Mesothelioma and its deadly toll


The number of deaths from mesothelioma, a form of cancer that develops following the inhalation of asbestos fibres, continues to run at over 2,500 a year, official figures show.


There were 2,515 mesothelioma deaths in Great Britain in 2014, a similar number to the 2,556 deaths in 2013, and 2,549 deaths in 2012.


According to the Health and Safety Executive, the latest projections suggest that there will continue to be around 2,500 deaths a year for the rest of this current decade before annual numbers begin to decline. 


In 2014, there were 2,101 male deaths and 414 female deaths.


There were 2,215 new cases of mesothelioma assessed for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) in 2014 compared with 2,145 in 2013, the HSE said.


www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/mesothelioma/mesothelioma.pdf