Mesothelioma Statistics & Survival Rates
Comprehensive mesothelioma statistics including annual diagnoses, survival rates by stage, and demographic data from CDC, SEER, and NIH sources.
Key Statistics at a Glance
Annual Incidence
Approximately 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed annually in the United States, representing roughly 1 in 100,000 people. The CDC reported 2,669 new mesothelioma cases in 2022, the most recent year with complete data.
Globally, the incidence is substantially higher at approximately 30,000 cases annually, with a global incidence rate of about 0.30 cases per 100,000 people.
U.S. Mesothelioma Deaths (1999-2020)
Over 54,000 deaths from mesothelioma were reported by the CDC between 1999 and 2020. Projections indicate the absolute peak in pleural mesothelioma mortality occurred during 2020-2024, with an estimated 6,740 deaths (4,946 males and 1,794 females).
Survival Rates by Type
Survival statistics vary significantly between mesothelioma types:
Pleural Mesothelioma (Most Common)
Median survival: 12-18 months overall
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Outcomes
Peritoneal mesothelioma responds better to cytoreductive surgery combined with HIPEC (heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy). The figures below come from a 405-person multi-center registry (Yan et al., Journal of Clinical Oncology 2009).
Survival by Stage at Diagnosis
| Stage | Median Survival | 2-Year Survival | 5-Year Survival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 19-22 months | 39% | 11% |
| Stage 2 | 19 months | 39% | N/A |
| Stage 3 | 18 months | 41% | 13% |
| Stage 4 | 13-15 months | 31% | 11% |
In a 179-person health-system cohort, people whose treatment included surgery reached a median survival of 21.7 months (95% CI 17.6 to 34.8). Those treated without it reached 13.6 months. The study grouped people by the treatment they received, not by stage, so it can’t tell you what stage at diagnosis alone predicts (Banks et al., Clinical Lung Cancer 2022).
Demographics
Who Is Diagnosed: Gender
Men are nearly 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with mesothelioma than women. This disparity reflects historical patterns of occupational asbestos exposure in male-dominated industries.
Incidence rates at age 75+:
| Gender | Incidence Rate (age 75+) |
|---|---|
| Men | 12.4 per 100,000 |
| Women | 2.7 per 100,000 |
Who Is Diagnosed: Age
Mesothelioma predominantly affects older populations, reflecting the disease’s long latency period:
Veterans
Stage at Diagnosis
The high percentage of late-stage diagnoses reflects the disease’s nonspecific early symptoms and long latency period.
Geographic Distribution
US Geographic Distribution
California has the highest number of mesothelioma cases, with over 6,800 residents diagnosed between 1999 and 2019.
Geographic Hot Spots
Cases cluster around areas with histories of shipbuilding, heavy industry, and asbestos manufacturing. The highest-rate states are Maine (shipyards), West Virginia (industrial), Wyoming (mining, oil and gas), Pennsylvania (steel mills, shipyards), and Washington (shipyards, Boeing). Highest-rate cities include Hampton Roads, Virginia (naval shipyards); Seattle-Tacoma; Philadelphia; Los Angeles/Long Beach; Baltimore (Sparrows Point steel, Key Highway shipyards); Boston and Quincy, Massachusetts (Fore River, Charlestown Navy Yard); Groton and New London, Connecticut (Electric Boat submarines); Portland, Oregon (Kaiser WWII shipyards, paper mills); Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana (petrochemicals); and the Iron Range, Minnesota (taconite mining).
Worldwide Incidence
Latency Period
The extended latency explains:
- Why diagnoses peak in the 65+ age group
- Why cases continue despite reduced asbestos use since the 1980s
- Why early-life occupational exposure often leads to late-life diagnosis
Treatment Trends
How Patients Are Treated Today
The combination of cisplatin and pemetrexed (FDA-approved for mesothelioma in 2004) has been the standard first-line chemotherapy regimen for over 15 years.
Patients with epithelioid tumors receiving chemotherapy survived 26.7 months compared to 15 months for non-epithelioid patients.
Immunotherapy
Surgery Eligibility
Only approximately 20% of patients qualify for surgery, which improves outcomes when combined with chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Occupational Risk and the Cost of Disease
Cohort studies of heavily exposed workers show dramatic risk increases. The Finnish cohort study (1967-2012) documented 3- to 100-fold increases in mesothelioma incidence across asbestos-exposed trades, and Selikoff’s classic U.S. insulation worker cohort found risk ratios as high as 46-fold versus the general population. Exact risk ratios vary by study, trade, and exposure era; workers active before the 1980s faced the highest exposures due to weaker industrial hygiene.
Average annual treatment cost runs $150,000 or more, with lifetime treatment costs commonly reaching $500,000 to $1 million. More than $30 billion has been paid to date through asbestos trust funds. Veterans with a service-connected mesothelioma diagnosis typically receive a 100% VA disability rating, which as of 2026 pays $3,938.58 per month for a single veteran with no dependents or $4,158.17 per month with a spouse.
Statistics are updated annually. Last update: January 2026.
Reader Q&A
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people get mesothelioma each year?
Approximately 3,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in the United States. Globally, about 30,000 cases are diagnosed each year.
What is the survival rate for mesothelioma?
The overall 5-year survival rate is 12-15%. Outcomes run better for peritoneal mesothelioma. In a 405-person multi-center registry of people treated with cytoreductive surgery plus HIPEC, median survival was 53 months and 47% were alive at five years (Yan et al., Journal of Clinical Oncology 2009).
Why are most people with mesothelioma men?
Men comprise about 75% of cases because historically male-dominated industries (shipbuilding, construction, manufacturing) had the highest asbestos exposure.
Are mesothelioma cases declining?
Cases peaked around 2020-2024 and are expected to gradually decline as people exposed during peak asbestos use (1940s-1970s) age. However, cases will continue for decades due to the long latency period.