Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that arises in the mesothelium that surrounds the abdomen, lungs, or heart. The mesothelium is made up of parietal and visceral membranes, which are thin layers of tissue that surround organs and body cavities. The visceral membrane surrounds the organ, and the parietal membrane is a sac that covers the visceral membrane. Together the visceral and parietal membranes make up the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is referred to by different names depending on what part of the body it is found in. When it's around the abdominal space, it is called peritoneal mesothelioma; around the lungs, it is called pleural mesothelioma which is the most common type; and around the heart, it is called pericardial mesothelioma.
Pleural mesothelioma is just one form of environmental lung disease.
How does asbestos cause mesothelioma?
The exact mechanism by which asbestos causes mesothelioma is not clear at this time, but a great deal is already known.Finally, be aware that there are also a number of noncancerous or benign conditions that use the word mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is a malignant cancer of the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports that although reported incidence rates of mesothelioma have increased in the past twenty years, it is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but it can appear in either men or women at any age.