Common Causes of Mesothelioma What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring substance that was utilized for its tensile strength and heat resistant properties. Several industries such as the automotive, shipbuilding, and construction business used asbestos and products containing asbestos for various applications. Asbestos is a friable mineral, meaning that it is easily reduced to small particles that can be ingested or inhaled, posing serious health risks. These particles, once within the body, embed themselves in the tissues surrounding vital organs. The body is unable to flush these particles and so they act as a human carcinogen resulting in illnesses such as asbestosis and diseases such as lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma.