Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a usually fatal cancer which typically occurs 20-40 years after exposure to asbestos, although exposure does not necessarily result in the the disease.
Safe Work Australia aims to improve the collection and dissemination of information on mesothelioma in Australia. In recent years it had become apparent that the number of new cases notified to the Australian Mesothelioma Register was significantly lower than the number of new cases notified to the state cancer registries, to which notification is mandatory. This, along with a lack of accompanying information on the history of exposure to asbestos of the person diagnosed — related to changes in privacy legislation — meant that the Australian Mesothelioma Register was no longer an adequate source of information on mesothelioma in Australia.
Safe Work Australia is currently working on reinstating the Australian Mesothelioma Register and improving the collection methodology to ensure it again becomes a comprehensive and informative source of information on the incidence of the disease and the exposure histories of the sufferers. Until this is achieved, Safe Work Australia will continue to publish an annual report based on cancer registry data.
Annual Mesothelioma Report: incidence and deaths
| Document Title | Document Details | Report Summary |
|---|
Mesothelioma in Australia:
Incidence 1982 to 2005
Deaths 1997 to 2006
This report is an online publication. |
Format: PDF
Publication Date: June 2009
Document Size: 775kB
ISBN: 978-0-642-32771-0
|
Mesothelioma in Australia reports on the number of new cases and the number of deaths from mesothelioma over time. The report is based on data collected by the National Cancer Statistics Clearing House and the National Morbidity Database, provided to Safe Work Australia by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. |
Mesothelioma in Australia: Incidence 1982 to 2004 Deaths 1997 to 2005 This report is an online publication. |
Format: PDF
Publication Date: March 2008
Document Size: 868kB
ISBN: 978-0-642-32826-7 |
This earlier report was published in March 2008 |
Australian Mesothelioma Register
National Pattern of Exposure to Asbestos
The Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) commissioned a project to examine trends in asbestos exposure in cases of malignant mesothelioma in Australia. The report found it is not feasible to use the available data sources to provide an on-going direct national estimate of trends in exposure to asbestos in persons who have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma.
Preparing an estimate of the national pattern of exposure to asbestos in cases of malignant mesothelioma (PDF 389kB)
Literature Review series
The Literature Review series will examine:
- studies on the weathering and corrosion of, and resulting release of, airborne fibres from different forms and uses of asbestos.
- information on current work practices and exposures which may be occurring in Australian and overseas workplaces, and
- policies and practices adopted overseas regarding the management of in situ asbestos and/or its removal.
View the Asbestos Literature Review Series
Page last updated: 16/06/2009