The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for mesothelioma in the United States are for 2008:

• 2,000-3,000 new cases this year

Mesothelioma is fairly rare. Most people who get mesothelioma are over 65 years old. Men are much more likely than women to get this disease.

But while it is rare, this is a serious disease that can be hard to treat. It is often advanced before symptoms appear, so the outlook is not as good as it is for cancers that are found earlier. The average survival time is about one year. For the most part, survival times are likely to be higher for people with mesotheliomas that can be operated on than for those with cancers that have spread.

Last Medical Review: 04/01/2009
Last Revised: 04/01/2009