What is mesothelioma?

I see this all over the internet. What exactly is mesothelioma? Is it some kind of cancer? Is it caused by asbestos? I have heard that, but what exactly does it do to you? Is it like black lung? Sorry if I seem a bit naive, but this is something new to me.

You must be watching a lot of daytime TV advertisements.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium, a lining in the lungs.

Mesothelioma Mesothelium=type of cellular lining AND oma= cancer

Yes it is caused by asbestos exposure and no it is not the same as black lung (which I believe is caused by exposure to coal biproducts). I believe that asbestos has a crystalline structure and when inhalled it become embedded into the lung tissue (indefinitely) and are thought to have a carcinogenic (cancer-causing) effect on the mesothelium.

My Uncle had a friend who did some work clearing out an old building site to earn money to help him through college and 30 years later he had Mesothelioma in his lungs.
One tiny sharp thread of broken up asbestos powder inhaled can stay in your lungs for 20-30 years before it gives you this cancer.
Fancy the irony doing some work as a college student to study to teach and 30 years later finding out it was that one days work that did it to you. It's deadly when loose and floating around!

Mitch

Yeah, I have been seeing the commercials (lawyers, I think) and just wondered what in the world it was. Thanks for the info.

Mitch, sorry about that guy your uncle knows. Wow, that is crazy!