Mesothelioma
Definition and information from Wikipedia.org
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.
In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most
of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs
and chest cavity), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity)
or the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart).
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles,
or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing
the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using
asbestos cement products. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between
mesothelioma and smoking .
Questions and Answers about Mesothelioma from the National Cancer Institute
