What are the risk factors, diagnosis rates and survival rates for malignant mesothelioma?
Side B: The biggest risk factor by far of developing mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos particles, often at work. Asbestos exposure occurred in 70-80 percent of people with mesothelioma. Diagnosis usually occurs 20 to 50 years after exposure, and even low levels of exposure can be carcinogenic to some. Family members of exposed people have higher rates of occurrence as well, due to particles brought into the home from work. Mesothelioma is more common in men, people over 65 and white people.
Other theorized risk factors include exposure to simian virus 40 through old polio vaccines, radioactive thorium dioxide and the asbestos-like mineral zeolite.
Mesothelioma is relatively rare. About 2,000 to 3,000 people are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, but these rates seem to be going down. The average life expectancy after diagnosis is one year. The 5-year relative survival rate for mesothelioma is about 10 percent, but new treatments offered today may improve survival rates for those recently diagnosed.