Mesothelioma patients are found in every state in the U.S., and their numbers are growing. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 2,500 - 3,000 mesothelioma patients die from their disease or its complications each year in the U.S. There are many thousands more mesothelioma patients who continue to struggle with this devastating illness.

Increasing Numbers of Mesothelioma Cancer Patients

The increase in the number of people diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer is due mainly to two factors:

1. The delayed onset of mesothelioma – symptoms of mesothelioma usually show themselves many years after the initial exposure to asbestos (anywhere from 10 to 50 years later), and since asbestos exposure in the U.S. was highest in the 1940s and 1950s, we are now seeing an increasing numbers of mesothelioma patients.
   
2. Better testing methods to identify mesothelioma – it is thought that in the latter half of the 20th century, many patients with mesothelioma were mistakenly diagnosed with other fatal diseases due to the lack of ways to accurately identify the disease.

About Mesothelioma Cancer Patients

Although mesothelioma patients are of both genders across a wide range of ages, their numbers are more common in certain occupations and military positions, due to the higher asbestos levels present in those jobs. NIOSH data revealed the following industries and their percentages of the total deaths due to mesothelioma in 1999:

• ship and boat building and repairing - 5.9%
• petroleum refining - 3.8%
• electric light and power - 3.0%
• construction - 1.5%
• industrial and miscellaneous chemicals - 4.8%

The mining industry (coal, asbestos, other minerals) is not included in these data. However, asbestos mining alone accounts for a very large percentage of mesothelioma cancer patients and fatalities.

Mesothelioma Cancer Patients by Occupation

NIOSH findings also reveal that certain occupations account for high percentages of mesothelioma cancer deaths (these data are for 1999):

• Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters: 4.7%
• Teachers, elementary school: 2.1%
• Mechanical engineers: 3.0%
• Electricians: 2.4%

The surprising data for teachers is probably due to the fact that teachers often spent years in classrooms with asbestos ceiling tiles and other components.

Learn More about the Rights of Mesothelioma Cancer Patients

If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, more about mesothelioma cancer and your medical and legal options.