Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles and insulation. Asbestos is a very dangerous substance and can cause a lot of damage to your health. It is made up of very small fibers. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed and can their way to pleura. Once these fibers work their way into body tissues, they may stay there indefinitely. Of the white, brown and blue asbestos used, brown and blue are commonly associated with mesothelioma.

Men are typically affected more, due to the common presence of asbestos in industrial settings. Once exposed to asbestos particles a person may have no symptoms of the disease from between 30 to 50 years. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.

Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. But smoking along with asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer. An increased risk of developing mesothelioma was found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other trades people.

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