Mesothelioma Survivors

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How to Maximize Your Own Mesothelioma Survival Chances

Even though mesothelioma tends to carry a poor prognosis, it is important to remember that everyone’s story is different. With the right combination of treatment, healthy habits, and good luck you can possibly extend your life expectancy after a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Here are some things long-term mesothelioma survivors did after their diagnosis:

• Explored mesothelioma treatments that have helped others.
• Learned all they could about the disease.
• Looked into experimental treatments and clinical trials.
• Maintained a positive mindset through support networks or counseling.
• Stayed as healthy as they could. Staying healthy lets patients tolerate treatments better and heal faster from radiation or surgery
• Stayed connected with friends and family.

All of these things may help improve your life expectancy — just like the mesothelioma survivors mentioned below. You can also learn more about improving your prognosis in your free mesothelioma veterans packet.

Stories of Mesothelioma Survival

• Alexandra P.

  Alexandra was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in the late 2000s. She was 42 years old when doctors found her mesothelioma while treating her for gallbladder disease.

  She decided to have aggressive surgery to remove tumors and part of her diaphragm. She is still alive after more than five years.

  She was recently married, refusing to let the cancer take away her happiness. She still lives with the idea that she might have traces of mesothelioma inside her body — but she has beaten the odds and become a long-term survivor.

  Disclaimer
  Patients can benefit from taking part in new treatments, studies, and alternative medical practices but should only alter their treatment with the supervision and guidance of their doctors. 

• Art

  U.S. Army and Air Force Veteran Art Putt worked on car brakes starting in the 1960s as a civilian mechanic. Unfortunately, these brakes were made using asbestos.

  Decades later, in 2018, Art was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He underwent multiple treatments, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Art also takes an alternative remedy consisting of asparagus, beetroot powder, cottage cheese, and various oils twice a day.

  Given about six months to live in 2018, Art is still alive today.

  “We can’t change the outcome, but we’re enjoying the ride.”

  — Art Putt, U.S. Army & Air Force veteran with mesothelioma

• Bryan M.

  Bryan served in the U.S. Navy for 25 years, from 1964-1989. He was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in July 2018.

  Asbestos use by the Navy was rampant for most of Bryan’s time in the service. The Navy used more asbestos-containing materials than any other branch of the military. In fact, many Navy ships were lined tip to stern with asbestos products.

  Since his diagnosis of mesothelioma, Bryan finds himself traveling yet again. Today, he must travel 4-5 hours for each doctor’s visit.

  He contacted the Mesothelioma Veterans Center to learn about benefits he was eligible for through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and with our help, he was also able to get compensation for his treatments.

• Richard W.

  Richard was diagnosed with mesothelioma in October 2017 after having issues with breathing and chest pain — and having been exposed to asbestos throughout his life.

  Richard’s mother worked at a textile factory when he was a child — and asbestos was often used in textiles to reduce the risk of fires.

  Later, Richard served in the U.S. Air Force from 1954-1958, a time when asbestos products were regularly used in Air Force bases and aircraft parts such as engines and brake pads.

  When Richard first sought medical treatment, doctors could not determine the cause of his issues. This happens all too often in mesothelioma patients, as the disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose.

  Richard sought a second opinion, and a needle biopsy was conducted to collect fluid. Upon examination, doctors confirmed Richard had terminal mesothelioma. He was given less than a week to live. Determined to survive, Richard long exceeded his initial prognosis.

• Sandy M.

  Sandy was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2011. Her tactic to fight mesothelioma was to learn everything she could about the disease. She underwent multiple surgeries, including an extrapleural pneumonectomy in 2012. This aggressive, lung-removing treatment has clearly paid off.

  Because of the treatment she received, Sandy has lived long past the original prognosis she was given. She credits her success to being a fighter and doing whatever she could to get rid of the disease. She is living a successful life, continuing to battle her cancer.

• Tina D.

  Tina was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in 2001. Still, in her 30s, Tina was diagnosed young. Such an early onset of mesothelioma is only possible because she was exposed to asbestos as a child.

  She underwent cytoreduction with HIPEC to treat her cancer. She also had radiation therapy. Tina never gave up and decided she would live to see her children grow up.

  More than a decade later, she says she still lives with the thought that mesothelioma may still be in her system, but she tries not to worry. Instead, she is enjoying life as a survivor of mesothelioma. She is also grateful to the oncologists who recommended her procedure and has no regrets.

• Tom G.

  Tom was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2002. He was 42 years old and was given less than a year to live.

  When he first heard this he was ready to give up, but his family convinced him to have aggressive surgery. With the support of his loved ones, Tom had an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP).

