"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 fiber 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."
