Scientist and researches have yet to find a cure for this disease. Millions of dollars and decades later after more and more patients got sick from exposure to asbestos, the mesothelioma life expectancy after a patient is diagnosed, is still usually not more than 16 months.
 
The current treatments are aimed to help to improve a victim's quality of live and may impact the growth rate of the cancer, yet, cannot put it into remission. Mesothelioma, a very rare form of cancer, is caused by exposure to asbestos. A number of different factors influence the life expectancy of a patient diagnosed with mesothelioma. The latency period of this illness can take up to 50 years. Which is an indication for the rather slow growing rate of this malignant disease. But there is a fundamental problem; because of the slow growth, mesothelioma typically gets diagnosed when the condition has already advanced to a progressed stage. And as for all cancers, the later it is being diagnosed, the more difficult is the treatment.
A patient who receives his diagnosis at a later stage will usually undergo palliative treatments with the intent of an improved quality of life. However, none of the currently available treatments can provide a cure to mesothelioma. Studies have shown that the average age of a newly diagnosed patient is 60 years. In the United States, close to 80% of all mesothelioma patients are male and 55 years or older. Some experts assume that the average age will drop over the course of the next decade. The truth of the matter is, the older the affected individual is at the time he gets diagnosed, the more likely the treatments will not work effectively due to the potential presence of other health problems, such as heart disease, hypertension and lung issues. An in the context of mesothelioma life expectancy, age and general health condition can play a major role.

Mesothelioma is categorized in three major types. What we see most commonly is the so called pleural mesothelioma, which originates in the mesothelium (the lining of the lungs). Less frequently, a patient may develop peritoneal or pericardial mesothelioma, which affects abdominal lining and the lining of the heart.
Most of the research is being done on the pleural form of this cancer, and therefore it is not surprising that the majority of all treatment methods are designed for pleural mesothelioma. Further to that it is important to note that smoking can significantly decrease the life expectancy of a patient diagnosed with this illness. There are a number of clinical trials ongoing and mesothelioma patients - assuming that they qualify - may be able to enroll and participate in those trials. Alternative treatments for mesothelioma become more accepted and acknowledged by the conservative medical community. Further to that, medical experts are working on test that should help to detect the disease in earlier stages, which would then allow for more effective treatments. In sum, the mesothelioma life expectancy is still rather poor. However, ongoing research and new alternative methods have shown some promising results which will hopefully convert into higher efficacy in treating mesothelioma.