What is mesothelioma?
The statistics provided in this report include patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that starts from mesothelial cells. These cells line the outer surface of most of the body’s internal organs, forming a protective membrane called the mesothelium. Some mesotheliomas form a mass (tumour), while others grow along the mesothelium and form a thick covering. In later stages, mesothelioma may spread (metastasise) to other parts of the body.
How common is mesothelioma?
In 2019, 159 Victorians were diagnosed with mesothelioma. Of these, there were 130 males and 29 females, representing 81.8% and 18.2% of the total Victorian mesothelioma diagnoses, respectively. The median age at diagnosis of mesothelioma is 72 years in males and 72 in females (Figure 1 & 2). Accounting for 0.4% of all cancers diagnosed and 1.4% of all cancer-related deaths in 2019, mesothelioma was the 31st most commonly diagnosed cancer and the 22nd most common cause of cancer-related deaths in Victoria.
Trends in mesothelioma over time
Figure 3 shows that since 1982 incidence of mesothelioma has increased by an average of 0.8% per year in males and increased by an average of 3% in females. Over the past 37 years, mortality from mesothelioma has increased by 2.8% per year in males and increased by 5.6% per year in females.
Geographical variance in mesothelioma by local government area
Figure 4 demonstrates variation in age-standardised incidence rates of mesothelioma by local government areas. Darker shading indicates areas with higher rates of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma in people born overseas
Figure 5 shows the age standardised incidence rates of mesothelioma in Australian-born Victorians compared to other major migrant groups, over the five-year period 2015 to 2019. The highest age standardised incidence rate for mesothelioma was 2.4 for males born in the UK and Ireland region and the lowest rate of 0.3 was observed in males born in the South-East Asia region. The highest age standardised incidence rate for mesothelioma was 0.6 for females born in the UK and Ireland region and the lowest rate of 0.1 was observed in females born in the North-East Asia region.
Mesothelioma five-year relative survival
Figure 6 demonstrates that five-year relative survival has increased for mesothelioma between 1989-1993 and 2014-2018 from 6% to 7%.