Mesothelioma is a prevalent form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. When constantly exposed to asbestos without sufficient protection, asbestos dust and fibres affect the cells of the mesothelium. The mesothelium is the outer lining that protects some of the body’s most vital organs such as the heart and lungs. The mesothelial cells become abnormal after lengthy periods of exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma is often difficult to diagnose, due to the latency period and symptoms of this cancer. It can take decades to mature and fully develop and because of this, elderly men who were exposed to asbestos thirty years before are just discovering they have the cancer now.
