Asbestos Lawsuits: What Is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer that manifests itself years after the inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers. The higher the exposure to asbestos, the higher the risk of developing lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma symptoms and symptoms of asbestos-related lung cancer often appear decades after exposure to asbestos has taken place.

There is no known cure for mesothelioma and treatment options haven't advanced much in the past 25 years. Unfortunately, most people with mesothelioma die from the disease within four to 14 months after being diagnosed.

Most people who were exposed to asbestos many years ago don't think that they are still at risk for developing mesothelioma – especially since asbestos is not used in new applications. However, asbestos attorneys say that it's common for someone to hear about an old friend being diagnosed with mesothelioma after working with asbestos many years prior – and be confronted with the reality that they too may be at risk.

Mesothelioma is not dose related, which means that you don't have to have direct exposure to asbestos to develop the disease. In fact, the wives of many husbands who worked with asbestos many years ago are generally shocked when they find out that they have developed mesothelioma simply from laundering their husband's clothes.