Exposure to asbestos has been shown to cause several different types of cancer

Mesothelioma is an asbestos caused cancer of the serous membranes that surround many of the body's vital organs. Although exposure to asbestos alone can lead to lung cancer, the risk increases dramatically in smokers of cigarettes or other forms of tobacco. In heavy smokers with asbestos exposure, the risk of lung cancer is at least 16 times higher than that of unexposed non-smokers

Exposure to asbestos has been shown to cause several different types of cancer, including, among others, lung cancer and one of the most deadly cancers known to man - cancer of the mesothelium, or Mesothelioma. Among other life threatening illnesses, exposure to asbestos has been directly linked to the development of lung cancer. Exposure primarily affects the lungs, resulting in the scarring of the lungs, lung cancer and mesothelioma. The health effects of asbestos exposure are not immediate. There is a latent period of about 20 to 30 years before symptoms began to present themselves. Mesothelioma is a rare type of aggressive cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure.