The road to treating mesothelioma

Up until the 1980s, asbestos was a commonly used material in the UK construction and shipping industries. However, research has since confirmed that working with asbestos can cause a rare cancer called mesothelioma, many years after exposure to the dust.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen. In the UK, approximately 2,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and the life expectancy at present is less than two years.

Barts Hospital has one of the largest mesothelioma outpatient clinics in the UK and is conducting pioneering research to help understand and treat this neglected disease. For example, unlike other cancers, mesothelioma does not spread around the body. The research team at Barts, led by Dr Jeremy Steele, is investigating this, in the hope of developing new treatments.

A spokesperson for Barts and The London Charity said: "Dr Steele and his team rely heavily on the generosity of donors to enable them to continue their groundbreaking work into this rare and devastating form of cancer".

Mesothelioma fact file:

• 1 in 100 men born between 1940 and 1950 will develop the disease.
• There is a 30-50 year delay between asbestos exposure and illness.
• The number of new cases is increasing and is expected to peak by 2015.
• 90% of cases occur in men.
• 80% of patients can remember an obvious exposure to asbestos.
• There is still no worldwide ban on asbestos.