Mesothelioma is a relatively rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma is a relatively rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It attacks the membranes that surround the lungs, heart or abdomen. Mesothelioma is a disease that is almost 100% preventable; the only known cause is via exposure to the deadly mineral Asbestos. Lung cancer in asbestos workers is accepted as an occupational disease under sections 2(1) and 15 of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and, there is a minimum interval of 10 years between first exposure to asbestos and the appearance of lung cancer.

Asbestos exposure not only causes mesothelioma cancer, but several other cancerous and non-cancerous conditions. Smokers with asbestos exposure have more than a 50 fold increase in their chance of getting lung cancer compared to people who have not smoked and been exposed to asbestos. Although smoking alone can cause lung cancer, asbestos has long been determined as a substantial contributing factor.