Mesothelioma incidence statistics

Cases

New cases of mesothelioma, 2014, UK

 

Proportion of all cases

Percentage mesothelioma is of total cancer cases, 2014, UK

 

Age

Peak rate of mesothelioma cases, 2012-2014, UK

Trend over time

Change in mesothelioma cancer incidence rates since the early 1990s, UK

Mesothelioma accounts for less than 1% of all cancers in the UK (2014). In males, it is the 17th most common cancer in the UK (accounting for 1% of all male cases). In females, it accounts for less than 1% of all female cases.[1-4]

In 2014, there were 2,717 new cases of mesothelioma in the UK: 2,298 (84%) in males and 428 (16%) in females, giving a male:female ratio of around 53:10.[1-4] The crude incidence rate Open a glossary item shows that there are 7 new mesothelioma cases for every 100,000 males in the UK, and 1 for every 100,000 females.

The marked male excess in mesothelioma incidence reflects sex differences in occupational asbestos exposure.[5]

For males, the European age-standardised incidence rates Open a glossary item (AS rates) are significantly higher in England compared with Northern Ireland. For females, rates are significantly higher in England compared with Wales and Scotland.[1-4] Rates do not differ significantly between the other constituent countries of the UK for either sex.

Mesothelioma (C45), Number of New Cases, Crude and European Age-Standardised (AS) Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2014

England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland UK
Male Cases 1,954 113 186 36 2,289
Crude Rate 7.3 7.4 7.2 4.0 7.2
AS Rate 9.0 8.1 8.7 5.8 8.9
AS Rate - 95% LCL 8.6 6.6 7.4 3.9 8.5
AS Rate - 95% UCL 9.4 9.6 9.9 7.7 9.2
Female Cases 389 11 22 6 428
Crude Rate 1.4 0.7 0.8 0.6 1.3
AS Rate 1.5 0.6 0.8 0.7 1.3
AS Rate - 95% LCL 1.3 0.3 0.5 0.1 1.2
AS Rate - 95% UCL 1.6 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.5
Persons Cases 2,343 124 208 42 2,717
Crude Rate 4.3 4.0 3.9 2.3 4.2
AS Rate 4.8 4.0 4.2 2.9 4.7
AS Rate - 95% LCL 4.6 3.3 3.6 2.0 4.5
AS Rate - 95% UCL 5.0 4.7 4.8 3.7 4.9

95% LCL and 95% UCL are the 95% lower and upper confidence limits Open a glossary item around the AS rate Open a glossary item

For mesothelioma, like most cancer types, differences between countries largely reflect risk factor prevalence in years past.

See also

Mesothelioma mortality statistics by sex and UK region

Cancer incidence statistics for common cancers in the UK

References

  1. Data were provided by the Office for National Statistics on request, June 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/cancerregistrationstatisticsengland/previousReleases
  2. Data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, May 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications/
  3. Data were provided by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, Health Intelligence Division, Public Health Wales on request, June 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.wcisu.wales.nhs.uk
  4. Data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, May 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/
  5. Mesothelioma (C) European age standardised incidence rates by UK Cancer Networks, 2008-2010. These data were extracted from the UK Cancer Information Service, version 4.5b 001 on 30/01/2014.

About this data

Data is for: UK, 2014, ICD-10 C45

Last reviewed:

Mesothelioma incidence is strongly related to age, with the highest incidence rates being in older people. In the UK in 2012-2014, on average each year half (50%) of cases were diagnosed in people aged 75 and over.[1-4]

Age-specific incidence rates rise steeply in males and gradually in females from around age 50-54, peaking in the 85-89 age group for males and in the 75-79 age group for females, and subsequently dropping. Incidence rates are higher for males than females aged 45-49 and 55-59 and over (this gap is not significant at younger ages), and this gap is widest at age 90+, when the male: female incidence ratio of age-specific rates (to account for the different proportions of males to females in each age group) is around 94:10.[1-4]

Mesothelioma (C45), Average Number of New Cases per Year and Age-Specific Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2012-2014

For mesothelioma, like most cancer types, incidence increases with age. This largely reflects cell DNA damage accumulating over time. Damage can result from biological processes or from exposure to risk factors. A drop or plateau in incidence in the oldest age groups often indicates reduced diagnostic activity perhaps due to general ill health.

See also

Mesothelioma mortality statistics by age

Cancer incidence statistics by age for all cancers in the UK

References

  1. Data were provided by the Office for National Statistics on request, June 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/cancerregistrationstatisticsengland/previousReleases.
  2. Data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, May 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications/.
  3. Data were provided by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, Health Intelligence Division, Public Health Wales on request, June 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.wcisu.wales.nhs.uk.
  4. Data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, May 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/.

