Mesothelioma Causes

Mesothelioma - a cancer that typically attacks the lungs and abdomen - was profoundly rare until the industrial and commercial use of asbestos expanded in the 20th century. Medical researchers have spent decades investigating the disease and what causes it, and their findings are that asbestos exposure is the primary culprit.

Through studies aimed at pinpointing the exact causes of mesothelioma, researchers gradually learned how being exposed to asbestos triggers cancer.

In March 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer reconfirmed that all forms of asbestos can cause mesothelioma - and asbestos exposure is the foremost cause of mesothelioma.