Epidemiological surveillance of mesothelioma mortality in Italy.

•In Italy, between 2003 and 2014, 16,086 persons died for malignant mesothelioma.•Mesothelioma annual mortality rates: 3.65/100,000 in men, 1.09 in women.•81.8% of mesothelioma deaths in men and 79.5% in women are pleural mesothelioma.•High risks were detected close industrial asbestos sources.•Occupational, environmental, domestic asbestos exposure routes can be hypothesized.