§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases have been reported during each of the last three years. [37061]
§ Mr. BoatengNeither condition is reportable under a system of statutory notification but several sources of data are available which are indicative of the numbers suffering from these diseases.
The Department collects data in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) on the number of hospital admissions and day cases per year classified by disease. They will not accurately reflect the number of new cases in that year because some patients will have readmissions following diagnosis in earlier years, some have multiple admissions in a year, and some are treated as hospital out patients or may not go to hospital at all and so do not feature in HES data. The table gives information on hospital admissions and day cases for the three most recent years available for mesothelioma and asbestos-related disease.
Additional data on new mesothelioma cases are available from the national cancer registration system which strives for complete case ascertainment. The most recent data available are for 1989–91.
192W
Total number of new cases of mesothelioma, England and Wales, 1989–1991 Year 1989 835 1990 855 1991 941 Source:
ONS
The Department of Social Security has data on the number of new claims for industrial injuries disablement benefit made each year but they will exclude those who have these diseases but do not claim benefit.
Figures of the numbers of diagnosed cases of asbestos-related diseases, made in connection with claims to industrial injuries disablement benefit are shown in the table:
Year Mesothelioma Other asbestos-related diseases1 1994 583 649 1995 685 670 1996 642 698 1 For Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, it is accepted that, (apart from mesothelioma), the other asbestos-related diseases are pneumoconiosis (where the causative agent is asbestos), carcinoma of the lung and bilateral diffuse pleural thickening. Source:
DSS (Analytical Services Division) 100 per cent. count.
Ordinary admissions and day cases: completed episodes primary diagnosis in NHS hospitals, England 1993–94 to 1995–96 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 ICD 9 code: 158 Malignant neoplasm of: 1588 Specified parts of peritoneum 250 213 - 1589 Peritoneum, unspecified 204 222 - 163 Malignant neoplasm of pleura 1,906 1,893 - 501 Asbestosis 178 186 - England 2,538 2,513 - ICD 10 code: J61 Pneumoconiosis due to asbestos and other mineral fibres - - 154 J92.0 Pleural plaque with presence of asbestos - - 61 C45.0 Mesothelioma of pleura - - 972 C45.1 Mesothelioma of peritoneum - - 74 C45.2 Mesothelioma of pericardium - - 3 C45.7 Mesothelioma of other site - - 178 C45.9 Mesothelioma, unspecified - - 944 D19.0 Mesothelial tissue of pleural - - 29 England - - 2,415 Note:
Data in this table are grossed for both coverage and unknown/invalid clinical data.