Key Statistics in the
UK
- Someone dies every five hours from
mesothelioma in the UK.
- There were 1,628 deaths from
mesothelioma in 2000 in Britain
- Mesothelioma is preventable....the
only known cause is exposure to asbestos.
- The annual death toll will rise to
around 2,000 by 2010 and will remain above 1,500 until about 2025.
- There are 33% more deaths from
mesothelioma than from cervical cancer.
- Deaths from mesothelioma have
increased ten-fold since 1968 in the UK.
- There will be over a million deaths in
western Europe by 2035.
- The disease can take up to 60 years to
develop following exposure to asbestos.
- The greatest risk group are men born
between 1945 and 1950.
Key Statistics in the
USA
Mesothelioma is fairly rare. There are
an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 new cases per year of
mesothelioma in the United States. The incidence
of mesotheliomas in the United States increased
from 1970 to 1990 and then stabilized. It may now
be decreasing. In European countries, the rate of
mesotheliomas is still increasing.
Mesothelioma is rare in people
under age 55. Its incidence increases with age.
Most patients are over 65 years old. The disease
affects men 5 times more often than women. Mesothelioma
is less common in African Americans than in white
Americans.
Mesothelioma is a serious disease.
By the time the symptoms appear and cancer is diagnosed,
the disease is often advanced. The average survival
time is about 1 to 2 years. The 5-year survival
rate is only around 7%, but this rate is slowly
improving.
The 5-year survival rate refers
to the percentage of patients who live at least
5 years after their cancer is diagnosed. Five-year
rates are used to produce a standard way of discussing
prognosis. Of course, many people live much longer
than 5 years. Five-year relative survival
rates exclude patients dying of other diseases.
This means that anyone who died of another cause,
such as heart disease, is not counted. Five-year
survival rates are based on patients diagnosed and
initially treated more than 5 years ago. Improvements
in treatment often result in a more favorable outlook
for recently diagnosed patients. |
