Cancer projections to 2020

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the thin lining that mainly covers the lungs and abdominal cavity. An average of 24 cases of mesothelioma was diagnosed per year in Ireland between 1994 and 2010 (Table 1), representing less than 0.2% of all invasive cancers. Over 5 times more frequently diagnosed in men than in women, the main risk factor for mesothelioma is asbestos, largely ascribed to work related exposure in male dominated occupations. It has been estimated that 97% of male and 82.5% of female mesothelioma cases in the UK in 2010 were attributable to occupational exposure.1 Although information on Irish patient occupation is very incomplete and is unknown for approximately half of all patients, it is worth noting that for those patients with occupational data, 49% of male mesothelioma patients had an occupation in construction, and related trades such as electrical, metal and woodworking, compared to 20% of all male cancer patients. Secondary exposure to asbestos is more probable in women, who are less likely to have direct work-related exposure. 90% of female mesothelioma patients were, or had been, married compared to 81% of female lung cancer patients (where secondary exposure to tobacco is also an important risk factor) and 77% of all female cancer patients.