Mesothelioma incidence describes the number of new cases diagnosed over some period of time. Mesothelioma incidence rates are part of the larger science of mesothelioma epidemiology which uses incidence rates to look for patterns of the disease.

According to the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, annual incidence rates for mesothelioma are holding steady around one new case per 100,000 people. Doctors diagnose approximately 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma each year in the U.S. https://seer.cancer.gov/faststats/selections.php?#Output

SEER tracks age-adjusted mesothelioma incidence rates from 1975 to 2014. Rates are down 9 percent from 2010 to 2014 — the latest available dataset — compared to the five years prior.The incidence rate for Americans, in general, peaked in the late 1980s and early 1990s, topping out in 1992 at 1.49 cases per 100,000.

According to the latest SEER report, people aged 80-84 have the highest mesothelioma incidence with 8.9 new cases per 100,000. Ages 85 and older are close behind with 8.5 new cases.

Women are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed before age 65 compared to men. From 2009-2013, more women between ages 35-39 were diagnosed with mesothelioma than men in that age range. After 65 years old, the gap in incidence between males and females continues to grow. The incidence for females is highest at ages 85 and older, but males in that category represent 19.1 cases per 100,000, the largest differential between genders for age-specific incidence. https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/application.php?site=111&data_type=1&graph_type=2&compa...

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should seek legal advice immediately. The attorneys at Odom Law Firm have been representing victims of mesothelioma since 1986. Let us know if we can help you.