Causes of Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer occurring in the tissue covering the outside surface of the lung (pleura) or in the tissue covering the stomach and bowels (peritoneum). This often fatal disease results from exposure to airborne asbestos that is either inhaled or swallowed. Asbestos fibers work their way to the outside surface of the lung, stomach or bowel where they become trapped. Over many years, these trapped fibers cause a reaction leading to cancer. The time between the first exposure to asbestos and the appearance of malignant mesothelioma, known as the “latency period,” can be 15 years or more.

Malignant mesothelioma is different from lung cancer. Lung cancer forms in the inner tissues of the lung and is far more common than mesothelioma. Lung cancer (often associated with cigarette smoking) can be caused by asbestos exposure. Cigarette smoking does not cause mesothelioma. Exposure to airborne asbestos fibers is the recognized cause of mesothelioma in the United States. For more detailed information about this disease, please visit the National Cancer Institute‘s malignant mesothelioma website.