About this data

Data is for UK, 2012-2014, ICD-10 C45

Last reviewed:

Mesothelioma incidence rates have increased by 71% in the UK since the early 1990s.[1-4] This includes a slightly larger increase for males than for females. This includes a larger increase for females than for males. Mesothelioma incidence rates increased by 198% (persons) in Great Britain between 1979-1981 and 1991-1993.[1-3]

For females, European age-standardised (AS) Open a glossary item incidence rates more than doubled (111% increase) between 1993-1995 and 2012-2014. The rise is smaller for males, with rates increasing by 61% between 1993-1995 and 2012-2014.

Over the last decade in the UK (between 2003-2005 and 2012-2014), mesothelioma AS incidence rates have increased by 10% for males and females combined, which includes a larger increase in females (25%) than males (6%).[1-4]

Mesothelioma (C45), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, by Sex, UK, 1993-2014

Mesothelioma incidence rates in the UK have overall increased for many of the broad age groups since the early 1990s but have decreased in people aged 25-49 and 50-59.[1-4] The largest increase have been in people aged 80 and over, with European AS incidence rates increasing more than quadruple (310% increase) between 1993-1995 and 2012-2014. The largest decrease has been in people aged 25-49 with rates decreasing by 69% between 1993-1995 and 2012-2014.

Mesothelioma (C45), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, by Age, Persons, UK, 1993-2014​

For mesothelioma, like most cancer types, incidence trends largely reflect changing prevalence of risk factors and improvements in diagnosis and data recording. Recent incidence trends are influenced by risk factor prevalence in years past, and trends by age group reflect risk factor exposure in birth cohorts.

See also

Mesothelioma mortality trends over time

Mesothelioma risk factors

Cancer incidence statistics for common cancers in the UK

References

  1. Data were provided by the Office for National Statistics on request, June 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/cancerregistrationstatisticsengland/previousReleases
  2. Data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, May 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications/
  3. Data were provided by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, Health Intelligence Division, Public Health Wales on request, June 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.wcisu.wales.nhs.uk
  4. Data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, May 2016. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/

About this data

Data is for UK, 1993-2014, ICD-10 C45

Last reviewed:

Most mesothelioma cases occur in the pleura Open a glossary item, with much smaller proportions in the peritoneum Open a glossary item and pericardium Open a glossary item (2010-2012).[1-4] This reflects that asbestos typically enters the body via inhalation, rather than ingestion.[5]

The proportion of cases in each part is similar between males and females.[1-4]

A small proportion of cases did not have the specific site of the mesothelioma recorded in cancer registry data, or overlapped more than one part.[1-4]

Cases and percentages may not sum due to rounding

See also

Find out more about the counting and coding of this data

References

  1. Data were provided by the Office for National Statistics on request, July 2014. Similar data can be found here: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/cancer-statistics-registrations--england--series-mb1-/index.html.
  2. Data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, April 2014. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications/index.asp.
  3. Data were provided by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit on request, April 2014. Similar data can be found here: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/page.cfm?orgid=242&pid=59080.
  4. Data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, June 2014. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/CancerInformation/.
  5. Robinson BW, Musk AW, Lake RA. Malignant mesothelioma. Lancet 2005;366(9483):397-408.
Last reviewed:

Mesothelioma incidence rates are projected to fall by 53% in the UK between 2014 and 2035, to 3 cases per 100,000 people by 2035.[1] This includes a larger decrease for males than for females.

For males, mesothelioma European age-standardised (AS) Open a glossary item incidence rates in the UK are projected to fall by 55% between 2014 and 2035, to 5 cases per 100,000 by 2035.[1] For females, rates are projected to fall by 46% between 2014 and 2035, to 1 cases per 100,000 by 2035.[1]

Mesothelioma (C45), Observed and Projected Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, by Sex, UK, 1979-2035

Download the data table (xls) or email Stats.Team@cancer.org.uk for powerpoint
 

It is projected that 2,116 cases of mesothelioma (1,753 in males, 363 in females) will be diagnosed in the UK in 2035.

See also

Find out how these projections were calculated

Incidence trends over time for mesothelioma

Projections of incidence for all cancers combined

Mesothelioma risk

Download the projections data table

References

  1. Smittenaar CR, Petersen KA, Stewart K, Moitt N. Cancer Incidence and Mortality Projections in the UK Until 2035. Brit J Cancer 2016.

About this data

Data is for: UK, 1979-2014 (observed), 2015-2035 (projected), ICD-10 C45

Projections are based on observed incidence and mortality rates and therefore implicitly include changes in cancer risk factors, diagnosis and treatment. It is not possible to assess the statistical significance of changes between 2014 (observed) and 2035 (projected) figures. Confidence intervals are not calculated for the projected figures. Projections are by their nature uncertain because unexpected events in future could change the trend. It is not sensible to calculate a boundary of uncertainty around these already uncertain point estimates. Changes are described as 'increase' or 'decrease' if there is any difference between the point estimates.

