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If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, treatments are a key way to helping you live longer. Mesothelioma treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can ease symptoms and improve survival. It’s possible to live for decades in some cases with treatment. You can get top treatments from VA or civilian doctors around the country.
Video Summary: Registered Nurse Amy Fair explains what mesothelioma is, the causes, and the symptoms. View Transcript
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma attacks the tissues that line most major organs, called the mesothelium. It is known mainly to attack the mesothelium of the lung, pericardial sack, peritoneal cavity in the abdomen, and also known to attack the lining of the testicles.
One of the first symptoms for developing mesothelioma is shortness of breath. A lot of times folks will have the shortness of breath with the pleuritic chest pain. This is also followed sometimes by substantial weight loss.
Many times after being diagnosed with mesothelioma your physician may ask you if you have been exposed to asbestos. Asbestos is a causative factor for mesothelioma. Some of the imaging studies may show underlying pleural plaques which are indicated that they have been around asbestos and may have underlying asbestosis.
The risk factors for developing mesothelioma are working around asbestos-related products, or being indirectly around those products such as secondhand exposures that are seen with wives that launder their loved ones' clothes that have asbestos dust on them. So direct asbestos exposure, as well as indirect asbestos exposure, can be causative factors for mesothelioma.
If you have symptoms of mesothelioma of any asbestos-related disease, it’s important that you inform your doctor of your asbestos exposure so that appropriate testing can be done.
Having mesothelioma can be scary, but treatments are available to help kill the cancer and increase your chances of long-term survival. Typical malignant mesothelioma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy.
Each treatment works in different ways. You ultimately decide which mesothelioma treatments you receive with your doctor’s help. Doctors look at factors like cancer stage and your overall health to recommend the best treatments for your case.
If you or a loved one is a U.S. veteran with mesothelioma, our on-staff nurses may be able to help you find and afford top treatments and doctors.
Mesothelioma surgery is often considered the best treatment option. Doctors can remove cancer tumors from the body with several types of surgery.
Chemotherapy drugs shrink tumors. Commonly used chemotherapy drugs for mesothelioma include pemetrexed and cisplatin.
Mesothelioma radiation uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation also causes the tumors to shrink, making them easier to remove with surgery.
Immunotherapy is a newer type of mesothelioma treatment. It helps the body find and destroy mesothelioma cells.
TTFields slow the growth of cancer tumors by using electrically charged pads that stick to the skin. The electricity doesn’t harm the patient.
Multimodal treatment combines therapies. For example, doctors may remove tumors with surgery and then use radiation or chemotherapy to kill leftover cancer cells.
Find mesothelioma treatments now Our mesothelioma nurses can help you find top treatments and doctors.
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Your doctors may recommend mesothelioma surgery if your cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, meaning it hasn’t spread through the body. There are three main types of mesothelioma surgeries that could be recommended to remove cancer tumors.
Mesothelioma surgeries include:
Your doctor will likely recommend other treatments like chemotherapy in addition to surgery to make sure that as much of the cancer as possible is destroyed. Some patients have gone on to live for 20 years or more thanks to surgery and other mesothelioma treatments.
“I think there's a misconception that surgery is this big morbid procedure. And what I would say to that is it depends in whose hands the surgery is performed. The big thing is that you've got to make sure it's done by someone who's experienced in doing mesothelioma surgeries routinely.”
— Dr. Raja Flores, mesothelioma specialist
Mesothelioma chemotherapy is medication that shrinks cancer tumors and kills cells. It’s likely that you’ll receive one or more chemotherapy medications as part of your mesothelioma treatment plan.
Chemotherapy drugs for mesothelioma include:
The most common chemotherapy drugs for mesothelioma are cisplatin and pemetrexed. While chemotherapy may cause side effects like nausea and hair loss, it has helped many mesothelioma patients have more time with their loved ones.
Doctors are using immunotherapy more and more to treat mesothelioma. Your body’s immune system naturally wants to fight threats like cancer. But, mesothelioma cells can hide from it. Immunotherapy stops this and allows your body to destroy mesothelioma.
Immunotherapy medications for mesothelioma include:
Pleural mesothelioma patients treated with immunotherapy lived for nearly 2 years on average in a recent study. You may be able to get immunotherapy with other mesothelioma treatments to live as long as possible.
Mesothelioma radiation shrinks tumors and eases symptoms. It’s often used as a follow-up treatment to kill cancer cells left behind after surgery. You could also receive radiation as a palliative or pain-relieving treatment.
“A radiation oncologist delivers a beam of radiation that's very targeted to areas of mesothelioma, of the actual cancer itself, for the goal of disease control locally. But radiation does not have an effect throughout the rest of the body, only where it is directed.”
— Dr. Logan Roof, mesothelioma specialist
Mesothelioma patients treated with radiation lived for over 1 year on average, according to the National Cancer Database (NCDB). It may be possible for you to live even longer if you get radiation along with other mesothelioma treatments.
