Before the 1950s, malignant mesothelioma tumors were so rare that pathologists even questioned the existence of this disease. However, due to the exponentially increasing use of Asbestos during World War II and after, thousands of Americans’ who worked as shipbuilders, navy personnel, aircraft technicians, metal works, etc were exposed to the deadly Asbestos substance. Onset of malignant mesothelioma can be between 20 – 50 years, meaning even if a shipbuilder was exposed to the deadly asbestos fibers in the 1940s, it could take up to 50 years for symptoms of malignant mesothelioma to surface to life, by this time though, the cancer has already advanced in to very high stages. In fact in 2002, deaths caused by malignant mesothelioma in the United States peaked at 3060 and have since declined, although remain at high levels to present day.
Scientists predict the deaths from asbestos related diseases including mesothelioma will peak in 2020 in the United Kingdom, ranging in a few thousand deaths. Total estimated deaths from malignant lung cancer in the United Kingdom are expected to come in at 90,000 till 2050. The diagram on the left shows Asbestos related deaths of US residents between 1983 to 1992 with the black solid box showing deaths of greater than 10 million and medium grey box showing greater than 5 & less than 10 million deaths across all states (see legend). According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the following is a list of industries in which the most mesothelioma deaths occured percentage wise:
- Agriculture/Farming– 1.9%
- All other industries totalled – 56%
- Construction – 14.2%
- Electric light and power – 1.9%
- Elementary and public secondary school teachers – 3.7%
- General government workers / Civil servants– 2.4%
- Hospitals – 1.7%
- Industrial chemicals – 3.5%
- Non-paid workers, workers at home (wives washing husband's clothes) – 7.0%
- Nonspecific manufacturing 1.9%
- Railroads – 1.7%
- Unreported industries – 4.3%