SEER

SEER is a U.S. National Cancer Institute program that collects and publishes cancer incidence, treatment, and survival data from population-based registries covering roughly half of the U.S. population. It is the most widely cited source for statistics on rare cancers such as mesothelioma, including how many people are diagnosed each year, survival rates by stage and age, and trends over time.

Origin

SEER was established by the National Cancer Institute in 1973 under authority of the National Cancer Act of 1971. It began with a small number of state and metropolitan registries and has expanded over the decades to include additional geographic areas and demographic groups, becoming the federal benchmark for U.S. cancer statistics.

Significance in Asbestos Context

For patients and families, SEER is the source behind nearly every published statistic on mesothelioma, including the roughly 3,000 U.S. cases per year, median survival figures, and survival differences by age, sex, and disease stage. Plaintiffs' experts use SEER data to show that mesothelioma is rare in the general population, which supports the argument that a patient's disease is attributable to identifiable asbestos exposure rather than chance. Defense experts sometimes cite SEER to argue about background rates, trends in incidence, or survival ranges. Patients should understand that SEER numbers are population averages; individual prognosis can differ substantially based on cell type (epithelioid vs. sarcomatoid), stage, treatment, and overall health.

Related Terms

Mesothelioma, Incidence Rate, Epidemiology, National Cancer Institute, Background Rate, Latency Period

Notes

• When reading mesothelioma statistics online, check whether the source cites SEER and which years are covered. Older SEER data may understate survival because it predates current treatments.
• Ask your oncologist how your specific cell type, stage, and treatment plan compare to SEER averages; do not assume the median survival number applies directly to you.
• If your legal team needs to establish that mesothelioma is rare in the unexposed population, SEER incidence data is the standard reference point. Make sure your medical records clearly document the diagnosis, cell type, and anatomic site so they align with SEER coding.

In the Union Carbide documents

SEER is named in 1 Union Carbide document dated 1973 (1 mentioned), from asbestos lawsuits over Union Carbide's Calidria asbestos. All are published in our collection.

• Montello, Inc. Transmittal of Union Carbide Report on Airborne Asbestos Dust in Drilling Fluid Operations Using Wet-Refined Super Visbestos (1973) UC-973 (mentioned)

Where this comes from

This page brings together every document in our library that names SEER, across collections. Titles and affiliations are taken from the documents themselves, and units and subsidiaries are grouped under the company they belong to.