26 September 2019

5 Facts for Mesothelioma Awareness Day – 26 September 2019

Mesothelioma Awareness Day takes place on 26 September each year. It was established in 2004 by Meso Foundation community members with the aim to raise awareness and funding for this cancer.

To support Mesothelioma Awareness Day 2019, here are our top 5 Mesothelioma and asbestos facts:

  1. One in 17 British carpenters born in the 1940’s will die of mesothelioma – a cancer of the lining of the lung caused by asbestos – according to new research published in the British Journal of Cancer. (HSE Sept 2019)
  2. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos and is often associated as a disease which affects older men from blue collar professions and military personnel. This is due to the long latency period of 30 to 40 years. Around 80% of mesothelioma cases occur in men. This reflects the greater likelihood of men having worked with asbestos in heavy industry or the armed forces. Between 2004-2012, almost four times as many men as women had mesothelioma. (BLF)
  3. There are two types of mesothelioma; approx. 90% of cases in the UK are malignant pleural mesothelioma (lungs), and 10% are peritoneal mesothelioma (abdomen). One of the youngest people in the world to be diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma is a 14 year old girl from Devon.
  4. The UK has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world with some 17.8 deaths per million of the population. In 2016 there were 2,595 recorded deaths in the UK due to mesothelioma. There are projected to be around 2,500 deaths per year for the rest of the decade before numbers begin to decline. (HSE stats 2018)
  5. Steve Mc Queen and Donna Summer are two of the most recognisable people who fought and died from mesothelioma. (Enquin News 2016)

There is no known safe threshold of exposure to asbestos fibres. This means that the inhalation of small quantities, even over a short period, can lead to mesothelioma decades after exposure. Enquin Environmental is a team of independent, qualified and highly experienced Asbestos Consultants, with  UKAS accreditation for Testing and Inspection of Asbestos. We provide our Clients with impartial, practical advice, guidance, surveying and analytical services throughout the UK.