This is a residual category including all cancers not included elsewhere. This comprises cancers of the pleura (the membranes which surround the lungs), other connective tissues, the kidneys and skin cancers other than malignant melanoma.

See also Map 7 All cancer deaths and Map 54 Skin cancer.

There is a distinctive north–south divide here with generally lower rates in the south. Most of the places with very much higher SMRs are linked with shipbuilding: the Clyde in Glasgow, Barking in east London, Wallsend and Jarrow in the north east, Barrow-in-Furness in the north west, and Plymouth. The high SMRs in north west Scotland may be due to people who had migrated to find work returning home upon redundancy or retirement, and/or connections with the fishing industry of the Western Isles.

Approximately a sixth of the deaths in this category are due to mesothelioma, a form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The mesothelium is a protective lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs. The most common site for mesothelioma is the pleura.

Working with asbestos, or in environments where there is ageing and crumbling asbestos, is the main risk factor for mesothelioma. Asbestos is a strong, flexible fibre that is used in industrial and building products. The risk to health comes from the inhalation of tiny particles floating in the air. Those working in mining, mills, shipyards, and the heating and construction industries were most likely to be exposed; health and safety regulations are now in place to minimise the risks. The signs and symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos.

The causes of renal cancer, which accounts for a third of the deaths in this category, are not known, but smoking greatly increases the chance of developing this form of cancer.