Mesothelioma Information, Resources and Advice

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that attacks cells in the surfaces of the body’s internal organs. These cells, called mesothelial cells, form a lining for the organs that is called the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is a disease that’s very closely linked with asbestos exposure.

In the U.S., at least a few thousand people each year are diagnosed by a doctor with mesothelioma. More men than women get it, and it’s diagnosed more often in older adults—though mesothelioma can occur at any age. More people have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in the past 20 years due to earlier decades of unchecked use of asbestos.