Call (877) 450-8973 now to connect with nurses who can help you find top mesothelioma treatments, doctors, and cancer centers.
Tumor treating fields (TTFields) use electrical pads that stop mesothelioma cells from growing. These pads stick to your chest, and the electricity doesn’t hurt you.
Currently, you can only get TTFields treatment if you have pleural mesothelioma. This treatment is also known by its brand name, OptuneLua®. Mesothelioma patients who received TTFields and chemotherapy lived for 1.5 years in a recent study.
Multimodal treatment combines more than one therapy together to destroy as much of the cancer as possible. Using several mesothelioma treatments will likely be more effective than just one specific therapy.
Many patients have seen encouraging results through multimodal therapy. U.S. Army veteran Ernie Conry lived for nearly a decade after his mesothelioma diagnosis thanks to a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
“Don’t let the cancer bog you down. Some day it might bog you down, but if you are still moving, by God, keep moving.”
– Ernie Conry, U.S. Army veteran with mesothelioma
There are many new mesothelioma treatments being studied to see how they can help patients. You may be able to get a newer treatment by joining a mesothelioma clinical trial, where emerging therapies are safely tested and compared to established ones.
Immunotherapy and TTFields became widely accepted mesothelioma treatments after showing they could help more patients live longer in clinical trials.
New mesothelioma treatments that you could access through trials include:
Each trial has requirements you must meet to join. You can ask your mesothelioma doctor if there are any clinical trials available that may be able to help you possibly live longer.
Mesothelioma treatments aren’t just for improving your survival. Many can also help manage symptoms and make you feel better. Palliative mesothelioma treatments are available to specifically improve your quality of life.
You can get palliative care at any point after a mesothelioma diagnosis. Don’t be afraid to ask for it. In many cases, you’ll be able to get palliative mesothelioma treatments alongside more involved therapies meant to help you live longer.
Palliative care options for mesothelioma include:
If you decide that major mesothelioma treatments aren’t right for you, you may benefit from hospice care. This allows you to get around-the-clock palliative treatment. Going into hospice does not mean you are giving up in your cancer fight — it helps you have a good quality of life in the face of a serious diagnosis.
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After your mesothelioma diagnosis, you may hear about things like acupuncture and yoga for cancer. These are known as alternative mesothelioma treatments.
You shouldn’t replace standard treatments like chemotherapy with alternatives. However, alternative options could help to naturally relieve some of your symptoms and make you feel better.
Mesothelioma natural treatment options include:
U.S. veteran Art Putt has lived for over 5 years with mesothelioma through chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and a major upheaval to his diet, eating a blend of cancer-fighting foods. “I can't explain it other than that I just started feeling better,” he says.
Your health outlook after a mesothelioma diagnosis is called prognosis. Getting mesothelioma treatment is the main way you can live longer and improve your prognosis, since the cancer can be shrunk, destroyed, or removed.
Here’s how mesothelioma treatments can improve prognosis:
Without any form of treatment, mesothelioma patients typically live for 1 year or less. This is because mesothelioma can spread quickly if nothing is done.
Your prognosis is unique. It depends on things like where you cancer started, how far it has spread, your general health, the treatments you receive, and more. You can get a better idea about your prognosis and available treatments by speaking with your doctor.
Many U.S. veterans with mesothelioma received treatment to live longer with this cancer and make more memories with their families. See which treatment approaches helped veterans below.
Given 1 year or less to live after his 2018 diagnosis, Art used well-established treatments and natural remedies to survive. He’s living happily with his wife today.
Ernie underwent multiple pleural mesothelioma treatments after his diagnosis, allowing him to live for 7 years.
After his mesothelioma diagnosis, Walt chose to get palliative care rather than major treatments. He ultimately lived for 2 and a half years.
If you or a loved one has mesothelioma, it’s important to see a specialist who has experience treating your type of cancer. Skilled mesothelioma doctors can determine which types of treatments may work best for you.
Top mesothelioma doctors for veterans include:
Dr. Cameron has decades of experience treating pleural mesothelioma at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center in California.
She helps pleural mesothelioma patients at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Texas.
Dr. Choi is treating veterans with peritoneal mesothelioma at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.
Dr. Wiener treats pleural mesothelioma at the Boston VA Healthcare System in Massachusetts.
All of the doctors above are within the VA health care network. This means if you’re a veteran with mesothelioma, you can use your VA benefits to see these doctors for free or at a lower cost.
Use our free doctor search tool to find mesothelioma specialists near you. We have a network of over 150 doctors and can connect you with them now.
Speak with our trusted advocates to learn more about mesothelioma specialists in your state.
Cancer centers across the country specialize in mesothelioma treatment. Many are a part of the VA’s health care network and focus on diagnosing and treating veterans affected by this cancer.
