Prognosis and prognostic factors of patients with mesothelioma: a population-based study

BACKGROUND: It is important to regularly update survival estimates of patients with malignant mesothelioma as prognosis may vary according to epidemiologic factors and diagnostic and therapeutic management. METHODS: We assessed overall (baseline) survival as well as related prognostic variables in a large cohort of 1353 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma between 2005 and 2008. RESULTS: About 50% of the patients were 70 years or older at diagnosis and the median latency time since start of asbestos exposure was 49 years. One year after diagnosis, 47% of the patients were alive, 20% after 2 years and 15% after 3 years. Prognostic variables independently associated with worse survival were: older age (HR = 1.04 per year 95% CI (1.03-1.06)), sarcomatoid subtype (HR = 2.45 95% CI (2.06-2.90)) and non-pleural localisation (HR = 1.67 95% CI (1.26-2.22)). CONCLUSION: Survival of patients with malignant mesothelioma is still limited and depends highly on patient age, mesothelioma subtype and localisation. In addition, a substantial part of the patients had a long latency time between asbestos exposure and diagnosis. British Journal of Cancer (2012) 107, 161-164. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2012.245 www.bjcancer.com Published online 29 May 2012 (C) 2012 Cancer Research UK