Paul Kraus

The Longest Living Mesothelioma Survivor

Paul Kraus was well known for being the longest-living mesothelioma survivor. He passed away in July 2025 at the age of 79 after fighting mesothelioma for 27 years. The average survival for mesothelioma is 1-2 years.

With the guidance of his physicians, Paul allegedly decided to take a holistic approach to his disease. He did not receive standard medical therapy or surgery. His experience is remarkable and has led to him being a source of both inspiration and medical curiosity.

When Paul was diagnosed in 1997, there were no standard treatments available for mesothelioma. He was told to prepare his affairs for what his doctors considered an inevitably short amount of time left. But Paul refused to accept his prognosis as something out of his control.

More than two decades later, it’s obvious this mindset was the foundation for doing what was thought to be impossible – beating mesothelioma for more than 25 years.

From Holocaust Birth to Cancer Resilience

Paul Kraus was born on October 20, 1944 in a Nazi labor camp towards the end of World War II. A few months before his birth, his mother (Clara) and 2-year-old brother (Peter) were placed aboard a train bound for the concentration camp, Auschwitz. Aerial bombings by the U.S and its allies caused enough destruction to the railroads that the train was diverted to a forced labor camp in Austria.

After Paul was born, he and his family escaped from the camp. The escape saved their lives because a short time later Nazi Germany forced all the prisoners on a death march.

Paul, his brother, and mother survived the cross-country trek with some help from the Russian infantry. Paul was 10 months old when his father returned from a U.S. army hospital after liberation from the Mauthausen concentration camp.

Late in 1948 the impoverished family migrated in a refugee ship to Australia. Against all odds considering how his life began, Paul received his bachelor’s degree at Macquarie University and later a Master of Arts and Master of Education at the University of Sydney.

Getting Diagnosed in 1997

When Paul was 52 years old, he went to the doctor for a hernia. It was perceived as a relatively minor issue, and he was referred to a surgeon. However, during the surgery to repair the hernia, the surgeon discovered tumors on the lining surrounding the organs in Paul’s abdomen.

It was diagnosed as peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare cancer in the lining of the abdominal cavity. This lining wraps around the many organs in the abdomen. Exposure to asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma and other cancers.

In the year Paul was diagnosed, there weren’t any treatments available that were considered curative. Additionally, survival rates for mesothelioma hadn’t reached the point where they have today. Given the stage of his disease and his age, Paul was given less than a year to live.

“When I was diagnosed and there was no conventional treatment considered curative … I was told to get my affairs in order,” Paul said.

Once diagnosed, instead of getting his affairs in order, Paul decided to take a different route of action. He and his wife began by researching the disease. They learned everything they could possibly learn about mesothelioma, the treatments being used, and the treatments not being used.

Paul’s Reflections on Treatment Evolution

There wasn’t much hope for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma in the 1990s. Doctors didn’t understand the disease the way they do now and radical treatments like surgery were riskier. Immunotherapy was not an option then, either, and clinical trials were not nearly as promising.

Paul, with the help of his holistic physician, focused on restructuring his lifestyle and diet almost immediately as a way to try to keep the cancer from getting any worse.

Paul became a vegetarian and along with the research he and his wife did led them to create a diet that touted healthy benefits. His hope was to both detoxify his body and increase his overall health.

According to Paul, with the guidance from his doctor, he used a plant-based chemotherapy replacement along with high doses of vitamin C in conjunction with his new diet.

Now that there are standard treatments for mesothelioma, Paul advocates for the use of both conventional and alternative medicine. Surgery is safer, chemotherapy can extend survival, immunotherapy is providing new treatment options, and radiation can pair with therapies to make them more potent.

“Conventional treatments now offer more options,” said Paul. “But there is still the necessity to understand what is [offered].”

The heart of Paul’s philosophy on cancer is keeping an open mind.

It’s All About Attitude for Patients

One of the things Paul finds most important to surviving mesothelioma is having the right attitude. Paul survived for 27 years, whereas the average mesothelioma survival is 1-2 years.

He outperformed his doctor’s prognosis and the usual life expectancy with grit and determination. He put a lot of stock into how feelings of fear and hopelessness, although normal, can be a detriment to a patient’s recovery.

One of the best things about molding a positive mindset is that patients can start working toward finding peace of mind immediately. It’s one of the things that is directly under the patient’s control, and that sense of control can be empowering.

Paul believed fighting emotional stress and anxiety is a must for anyone hoping to overcome cancer.

Practicing relaxation techniques and meditating are two ways proven to significantly reduce stress.

The effects of stress reduction on cancer patients isn’t completely understood. Some people believe it has a direct effect on the body’s self-healing ability and symptoms of pain.

Legacy and Inspiration for Future Mesothelioma Patients

In many ways, it’s a wonder that Paul Kraus survived so long using his unconventional methods. Yet, he obviously did something right to achieve remission for a disease he was told he wouldn’t live with for more than a year.

His advice to “accept the diagnosis and reject the prognosis” serves as a poignant reminder to all patients with mesothelioma. Paul felt a need to reach out to others struggling with mesothelioma as a way to show them there is hope after a mesothelioma diagnosis.

During the latter part of his cancer battle and survivorship, Paul became an advocate for mesothelioma patients and caregivers. His book, “Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient’s Guide”, serves as an inspiration for many. It’s a free resource and has empowered patients globally to consider all of their options when fighting this aggressive cancer.

Support for People With Mesothelioma

We at Mesothelioma Guide urge anyone with this cancer to find a mesothelioma specialist and talk with them about treatment options. Foregoing medical therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy or immunotherapy in favor of the holistic approach Paul used is not recommended. The progress of cancer treatment in recent years has made many options safer and better for improving survival.

However, as the patient, you must make whatever decision you may believe is best for your peace of mind, comfort, quality of life and happiness. While we do not recommend the holistic approach over the option of medical treatment at world-renowned cancer centers, we respect every patient’s choice for their own individual case of mesothelioma.

You can request our free patient’s guide book for more stories of survival and information about treatment options.