1. Skip to header
  2. Skip to main
  3. Skip to content
  4. Skip to sidebar
  5. Skip to footer
  • Home > Blog > Featured Story > American Cancer Society Reports on Prevalence of Cancers Including Mesothelioma and Other Occupational Cancers
Posted on Wednesday, Oct 19, 2011

American Cancer Society Reports on Prevalence of Cancers Including Mesothelioma and Other Occupational Cancers

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that nearly 1.6 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year.  In addition, 571,950 Americans, or 1,500 people a day, are expected to die from some form of cancer.  Six percent of those cancers, such as mesothelioma that is caused by exposure to asbestos, are related to occupational and environmental carcinogens and account for over 34,000 deaths a year. 

Substances such as asbestos are listed as known carcinogens when there is a convincing body of evidence from peer-reviewed scientific studies involving humans to show a cause-and-effect relationship between exposure and development of cancer. Asbestos has been listed as a known carcinogen since publication of the 1st Report on Carcinogens in 1980. Scientific studies have found that occupational exposure to all forms of asbestos increases the risk of cancer, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

According to the Cancer Facts & Figures 2011 report, ACS states that ten or more years often pass between exposure to external factors and detectable cancer.  Most cases of mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer often affecting the lining of the lungs, are diagnosed 30 years or more after exposure to asbestos, with the latency or incubation period sometimes being as long as 50 years.  Once diagnosed, many factors determine survival and quality of life for a mesothelioma patient, such as treatment plan, age, overall health and fitness of the patient and the extent of the disease. 

The ACS strongly advocates screenings to detect cancers as early as possible saying, “Finding cancer at its earliest, most treatable stage gives patients the greatest chance of survival.”  Early detection is especially critical for mesothelioma patients.  Mesothelioma diagnoses are most often made after symptoms appear and the disease has progressed to an advanced stage leaving the patient with life-threatening complications.   Early detection and treatment of asbestos-related illnesses can significantly increase patients’ survival rates and improve their quality of life.  

According to the report, the three states with the highest predicted number of cancer cases are California, 163,480, Florida, 113,400, and New York, 107,260.  New York ranks among the top states in the nation for asbestos-related deaths. With their roots in the transportation and manufacturing industry, Erie County and Buffalo also carry the distinction of being home to the highest number of asbestos-related fatalities in upstate New York. 

See the full report on the American Cancer Society’s website.