Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which occurs in the cells surrounding the organs called the mesothelial cells. Mesothelioma occurs most frequently in the tissues covering the lungs and is nearly always caused by exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma cancer can be considered a man-made disaster for many reasons. The disease occurs as a direct result of continuous contact with asbestos which is a natural silicate compound. After mining, the raw asbestos is treated into desired shapes. It has been used for many purposes like cement manufacture, ship building, construction activities etc. Asbestos has many qualities which include resistance to heat, insulation capacity etc. But the minute fibers of the mineral can cause deadly mesothelioma and this was not known for many years. By the time it was discovered many had been exposed to the deadly disease. In many of these cases, mesothelioma prognosis is totally hopeless.