About Asbestos Cancers

Asbestos cancer is a general term for a variety of cancers caused by exposure to asbestos. Malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the membranes that line the chest (pleural mesothelioma) and abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), is nearly always attributable asbestos exposure. Lung cancer may also be asbestos related.

Mesothelioma is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a lung cancer because almost two-thirds of the diagnosed cases affect the pleural lining, which predomenantly surrounds the lungs. In actuality, this cancer resides outside the lungs, but may affect their functioning, as it is the job of the pleural lining to permit movement between the lungs, diaphragm and other organs as they function (think of the expansion and contraction of the lungs as the breath in and expel air).

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that has been used widely in everyday products because it won't conduct electricity and is heat- and chemical- resistant. These asbestos fibers, when loose, can easily be inhaled or swallowed, and remain in the body for years, eventually resulting in an asbestos-related cancer.