The article discusses the projected increase in mesothelioma deaths among men in Western Europe over the next 20 years, from approximately 5,000 in 1998 to about 9,000 around 2018, followed by a decline. The highest risk is expected for men born around 1945-1950, with about 1 in 150 of this cohort dying from mesothelioma. The projections are based on a simple age and birth cohort model fitted to male pleural cancer mortality data from six Western European countries (Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland) from 1970 to 1989. Asbestos use remained high until 1980, and substantial quantities are still used in several European countries. The model was validated by comparing observed and predicted deaths from 1990 to 1994. The ratio of mesothelioma to recorded pleural cancer mortality was 1.6:1 in Britain but assumed to be 1:1 in other countries. The article also discusses the limitations of using pleural cancer data as a surrogate for mesothelioma, the impact of diagnostic awareness on mortality trends, and the potential effects of reduced asbestos exposure on future risk. The total number of male mesothelioma deaths in Western Europe over the next 30-35 years is estimated to be around 250,000.The article discusses the projected increase in mesothelioma deaths among men in Western Europe over the next 20 years, from approximately 5,000 in 1998 to about 9,000 around 2018, followed by a decline. The highest risk is expected for men born around 1945-1950, with about 1 in 150 of this cohort dying from mesothelioma. The projections are based on a simple age and birth cohort model fitted to male pleural cancer mortality data from six Western European countries (Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland) from 1970 to 1989. Asbestos use remained high until 1980, and substantial quantities are still used in several European countries. The model was validated by comparing observed and predicted deaths from 1990 to 1994. The ratio of mesothelioma to recorded pleural cancer mortality was 1.6:1 in Britain but assumed to be 1:1 in other countries. The article also discusses the limitations of using pleural cancer data as a surrogate for mesothelioma, the impact of diagnostic awareness on mortality trends, and the potential effects of reduced asbestos exposure on future risk. The total number of male mesothelioma deaths in Western Europe over the next 30-35 years is estimated to be around 250,000.