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Mesothelioma in Australia

Next to the United Kingdom, Australia has the highest rate of asbestos-related cancer deaths in the world. Mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure, has certainly left its mark on Australia, with more than 10,000 individuals succumbing to the disease since the early 1980s, when the country first began keeping mesothelioma records. According to cancer experts, an additional 25,000 Australians are expected to die over the next four decades from mesothelioma.

The high incidence of mesothelioma cases in Australia is thought to correspond with the country's extensive history of asbestos use. Asbestos was common in Australia, and the mineral in some cases was used long after the mineral had already been banned in other countries.

Crocidolite (blue) asbestos, one of the most toxic types of asbestos, was mined in the Western Australia town of Wittenoom from the 1930s until 1966, when the Wittenoom mine was shut down due to health concerns. The use of amosite (brown) asbestos continued well into the 1980s, commonly found in products such as cement board. Experts note that if the use of brown asbestos had been halted 15 years earlier, hundreds or thousands of individuals could have been spared a mesothelioma diagnosis.

If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma and could use more resources to fight the disease, get a free copy of the Mesothelioma Center's informational packet by filling out the form to the right.

Who is at Risk?

Studies show that the Australians most at risk for developing mesothelioma include those individuals who were involved in the following trades:

Construction workers and carpenters may be at a particularly high risk of asbestos exposure. A study of 600 mesothelioma patients in the UK and Australia revealed that 1 in 10 retired carpenters born prior to 1950 would die of asbestos-related cancer.

Also at great risk are the individuals who worked in the many asbestos mines located throughout the country. Of particular note was the Wittenoom mine in the western portion of the country. Crocidolite (blue) asbestos was mined there for more than 30 years, until the operation was shut down in the 1960s over growing health concerns. Many of the miners and the people of Wittenoom suffered severe lung problems, including mesothelioma and asbestosis. Of the 7,000 individuals who worked at the Wittenoom mine from the 1930s until 1966, an estimated 10 percent have died or will die of mesothelioma. Today, the town has literally been wiped off the map, with only a handful of people remaining.

Other Australians at high risk for developing mesothelioma are those who were employed by asbestos product manufacturer James Hardie Industries. Hardie had plants in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. An estimated 50 percent of the asbestos claims filed in any given year are against James Hardie, according to statements made by the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

Mesothelioma Registry

Safe Work Australia, a government organization, is charged with the primary responsibility of improving work health, safety and workers’ compensation arrangements across Australia. The organization works to establish, monitor and manage the Australian Mesothelioma Register, which tracks reported cases of mesothelioma and other diseases. This register was suspended in 2008, and the similarly-named Australian Mesothelioma Registry, managed by the Cancer Institute of New South Wales, has assumed the task of registering patients and collecting pertinent exposure information. An annual report with specific statistics will continue to be published by this new organization.

Recent Statistics

The most recent figures in regards to mesothelioma deaths in Australia are available for the year 2007. The Australian Mesothelioma Registry concludes that in 2007, 551 Australians who registered that year died of mesothelioma. Eighty-four percent of those individuals were men.

The figures also showed that, as suspected, deaths occurred most often in the age range encompassing those individuals who were 75 to 79 years old. More than 70 percent of the mesothelioma deaths were among men and women over the age of 65.

In looking at national trends from 1997 to 2007, deaths from mesothelioma steadily increased. Experts suggest that the number of deaths from mesothelioma will peak somewhere between 2014 and 2021, depending on the models used.

Incidence by Territory

By far, the largest number of mesothelioma deaths have occurred in the state of New South Wales. New South Wales was the first state in Australia to mine asbestos and the state that produced the largest amount of both the chrysotile and amphibole varieties of asbestos. Incidence of the disease in this state nearly doubled in the 20 years between 1987 and 2006. Interestingly, the rate among females in New South Wales tripled during that time as well, with many cases attributed to secondhand asbestos exposure.

Other states with high rates of mesothelioma deaths include Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. The rankings tend to reflect the size and population of the states as well as the presence of natural asbestos or asbestos mines.

More Questions?

Do you have more questions about asbestos and asbestos-caused diseases? Check out information about risk factors. You can fill out a form on the top right of this page to receive a free informational packet about asbestos-related diseases or call (800) 549-0544.

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