More on projections methodology

Last reviewed:

The lifetime risk of developing mesothelioma is around 1 in 140 for men and around 1 in 710 for women, in 2012 in the UK.[1]

The lifetime risk for mesothelioma has been calculated on the assumption that the possibility of having more than one diagnosis of mesothelioma over the course of a lifetime is very low (‘Current Probability’ method).[2]

See also

Find out more about the counting and coding of this data

Lifetime risk for all cancers combined and cancers compared

Mesothelioma incidence statistics

How risk is calculated

References

  1. Lifetime risk estimates calculated by the Statistical Information Team at Cancer Research UK. Based on data provided by the Office of National Statistics, ISD Scotland, the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit and the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, on request, December 2013 to July 2014.
  2. Esteve J, Benhamou E and Raymond L. Descriptive epidemiology. IARC Scientific Publications No.128, Lyon, International Agency for Research on Cancer, pp 67-68 1994.
Last reviewed:

There is no evidence for an association between mesothelioma incidence and deprivation for either males or females in England.[1] England-wide data for 2006-2010 show European age-standardised Open a glossary item incidence rates are similar for both males and females living in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived.[1]

Mesothelioma (C45), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates by Deprivation Quintile, England, 2006-2010

The estimated deprivation gradient in mesothelioma incidence between people living in the most and least deprived areas in England has not changed in the period 1996-2010.[1]

See also

Find out more about the counting and coding of this data

Cancer incidence statistics by socio-economic group

Deprivation gradient for cancer incidence

Deprivation gradient in Mesothelioma mortality

Socio-economic variation in cancer incidence for Scotland

Socio-economic variation in cancer incidence for Wales

Socio-economic variation in cancer incidence for Northern Ireland

References

​

  1. Cancer Research UK and National Cancer Intelligence Network. Cancer by deprivation in England: Incidence, 1996-2010, Mortality, 1997-2011. London: NCIN; 2014.

About this data

Data is for UK, 2006-2010, ICD-10 C45

Deprivation gradient statistics were calculated using incidence data for 2006-2010. The deprivation quintiles were calculated using the Income domain scores from the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) from the following years: 2004, 2007 and 2010. Full details on the data and methodology can be found in the Cancer by Deprivation in England NCIN report.

Last reviewed:

In the UK around 2,100 people were still alive at the end of 2006, up to ten years after being diagnosed with mesothelioma.[1]

Mesothelioma (C45), One, Five and Ten Year Cancer Prevalence, UK, 31st December 2006

1 Year Prevalence 5 Year Prevalence 10 Year Prevalence
Male 992 1,547 1,651
Female 218 366 404
Persons 1,210 1,913 2,055

See also

Find out more about the counting and coding of this data

Cancer incidence statistics for common cancers in the UK

What is prevalence?

References

  1. National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN). One, Five and Ten Year Cancer Prevalence by Cancer Network, UK, 2006. London: NCIN; 2010. 
Last reviewed:

Few attempts have been made to quantify the global incidence of mesothelioma, mainly because it is a comparatively rare cancer and is not reported in many developing countries worldwide[1]; consequently, mesothelioma is not included in the cancer incidence and mortality worldwide database published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.[2] However, using a combination of mortality data and information on asbestos use to predict incidence, one research group estimates that an average of 14,200 mesothelioma cases are diagnosed worldwide each year (using 1994-2008 data and assuming no increase in incidence during that time).[3] According to these estimates, the UK has the second highest number of cases in the world, next to the United States.

An analysis of the most common type of mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, in Europe in the 1990s shows that Scotland and England were estimated to have the highest European AS incidence rates in 40-74 year-olds; and while the increase in incidence slowed down or remained static in most European countries between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, the rates continued to increase significantly in England and France.[4]

Asbestos production and use continues in many parts of the world, with Russia and China the main exporters.[5]

See also

Find out more about the counting and coding of this data

Worldwide cancer incidence statistics

References

  1. Park EK, Takahashi K, Hoshuyama T, et al. Global magnitude of reported and unreported mesothelioma. Environ Health Perspect 2011;119:514-8.
  2. Ferlay J, Shin HR, Bray F, et al. GLOBOCAN 2008 v1.2, Cancer Incidence and Mortality Worldwide: IARC CancerBase No. 10 [Internet]. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2010. Available from: http://globocan.iarc.fr. Accessed May 2011. 
  3. Hodgson JT, McElvenny DM, Darnton AJ, et al. The expected burden of mesothelioma mortality in Great Britain from 2002 to 2050. Br J Cancer 2005;92(3):587-93. 
  4. Montanaro F, Bray F, Gennaro V, et al. Pleural mesothelioma incidence in Europe: evidence of some deceleration in the increasing trends. Cancer Causes Control 2003;14:791-803. 
  5. US Geological Survey. Asbestos Statistics and Information. Available from: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/asbestos/. Accessed December 2013. 
Last reviewed:

Cancer stats explained

See information and explanations on terminology used for statistics and reporting of cancer, and the methods used to calculate some of our statistics.

Cancer stats explained

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