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Mesothelioma in US States

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Mesothelioma Incidents increasing in Younger People

Catherine A. Murphy

It has been announced by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) that a large number of people now being diagnosed with mesothelioma are younger as compared to mesothelioma patients a few decades ago. The case reports based on the facts of past 3 years revealed that 51 is the new median age for mesothelioma and most of the patients who are being diagnosed with mesothelioma are women. Evidence also suggests a changing profile of patients who are being diagnosed with mesothelioma. Most of these patients are in their early 40’s and nearly 40% of these people never came in contact with asbestos. The only cause of mesothelioma in their case was environmental exposure.

The Columbia University Mesothelioma Center in New York also supports these findings. Dr. Robert N. Taub, Milstein, Professor of Clinical Medicine and Director of the Columbia University Mesothelioma Center in New York City reports that the average age of peritoneal mesothelioma patient is now 51.7 and less than 50% patients had asbestos exposure that was immediately recognized by medical personnel.

It has been observed that like many other occupational and environmental diseases, asbestos diseases, especially mesothelioma go unattended. It is important to bring such diseases to the notice of concerned authorities so that proper preventive measures can be taken to control their spread. These thoughts were expressed by Richard Lemen, PhD, MSPH, Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS (Ret.) and ADAO Science Advisory Board Co-Chair. He further added that only when such cases are brought forward, anything would be possible regarding their prevention and they would be controlled.

According to Linda Reinstein, Executive Director and Cofounder of the ADAO, mesothelioma is now being contracted by young fathers and mothers who are in their late 20’s and 30’s. These people are now coming forward and contacting ADAO as they are realizing the grave importance of this disease. She further adds that ADAO is helping the patients with this malignant disease and will continue to do so until mesothelioma is wiped off from the US.

It has been specifically mentioned that the patient profile of 1990 no longer applies to the patients of this decade. As compared to the median age that was 70 in 1986; the median age is now 51.7 as reported by the Center for Disease Control. In 1999, more than one third of mesothelioma deaths occurred only in the states of California, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio.

According to ADAO officials, the cases of mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases are growing out of control. Studies indicate that during the next decades 100,000 people of the US will be victims of mesothelioma and asbestos diseases. This is an alarming situation that needs to be addressed very seriously as millions of lives are at stake here.

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