The pleura is the lining around the outside of the lungs. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleura. It may also occur in the lining of the abdominal cavity.

Virtually all mesotheliomas in the United States are caused by exposure to asbestos. The amount of asbestos necessary to cause mesothelioma is very small. Spouses and children of workers exposed to asbestos can also develop mesothelioma from asbestos brought home on the workers' clothes.

Mesothelioma can occur years after a relatively brief (only weeks or months) exposure to asbestos, such as might occur in a now-forgotten summer job.

This photograph shows a cross section of a mesothelioma victim's lung. The mesothelioma is the whitish material that completely surrounds the lung and compresses it. The remaining lung tissue is the darker material in the center.

Click the photo to view a larger version of it.