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Journal of Public Health 26(1) © Faculty of Public Health 2004; all rights reserved.

Short Report

High incidence of mesothelioma in an English city without heavy industrial use of asbestos



William T. Hamilton, Research Fellow1

Alison P. Round, Director of Public Health2

Deborah J. Sharp, Professor1

Tim J. Peters, Professor1
1 Gwent Health Authority, Mamhilad House, Mamhilad Park Estate, Pontypool NP4 0YP
2 University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN
3 Bro Taf Health Authority, Temple of Peace and Health, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF1 3NW
4 N&E Devon Health Authority, Dean Clarke House, Southernhay East, Exeter EX1 1PQ
5 London School of Economics and Political Science, Finsbury Tower, 103–105 Bunhill Row, London EC1 8TG

Address correspondence to W. T. Hamilton. E-mail: w.hamilton{at}bristol.ac.uk

Background Mesothelioma rates are increasing in the industrialized world, related to occupational asbestos exposure. The highest rates have been reported from areas with specific industries such as shipbuilding or mining. Lower rates have been reported from areas without such industries. We studied an area without heavy industry to examine if such a pattern occurred in England.

Methods We studied the population of Exeter Primary Care Trust, Devon, United Kingdom, with a population of 131849. Exeter has no mining, shipbuilding or other heavy industry. All lung cancers and mesotheliomas were identified from the local cancer registry, supplemented by searches at all primary care practices. The cancer diagnoses were checked by inspection of histology or primary care records. Occupational data were extracted from the primary care records.

Results The searches revealed 291 lung cancers, 283 of which had either histological proof or strong clinical evidence for the diagnosis. Twenty-two (8 per cent) of these were pleural mesotheliomas, 17 of these occurring in men. The incidence rate of mesothelioma in men over 40 years was 12.1 per 100000 per year (95 per cent confidence intervals 7.0–19.3), one of the highest reported rates in the world.

Conclusion The mesothelioma epidemic will extend to areas without local heavy industrial exposure.

Keywords: mesothelioma, incidence


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