What is Mesothelioma?

What is Mesothelioma?

• Mesothelioma: Type of lung cancer associated with asbestos.
• Mesothelioma: A usually malignant and aggressive neoplasm of the mesothelium which is often associated with exposure to asbestos.
  Source - Diseases Database
• Mesothelioma: a rare form of carcinoma of the mesothelium lining lungs or abdomen or heart; usually associated with exposure to asbestos dust.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Mesothelioma as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet

Name and Aliases of Mesothelioma

Main name of condition: Mesothelioma

asbestos cancer

Types of Mesothelioma:

Subtypes of Mesothelioma: Pleural mesothelioma, Peritoneal mesothelioma, Perineal mesothelioma, Malignant mesothelioma, Benign mesothelioma
Parent types of Mesothelioma: Cancer, Lung cancer, Lung conditions, Asbestos conditions, Peritoneum disorders

Organs Affected by Mesothelioma:

lung, pleura, lungs, peritoneum, perineum

How many people get Mesothelioma?

Incidence (annual) of Mesothelioma: 563 new cases in the UK 2002(UK Government Statistics)
Incidence Rate of Mesothelioma: approx 1 in 106,571 or 0.00% or 2,552 people in USA [about data]

How serious is Mesothelioma?

Prognosis of Mesothelioma: Usually poor because mesothelioma is rarely diagnosed early.
Deaths for Mesothelioma: 2,371 deaths in America 2001(NCHS, 2003)
Complications of Mesothelioma: see complications of Mesothelioma

What causes Mesothelioma?

Cause of Mesothelioma: Asbestos exposure causing fibers in the lungs.
Class of Condition for Mesothelioma: cancer
Causes of Mesothelioma: see causes of Mesothelioma
Risk factors for Mesothelioma: see risk factors for Mesothelioma

Can anyone else get Mesothelioma?

Contagion of cancer: generally not; see details in contagion of cancer.

How is it treated?

Treatments for Mesothelioma: see treatments for Mesothelioma
Prevention of Mesothelioma: see prevention of Mesothelioma
Research for Mesothelioma: see research for Mesothelioma

Society issues for Mesothelioma

Hospitalization statistics for Mesothelioma: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Mesothelioma:

• 0.1% (12,154) of hospital episodes were for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 90% of hospital consultations for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 60% of hospital episodes for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 40% of hospital episodes for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 23% of hospital admissions for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 8.4 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 4 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 53 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 38% of hospitalisations for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 18% of hospitalisations for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 31% of hospitalisations for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0.11% 59,264() of hospital bed days were for malignant neoplasms of mesothelial and soft tissue in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0.036% (4,637) of hospital consultant episodes were for mesothelioma in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 84% of hospital consultant episodes for mesothelioma required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 84% of hospital consultant episodes for mesothelioma were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 16% of hospital consultant episodes for mesothelioma were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 34% of hospital consultant episodes for mesothelioma required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 8.5 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for mesothelioma in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 5 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for mesothelioma in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 66 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for mesothelioma in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 25% of hospital consultant episodes for mesothelioma occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 24% of hospital consultant episodes for mesothelioma occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 25% of hospital consultant episodes for mesothelioma were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0.045% (23,559) of hospital bed days were for mesothelioma in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0.0004% (49) of hospital consultant episodes were for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 88% of hospital consultant episodes for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 76% of hospital consultant episodes for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue were men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 24% of hospital consultant episodes for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 40% of hospital consultant episodes for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 9.9 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 6 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 61 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 41% of hospital consultant episodes for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 29% of hospital consultant episodes for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 10% of hospital consultant episodes for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0.0007% (353) of hospital bed days were for benign neoplasm of mesothelial tissue in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)