  He underwent the surgery in Boston. The surgery gave him more than a decade of life he didn’t think he’d get, far beyond his original mesothelioma prognosis.

  Like a lot of patients, he still lives with some chronic pain. Despite this, he feels like he has lived a lifetime in the years since his surgery.

  Tom also won a mesothelioma settlement because of his asbestos exposure on the job. The settlement has helped him pay college tuition for two of his three children. He credits his success to having aggressive surgery and never giving up.

Mesothelioma Survivor-Approved Treatments

Many mesothelioma survivors have one factor in common that led to their cancer remission: They took control of their treatment plan.

They pushed for the most aggressive surgical treatments. They persistently asked their doctors about clinical trials.

Many mesothelioma survivors also educated themselves, researching new treatments online and asking their doctors about them. Below, learn about some of the best treatments that have led to long-term survival in mesothelioma patients.

Extrapleural Pneumonectomy

Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) was the first effective surgery for pleural mesothelioma. It has helped many patients live longer, and some have become survivors thanks to this treatment.

The surgery allows doctors to remove the diseased lung, diaphragm, lining of the heart, and as much of the diseased tissue in the chest as possible.

After the removal of the cancer, some doctors use chemotherapy to wash out the chest cavity, referred to as intraoperative chemotherapy. Its purpose is to kill leftover mesothelioma cells that surgeons can’t see.

Some studies have demonstrated that 24% of patients achieved long-term survival by living for 5 years after getting this treatment.

Pleurectomy With Decortication

Pleurectomy with decortication (P/D) is championed by Dr. Robert Cameron, considered one of the best mesothelioma surgeons in the country. At his cancer center, patients go through a three-part process to reach cancer remission.

First, surgeons perform the P/D, removing the lining of the lung and tumors in the crevices of the lung. After surgeons remove all visible signs of mesothelioma, they apply radiation to the surgical area, which helps destroy the remaining cancer cells.

Following this aggressive treatment, patients are put on a regimen of maintenance therapy.

Dr. Cameron says his patients “begin long-term maintenance therapy with daily self-administered injections of immunotherapy” to prevent mesothelioma recurrence (where the cancer comes back).

SMART

SMART stands for Surgery for Mesothelioma After Radiation Therapy. It is an experimental treatment in which patients receive a massive dose of radiation days before getting an EPP.

The idea behind this surgery is to kill off all mesothelioma cells in the area surrounding the affected lung. Once the tumors around the lung have shrunk, it’s time for surgery. Doctors remove the lung and surrounding tissue to prevent the cancer from spreading.

SMART is still a new therapy requiring more research. Patients who have had this treatment in clinical trials sometimes survived years past their initial prognosis.

Cytoreduction with HIPEC

This is the mainstay of treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma patients. It is a two-part treatment combining surgery and chemotherapy. First, the cytoreduction surgery removes all visible tumors in the abdomen.

The next step is heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy or HIPEC. After the surgeon removes all the tumors, they apply heated chemotherapy drugs directly inside the abdomen. This destroys cancer cells that might not have been removed during the surgery.

Dozens of peritoneal mesothelioma patients became long-term survivors thanks to cytoreduction with HIPEC.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a newer mesothelioma treatment in which medications boost the body’s immune response to cancer.

Immunotherapy was approved in 2020 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a mainstream treatment for pleural mesothelioma after clinical trials revealed that patients treated with this medication lived for four months longer than those treated with just chemotherapy.

This breakthrough means that immunotherapy could help other patients become long-term mesothelioma survivors in the future. Immunotherapy can also be used as a type of maintenance therapy to help cancer from coming back, according to Dr. Robert Cameron.

Get a free veterans packet to learn more about immunotherapy, surgery, and other treatments that may help you become a long-term mesothelioma survivor.

Learning from Mesothelioma Survivors

Mesothelioma survivor stories show us what’s possible with a little luck, the right attitude, and an expert care team providing the best treatments possible. Depending on your diagnosis, it may be possible for you to become a mesothelioma survivor as well.

Here are some tips for potentially surviving mesothelioma:

• Always get a second opinion (even top doctors can make a mistake)
• Ask your doctor if major surgery is right for your case
• Look into clinical trials that may be testing newer treatments
• Make sure you trust the opinions of your specialist and care team

U.S. veterans have a wider spectrum of options than most mesothelioma patients. There are VA hospitals and other cancer centers across the country that employ top mesothelioma specialists who are ready to help you work toward long-term survival.

Learn more about accessing life-extending treatments in our free Mesothelioma Veterans Packet.