What Is Mesothelioma?
The National Cancer Institute says mesothelioma is a type of cancer that forms in the thin layer of tissue covering organs in the chest or abdomen, also called malignant mesothelioma. It says exposure to asbestos causes most mesotheliomas, and that asbestos can also cause cancers of the lung, larynx and ovary.
The NCI says most people with mesothelioma worked or lived in places where they inhaled or swallowed asbestos, which has been used in the building and textile industries, and that it usually takes a long time for mesothelioma to form after exposure. It says people who develop asbestos-related diseases generally show no signs of illness for a long time, and that symptoms can take from 10 to 40 years or more to appear.
The NCI lists shortness of breath and pain under the rib cage as signs and symptoms, and says the cancer sometimes causes fluid to collect in the chest or abdomen. ATSDR says exposure to either chrysotile or amphibole asbestos increases the risk of disease, but that amphiboles remain in the lung longer and may carry a higher risk of mesothelioma than chrysotile.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceThe National Cancer Institute says mesothelioma is a type of cancer that forms in the thin layer of tissue that covers organs in the chest or abdomen. National Cancer Institute ↗
- Government sourceThe NCI says most people with mesothelioma worked or lived in places where they inhaled or swallowed asbestos, and that it usually takes a long time for mesothelioma to form after exposure. National Cancer Institute ↗
- Government sourceThe NCI says signs and symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath and pain under the rib cage, and that the cancer sometimes causes fluid to collect in the chest or abdomen. National Cancer Institute ↗
- Government sourceThe NCI says it can take from 10 to 40 years or more for symptoms of an asbestos-related condition to appear. National Cancer Institute ↗
- Government sourceThe NCI says exposure to asbestos causes most mesotheliomas, and that asbestos can also cause cancers of the lung, larynx and ovary. National Cancer Institute ↗
- Government sourceATSDR says chrysotile and amphibole asbestos both increase disease risk, but amphiboles remain in the lung longer and may carry a higher risk of mesothelioma than chrysotile. ATSDR, CDC ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.