Mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer, where cancer cells are located in the pleura, the peritoneum and the pericardium of the affected individual. Thus, the three main forms of mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma targets the lining of the lung, peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdominal cavity, and pericardial mesothelioma targets the lining around the heart.

Generally, people suffering from this disease have worked on jobs where they were in close contact with asbestos. Others have contracted the disease without any direct exposure to asbestos. There is a dormant period of 20 to 50 years between the first exposure to the mineral and the appearance of mesothelioma symptoms. There are rare occasions when the effects have been felt before 20 years, after first exposure to asbestos.

There are cases where people have been affected by the disease some four decades after a summer construction job brought them in contact with asbestos. It is not uncommon for housewives to catch the disease after washing asbestos-dust-infected clothes of their husbands and sons who work with asbestos-related products. There are several reported cases of people working in the Navy years back, who have contracted the disease now.

Some jobs put you at risk of the disease more than others. They are: insulators (people who install insulation); pipe fitters and steam fitters (who regularly work in claustrophobic conditions in ships and work with insulation); electricians; carpenters; mechanics; shipyard workers; maintenance workers; laborers, etc. Industrial sites characteristically are the most affected.

Though the survival rate for mesothelioma is low, there are some conventional treatments that can be tried. They are: surgery, where the tumor is removed; chemotherapy, where specific drugs are used to fight the malignancy; and radiation therapy, where high energy rays are deployed to kill the malignant cells.