Mesothelioma Facts

Who gets Mesothelioma
and How to Diagnose.

mesothelioma facts

Types of Mesothelioma

Pleural and Peritoneal is
the most common type.

mesothelioma types

Mesothelioma Treatment

Based on the Stage of the
Disease, Age and Health.

mesothelioma treatment

Mesothelioma Research

Coping Mesothelioma with Support Groups.

mesothelioma research

Mesothelioma Death

Mesothelioma Asbestos Related Death

Mesothelioma Deaths By Industry
The leading cause of mesothelioma is workplace exposure to asbestos. Certain industries still manufacture products that contain asbestos, or rely on equipment or facilities that contain it. Below is a list of industries with the largest number of employee deaths due to mesothelioma in 1999 according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Also included is the percentage of the total number of mesothelioma deaths accounted for by each industry.
• Construction – 14.2
• Non-paid workers, workers at home – 7.0
• Elementary and secondary school teachers – 3.7
• Industrial and miscellaneous chemicals – 3.5
• General government work – 2.4
• Agriculture – 1.9
• Nonspecific manufacturing 1.9
• Electric light and power – 1.9
• Railroads – 1.7
• Hospitals – 1.7
• Unreported industries – 4.3
• All other industries combined – 56

Mesothelioma Statistics: What You Should Know
These statistics denote the percentage of all mesothelioma deaths and speak nothing of mesothelioma death rates within each industry. The gap in mesothelioma death percentages between industries – between the incidence in the construction and railroad industries for example – may not be as large as the numbers seem to suggest because the number of people working in construction is much larger than the number of people working on railroads. All of these occupations carry a high risk of mesothelioma.

The 56 percent of those who worked in “all other industries combined” shows that while there are very high-risk industries, such as construction, the majority of people who die from mesothelioma either work in smaller industries or industries not traditionally associated with asbestos exposure.

The high incidence of mesothelioma deaths in people who do not work with asbestos directly, such as schoolteachers and hospital workers, can likely be attributed to their working in close proximity to decaying asbestos in old buildings. The number of mesothelioma deaths in home workers and homemakers is most likely due to non-occupational exposure.

A form of (generally lung) cancer generally resulting from exposure to asbestos.