mesothelioma law firm

Most cases of mesothelioma are caused by past
occupational exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is an insulating material that was widely
used in many industries in the UK from the 1950s up
until the mid-1980s, including construction and
shipbuilding and where asbestos lagging was fitted or
asbestos board was sawn.
The use of blue and brown asbestos was banned in the UK in 1985. A complete ban on the
use of asbestos products was introduced when white asbestos was banned in the UK in
1999. But workers in some occupations may still come in to contact with asbestos-containing materials installed before these dates and regulations apply.
Mesothelioma symptoms may not appear for more than fifty years after exposure to
asbestos.
Mesothelioma - UK   Males  Females  Persons
Number of new cases (UK 2008)  1,967  433  2,400
Incidence rate per 100,000 population*  5.1  0.9  2.8
Number of deaths (UK 2009)  1,913  369  2,282
Mortality rate per 100,000 population*  4.8  0.8  2.6
One-year survival rate (for patients diagnosed in mesothelioma facts
England, 2002-2006)  34%  40%  -*age-standardised to the European population
Cancer Research UK’s ‘CancerStats – Key Facts’ series provides accessible, top line statistics and
facts on cancer. The charity’s Statistical Information Team also produces evidence-based reports,
charts and tabulations. All of this information can be accessed on our CancerStats website:
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats or by emailing stats.team@cancer.org.uk.