.