What is Mesothelioma?

The following mesothelioma information is a quick snapshot of this incurable and swift acting cancer, nearly always caused by exposure to asbestos. For those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos, there has been a surge in asbestos litigation over the past decade against companies that manufactured and distributed the asbestos products.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the mesothelium, a thin membrane that surrounds and protects many organs in your body. The mesothelium has different names depending on the area of the body. Mesothelioma cancer most often affects the (1) pleura, the mesothelium that surrounds the lungs and chest cavity, (2) the peritoneum, surrounding the abdominal cavity, and (3) the pericardium, which surrounds the heart. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common. Click here for a broader discussion on the types of mesothelioma.

This cancer is relatively rare (approximately 2,000 new diagnoses per year), but the incidence rate has increased over the past couple of decades. The reason is that the people most at risk for this cancer are those that worked with asbestos decades ago. Asbestos is the only clear and established cause of this type of cancer. Most exposure incidences occurred at worksites between the 1950s and 1970s. Men were most commonly exposed at these worksites, and because mesothelioma can take 40 years or longer to surface, today the cancer overwhelmingly affects middle-aged and elderly men. Those who came in contact with the men (spouses, etc) who were directly exposed at these worksites and their clothing constitute another significant portion of the incidences of mesothelioma.

Increasingly, mesothelioma victims and their families are filing lawsuits against companies that allowed their employees to work with asbestos despite being aware of the risks. For more mesothelioma information, continue through to our resources pages. For information on legal options and mesothelioma lawsuits, continue through to our legal section.