2. Modern facts about asbestos and mesothelioma

• Over 10,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related conditions each year, 3,000 in the US alone.

• It is estimated that over 110,000 schools in the United States still contain some form of asbestos.

• Even though cigarette smoking does not cause mesothelioma, victims exposed asbestos who smoke suffer a 50-90% increase in the likelihood of developing lung cancers.

• Asbestos has been banned or regulated in many industrialized countries around the world.

• Post-diagnosis survival of mesothelioma is measured in months, because by the time the cancer is detected it is too advanced for treatment.

• Because of the long dormancy of mesothelioma, experts speculate that there will be an increase of cases for the next 20 to 30 years.