Mesothelioma – it’s an ugly word for an ugly condition. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer, with about 3,000 cases a year reported in the U.S. Although the most common form of Mesothelioma, pleural Mesothelioma, affects the membranes surrounding the lungs, this type of cancer is very different from lung cancer. It is a much rarer and usually far more deadly form of cancer than lung cancer. Also, it is unrelated to smoking; it is caused by exposure to asbestos dust and fibers.
Asbestos, a mineral that was widely used throughout most of the 1900s in nearly every industry, forms long fibers that can be woven or mixed into materials. When asbestos is broken or crushed, the resulting dust and fibers hang in the air and land on surfaces nearby. People who breathe in or swallow asbestos dust are at risk for developing Mesothelioma.
