Mesothelioma Causes

Rare cancer definitively linked to asbestos exposure

Mesothelioma is an incurable and rare form of cancer of the lining of the lungs and peritoneum. The only known cause of mesothelioma in the United States is exposure to asbestos. This aggressive form of cancer is often fatal within 4 to 18 months of diagnosis. There are about 3,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States.

How mesothelioma is caused by asbestos

The term asbestos actually refers to six fibrous minerals that resist heat, chemicals, and electricity.  These characteristics are why asbestos was so widely used by many industries and products—and why it is so deadly when it invades the human body. When products containing asbestos are handled, asbestos dust becomes airborne and can be inhaled.  Once in the body, asbestos fibers are there permanently.

Mesothelioma is always caused by asbestos fibers becoming lodged in the mesothelial membranes that surround the lungs, abdomen, heart, and other organs.  The irritation produced by these promotes the growth of abnormal and malignant cells.

Asbestos dangers to workers

At some point in their lives, most people are exposed to asbestos—as a consumer of a product containing asbestos, as a worker in an asbestos-related job, or as an asbestos-exposed worker’s family member.  However, workers exposed over an extended period of time are the most likely to develop mesothelioma.

Secondary exposure

People who lived with someone who worked with asbestos are also at an elevated risk of developing asbestos-related conditions due to secondary asbestos exposure.  Often, these people were exposed to the asbestos fibers carried home on the worker’s clothing—for example, the family member who laundered the worker’s clothes that were covered in asbestos fibers.