As someone who is now dealing with mesothelioma, one question may be on your mind: Are the number of cases dropping since asbestos is used less often? It’s long been said that after those who were exposed in the past were diagnosed, the number of cases would decline.
It was claimed that pleural mesothelioma cases would peak between 2000 and 2005, since the majority of workers who were exposed would have symptoms by this point. The trouble is that the peak that was described did not happen.
Research performed showed that the annual incidence and survival rates of those with pleural mesothelioma has remained relatively unchanged. The researchers reviewed data from the National Cancer Database and found patients who presented with mesothelioma between 2004 and 2014. In total, 20,988 patients were reported. The number of cases each year increased from 1,783 to 1,961. Elderly patients did increase in number up from 75% to 80%, but the total number of patients going through treatment increased from 34% to 54%.
Overall, the researchers found that the annual incidence of mesothelioma hasn’t decreased as predicted within this century. Survival rates are slowly improving, too.
As a patient with mesothelioma today, the reality is that this is still a terminal diagnosis. In the majority of cases, patients discover they have mesothelioma when the cancer is advanced. It is important that you seek medical care and receive treatment as quickly as you can to improve the chances of living with a better quality of life. Your attorney can help you seek compensation for the asbestos exposure that has likely caused this disease.