The use of asbestos has been heavily regulated in the last few decades, especially after the Environmental Protection Agency introduced a complete ban in 2024.

Nonetheless, our decades-long use of asbestos still haunts thousands of Americans to this day.

Mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer triggered by asbestos, is diagnosed in the U.S. in about 3,000 people every year.

The vast majority of cases come from occupational exposure during the 1940s to the 1990s. These cases are mostly seen in veterans who were exposed during military service and industrial workers who handled asbestos or asbestos-related products.

As mesothelioma is so rare, the rates of misdiagnosis are considerably high. One study estimates that 14% to 50% of cases are inaccurately diagnosed. Most of them are identified as late-stage mesothelioma. Without proper treatment, the disease progresses rapidly, resulting in reduced survival rates.

Diagnostic errors are common since mesothelioma symptoms, like chest pain, breathing difficulties, and a persistent dry cough, are also the symptoms of more typical illnesses such as bronchitis, pneumonia and the flu. Further complicating diagnosis is the disease’s exceptionally long latency period.

Symptoms usually appear 20 to 40 years after exposure.

To improve diagnosis, more research is needed on mesothelioma. However, because the number of patients with mesothelioma is low and public records can take up to 2.5 years to reflect cases, the number of patients who are available for clinical trials is significantly reduced.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention therefore proposed the creation of a national mesothelioma registry where all cases would be reported instantly after a diagnosis is made.

Asbestos in Pennsylvania

From 1999 to 2017, Pennsylvania counted over 17,700 deaths linked to asbestos exposure, of which 3,257 were due to mesothelioma and 1,505 to asbestosis. Within the same time frame, Monroe and Northampton counties each experienced 500 asbestos-related fatalities, while Monroe County lost 481 citizens.

Though mesothelioma is rare, it’s been particularly prevalent among veterans, accounting for 30% of new cases annually. As a state with the fifth-largest veteran community, this has serious implications.

Pennsylvania is home to over 614,000 former service members, and each county contributes to this honorable legacy. Northampton has over 16,100 veterans, Lehigh has more than 15,000 ex-military personnel, and Monroe has over 8,000.

From the local steel industry to public schools and military installations, the Pennsylvania community has personally experienced the severe consequences of asbestos. Pennsylvanians will recall how Northampton was the site of Bethlehem Steel and its asbestos-infused equipment. Even Lehigh County school districts — Allentown, Salisbury Township and Whitehall-Coplay — have been the focus of asbestos abatement projects.

Meanwhile, the Tobyhanna Army Depot in Monroe faces a similar problem. The carcinogenic mineral was found in the facility’s floor and adhesives, and must now be safely removed. Examples like these demonstrate our ongoing problem with asbestos and add urgency to the creation of a national mesothelioma registry.

Registry can save lives

The survival rate of mesothelioma is tragically short at 15 months. Researching this disease is difficult since it can take years before cases are reflected in national census data. By that time, most of the patients are no longer alive.

A national registry offers faster access to patients and clinical trials, giving the scientific community more information that can be used to develop superior diagnostic methods and treatments.

But it can also be structured to provide more immediate benefits, like saving the lives of people who are at risk of developing mesothelioma.

Since a significant number of mesothelioma patients are veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense can lead the initiative, focusing on service members who were exposed to asbestos.

This would not only allow us to measure the problem, but also enable us to proactively address the disease. If we knew who these at-risk individuals are, they no longer have to wait until symptoms appear and the disease becomes resistant to treatment.

A national mesothelioma registry would instead allow the VA and DoD to contact exposed veterans and invite them to regular targeted screenings. Knowing their history, doctors would be more likely to consider mesothelioma and be less hesitant to order specialized tests.

If mesothelioma cancer cells are found, they can immediately receive treatment. Since mesothelioma is addressed much earlier, our veterans would have a better shot at surviving the disease.

All things considered, this is what research, better diagnostics, and innovative treatments are all about anyway — saving the lives of people who risked everything to protect ours.

Jonathan Sharp is the chief financial officer at Environmental Litigation Group P.C. In his role, he orchestrates the firm’s financial strategy, assesses legal cases for economic viability, and directs the allocation of resources to support those affected by environmental toxins.