Last updated on October 8th, 2015 at 09:03 am
According to Cancer Research UK’s latest figures, around 2500 people were diagnosed with the disease in 2010 and around 2300 people died from it in 2011. Whilst mesothelioma accounts for less than 1% of all cancers diagnosed in the UK, cases have grown almost four-fold since the early 1980s. Around 90% of diagnosed cases affect people aged 60 and over and almost half of the deaths caused by the disease are people over the age of 75. Mesothelioma is more common in men than in women, with around 2100 of the cases diagnosed in 2010 being men. More than 8 in 10 of deaths caused by mesothelioma are men.
The NIHR says that at the end of the research it expects to be able to publish a top 10 list of questions that can be used to influence further clinical research in order to make a difference to the lives of people affected by mesothelioma. It wants to hear from people who have the disease, families and carers of those with the disease, families and carers of people who have died from it and healthcare professionals and organisations working with it.
Anyone wishing to take part in the survey can do so by clicking on this link
For help and advice relating to mesothelioma, or any occupational disease, please contact our occupational disease team. You can also find out more on our website.