Mesothelioma is caused almost entirely by breathing in or swallowing asbestos fibers, usually from work or from fibers brought into the home.
Asbestos was used for decades in insulation, shipbuilding, construction, roofing, brake and clutch parts, and demolition work, so the highest risk sits with people who handled those materials before modern controls. Family members were exposed too when fibers came home on work clothes, hair, and tools. The disease usually shows up decades after the exposure, which is why a job you left in your twenties still matters to your doctor. Undisturbed asbestos in a building is not the same as loose fibers in the air, so leave old insulation, floor tile, and siding alone and hire a trained abatement contractor for removal. Smoking does not cause mesothelioma by itself, though quitting still lowers your risk of other lung disease.
When to talk to a specialist
Common questions
What causes mesothelioma?
Asbestos causes the large majority of mesothelioma. Inhaled or swallowed fibers lodge in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart and irritate that tissue for years. Most cases trace back to work with insulation, shipbuilding, construction, brake repair, or demolition, or to fibers carried home on a family member's clothing. Symptoms usually appear decades after the exposure, often 20 years or more later. Smoking does not cause mesothelioma by itself. Rarely, it follows radiation treatment to the chest or appears with no known exposure. Tell your doctor about any asbestos work history if you have chest pain, breathlessness, or a lasting cough.