For decades, mesothelioma treatment options offered limited hope beyond the short term. Chemotherapy provided modest gains but rarely changed the overall course of the disease. The latest 5-year update from the CheckMate 743 trial offers one of the clearest signs that progress is not only happening — but lasting.
This landmark study followed patients with advanced pleural mesothelioma who received either chemotherapy or a combination of two immunotherapy drugs, nivolumab (Opdivo®) and ipilimumab (Yervoy®).
Five years later, the results show that some patients treated with immunotherapy are living significantly longer than expected, with a growing group experiencing long-term survival.
While mesothelioma remains an aggressive disease, this type of sustained response was rarely seen in the past. For patients and loved ones, these findings signal a meaningful shift in what may be possible after diagnosis.
The 5-year data gives doctors a clearer picture of who may benefit from immunotherapy and shows that it can lead to longer periods of stable disease and improved quality of life.
What Is the Mesothelioma CheckMate 743 Trial?
CheckMate 743 is a large, international clinical trial that has reshaped how doctors treat malignant pleural mesothelioma when surgery isn’t an option. For many years, chemotherapy has been the standard first-line treatment for mesothelioma, offering limited improvements in survival.
This trial was designed to test whether a newer approach using immunotherapy to activate the body’s immune system could deliver better and longer-lasting outcomes. Researchers compared traditional chemotherapy to a combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab.
Here are some key points about the CheckMate 743 trial:
- Phase 3, randomized clinical trial
- Compared Opdivo + Yervoy to standard chemotherapy
- Primary goal was to measure overall survival after treatment
- Patients have been followed for at least 5 years
- Helped establish immunotherapy as a first-line option for many patients
Patients were followed over several years, allowing researchers to evaluate not only how well the treatments worked initially, but whether those benefits could be sustained over time — something that is especially important given the disease’s poor life expectancy.
CheckMate 743 for mesothelioma helped shift expectations and opened the door to more hopeful, personalized treatment conversations between patients and their care teams.
Find a mesothelioma specialist through our Free Doctor Match program to see if immunotherapy may be right for you or a loved one.
Key Takeaways 5 Years After CheckMate 743
The 5-year follow-up from the CheckMate 743 trial provides the longest-term data to date comparing immunotherapy with chemotherapy in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
The original trial results established that first-line treatment with nivolumab plus ipilimumab improved overall survival compared to chemotherapy. This 2026 update confirms the benefit is sustained over time and not limited to early follow-up.
Here’s what researchers learned at the 5-year mark:
- Survivorship is possible for more patients: About 14% of patients who received immunotherapy were alive at 5 years, compared to 6% who received chemotherapy.
- The survival benefit holds over time: The lower risk of death seen earlier in the trial continued through the 5-year follow-up.
- Long-term disease control is possible: Some patients had extended periods where their cancer didn’t grow or spread.
- Greater impact in harder-to-treat cases: Patients with non-epithelioid mesothelioma cell types had better outcomes with immunotherapy.
- No new safety concerns emerged: Side effects from immunotherapy stayed consistent over time and remained manageable for most patients.
- Treatment guidance has evolved: Immunotherapy is now widely used as a first-line treatment, and patients should ask about it early.
“Something encouraging that we found in the CheckMate 743 trial is that immunotherapy can be very helpful for patients with sarcomatoid histologies.”
The 5-year CheckMate 743 update shifts the conversation from short-term outcomes to long-term possibilities. For patients and families, it reinforces the importance of understanding treatment options early and discussing whether immunotherapy may be appropriate.
While mesothelioma remains a serious diagnosis, these findings offer something that has historically been in short supply: evidence that, for some patients, longer-term survival is within reach.
Get Help Finding the Best Treatment for You
At Mesothelioma Hope, we take pride in helping mesothelioma patients understand their options and find the best possible care.
We can help you and your family:
- Find experienced mesothelioma doctors
- Learn about available treatments
- Manage potential side effects
- Join support groups to connect with other patients
- Pursue compensation to pay for the costs of care
Call us at (866) 608-8933 or download our Free Immunotherapy Guide to get started. We’ve helped thousands of families find the answers they need.