Some of the best mesothelioma treatment centers include:
West Roxbury, MA
Los Angeles, CA
Boston, MA
Houston, TX
It’s important to go to a hospital that can specifically treat mesothelioma since the cancer is so rare. General cancer centers may not be able to provide the proper care.
While treatments are key to living longer with mesothelioma, they are often very expensive. The average mesothelioma treatment costs can exceed $400,000. Even with insurance, affording cancer care can be hard for many families.
Other expenses, like travel costs for treatment and lost wages if you or a loved one must stop working after a diagnosis, can also quickly add up. Thankfully, you may qualify for mesothelioma compensation from different sources.
Here are key ways to afford mesothelioma expenses:
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it’s likely that you deserve compensation. We may be able to help you or a loved one seek money to cover your cancer treatments. Get a Free Case Review now to find out more.
While having mesothelioma can be scary, it’s important to know that many treatments are available to help you feel better and give you more time with your loved ones.
If you or a veteran you love is now facing mesothelioma, work with the Mesothelioma Veterans Center to find the best treatments for your case.
Our registered nurses and veterans advocates can help you:
Call (877) 450-8973 or get a Free Veterans Packet now for more information on accessing and affording mesothelioma treatments.
Yes, there are several treatment options for mesothelioma cancer. You can access different treatments to possibly live longer after a diagnosis and have a better quality of life.
The most notable treatments are:
You may be able to receive several of these mesothelioma treatments to shrink, remove, and destroy as much of the cancer as possible. Work with experienced mesothelioma doctors to find out which treatments will be best in your case.
“You definitely want patients to go to places with experience, who have seen this disease before, and who know how best to approach it,” says Dr. Deepa Magge, mesothelioma specialist.
Some of the best treatments for mesothelioma are surgeries and chemotherapy. Doctors can remove cancer tumors with surgery. Chemotherapy to shrink cancer is the next best treatment if surgery can't be used, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
You may be able to receive both surgery and chemotherapy depending on the specifics of your diagnosis. Many other patients have lived for several years with these treatments, and some have become long-term survivors.
Call (877) 450-8973 now for help finding the best mesothelioma treatment options for your case.
Mesothelioma in the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation.
If you have pleural mesothelioma that hasn’t spread very far, your doctors will likely recommend surgery. Pleural mesothelioma patients who get surgery live 3 years on average. The other treatments can potentially improve your survival time, too.
Doctors often use systemic treatments like chemotherapy to help stage 4 mesothelioma patients live longer, as well as supportive care to ease symptoms. Surgery is typically not possible in stage 4 due to cancer spread.
Stage 4 mesothelioma without treatment has a poor outlook. But, some patients can live a long time with the right treatment plan. John Stahl has lived for over 6 years with stage 4 mesothelioma through chemotherapy. “I’m pretty well back to normal,” he says today.
Yes, some patients have recovered from mesothelioma. U.S. Army & Air Force veteran Art Putt is still living today after his diagnosis in 2018. He was originally given a year or less to live.
Sissy Hoffman also recovered from mesothelioma and lived for almost 30 years. Diagnosed in 1996 and given just 6 months to live, she received surgery and other treatments. She passed away from other causes in 2025 without the cancer returning, making her one of the longest-lived mesothelioma survivors.
While there is not yet a cure, treatments may help you live for many years after a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis. Some patients have survived for 20 years or more with treatment.
“The right approach is to say: ‘I'm going to live with this disease. I'm going to make the most of my life as I live with this disease,’” says mesothelioma specialist Dr. Jacques Fontaine. “Then that's how you get hope.”
Additionally, doctors continue to study new and potentially better treatments in clinical trials with the hope of one day finding a cure.
Get a Free Veterans Packet to find mesothelioma treatments that could help you outlive your current prognosis.
Mesothelioma is hard to treat because it spreads quickly and is usually diagnosed only after it has spread. These issues can limit your available treatment options.
You’ll want to make sure that you’re getting treated by a mesothelioma specialist. This will mean you’re in the best possible hands throughout treatment. Even though mesothelioma can be difficult to treat, you still could live a long time with the right medical care.
If you’re a U.S. veteran, you can get mesothelioma treatments from both VA doctors and civilian ones. You may have lower health care co-pays or qualify for free treatments if you go through the VA health system.
Contact us now for help accessing mesothelioma treatments. Our veterans advocates and nurses can connect you with top doctors and explain key treatment options.
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center has no affiliation with and is not endorsed or sponsored by Dr. Robert Cameron. The contact information above is listed for informational purposes only. You have the right to contact Dr. Cameron directly.
Double Board-Certified Oncologist and Hematologist
Todd Gersten, MD, is a double board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist specializing in general adult oncology and hematologic disease. He is a physician partner with the Florida Cancer Specialists and practices in Wellington, Florida.
Dr. Todd Gersten is an independently paid medical reviewer.
Contributing Author
Christopher Dryfoos is a journalist and member of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). As the grandson of the U.S. Navy’s first forensic pathologist, he aims to help veterans with mesothelioma access needed care.