Our Vision

Support the NHS to drive up standards and ensure equitable access to world class treatment, trials and care.

Help the UK to lead the way in making mesothelioma history through world-class audit, research and clinical trials.

What is mesothelioma?

In the UK about 2500 people a year are diagnosed with mesothelioma. It is also known as ‘diffuse’ or ‘malignant’ mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that affects the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a thin membrane that lines the inner surface of:

• The chest wall, where it is known as the pleura
• The abdomen where it is known as the peritoneum
• The testicles

The mesothelium also surrounds organs within these cavities for example the heart, lungs and intestines. It is far more common to have mesothelioma in the chest than in the abdomen. There is approximately one case of peritoneal mesothelioma to every 12 cases of pleural mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is more common in men than in women and nearly half of the people diagnosed with the disease are over 75 years old.