What is mesothelioma?

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The UK has the highest incidence of mesothelioma in the world. This aggressive form of cancer results in 2,500 deaths a year in the UK, and it is estimated that there will be 50,000 to 60,000 new cases by 2050. Mesothelioma is so prevalent in the UK in part due to the use of asbestos not being reduced earlier and our legacy of a large shipbuilding industry. In many cases spouses and children of those exposed to asbestos have developed the cancer through transfer of fibres on workers’ clothing. Asbestos exposure has put servicemen and women in the armed forces at particular risk. Asbestos exposure has an equally high risk of causing lung cancer, leading to a further 2,500 deaths each year. Lung cancer itself is the major cause of cancer death in the UK.