Mesothelioma Surveillance & Prognosis in Ontario

Research Brief | December 2020

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the tissue that lines internal organs (e.g. lungs, digestive organs, heart, sex organs). It has very poor survival, and the annual number of newly diagnosed cases in Canada has been steadily increasing for many decades. Approximately 80-85% of mesotheliomas are associated with occupational asbestos exposure. Despite the ban on asbestos use in Canada, asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma will persist for many decades due to long latency periods. This project was started because statistics on mesothelioma incidence and survival in Ontario and Canada overall are outdated. Studying factors associated with mesothelioma incidence and survival will help us better understand this rare and highly fatal cancer.