Mesothelioma is a lethal form of cancer, usually found in the lungs, that has inextricably been linked to asbestos fibers. In fact, the story of mesothelioma is really the story of asbestos. Asbestos fibers are tiny particles that can be inhaled by a worker who is exposed to asbestos, or a family member that is exposed to asbestos fibers brought home on clothing and shoes. One of the critical elements of this story is the fact that mesothelioma often develops twenty to fifty years after asbestos exposure.Asbestos has been used in many types of construction materials including insulation, roofing, and pipe fittings. It was used to insulate electrical wiring; was an important component of caulking and joint compounds; was incorporated into flooring and ceiling tiles; auto brakes and engine gaskets. It has great insulating properties for both sound and temperature, is resistant to water and electricity and acts as a flame retardant.

Widespread use of asbestos took off in the 1880s. By the 1930s, medical personnel were beginning to recognize a potential link between asbestos and various respiratory problems among people who were exposed to it. A respiratory illness given the name asbestosis was diagnosed in England in 1931. During this period 30s a new form of lung cancer was detected and named mesothelioma, although it was not associated with asbestos until sometime in the 1940s.

Also in the 1930s, employees of American asbestos producer Johns Manville produced evidence of high levels of illness in asbestos miners and provided testimony to the extremely dangerous nature of asbestos dust. The company successfully kept both this information and any lawsuits that developed from it out of the public eye. Other U.S. companies also successfully suppressed information about the dangers of asbestos exposure.

During the 1950s both Johns Mansville and National Gypsum went to extraordinary lengths to suppress or edit their own research and staff recommendations regarding the dangers of asbestos fibers and the need to protect employees from it. Evidence continued to grow linking ,a mesothelioma and asbestos, as did the lawsuits against asbestos companies. By 1979, asbestos use was virtually banned for use in the United States by the EPA.

In the 1970s and 1980s, a series of class action lawsuits representing mesothelioma and asbestosis victims established liability among both asbestos producers and industries that manufactured products using asbestos. Among the crucial points of evidence were multiple actions taken by asbestos producers and users to suppress information about dangers of the substance.

Between 1973 and 1984, mesothelioma has tripled among white males. From 1980 to the late 1990s, the annual death rate from mesothelioma in the USA increased by 50% to 3,000. The numbers of people who were exposed to asbestos fibers and the liability assigned to the companies who profited from asbestos has led to multiple bankruptcies among major corporations - among them Johns Mansville and W.R. Grace.

Multi-billion dollar trust funds have been established by these companies and others to provide compensation for mesothelioma lawsuit victims who spent careers working with asbestos, while management in the firms were well aware of the dangers deriving from asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma is an incurable form of cancer, which is rather uncommon. It is caused by previous exposure to asbestos. If we go through the history of mesothelioma patients we can see that either they have worked on jobs where they had inhaled asbestos particles or they must have been exposed to asbestos dust or particles in other ways. These particles pierce the delicate internal organs like the lungs, intestine and even the heart. It also destroys mesothelium, the protective sack which produces fluid facilitating the proper movement of organs. Apart from this, it can develop cancerous tumors which spread all over the body.There are different forms of Mesothelioma. Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common form. Peritoneal Mesothelioma stands second which affects the stomach and intestines. Another rarest form of Mesothelioma, called Pericardial Mesothelioma attacks the membrane lubricates in the heart during circulation. During the initial stages, people tend to mistake mesothelioma for pneumonia. How ever, the common symptoms are persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pains, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, swelling up of face and neck, coughing up blood, weight loss etc. Even though it is not compulsory that everyone who comes into contact with asbestos will develop the disease, keeping the risk factor in mind, it is better to consult the doctor on time which helps in early detection of the disease.

Normally mesothelioma is diagnosed in the later stages and it can be a serious blow to the family. Though research work continues incessantly there is no cure for the disease now. Mostly, the treatment is provided to lessen the severity of the symptoms of the disease. Doctors depend on some combinations of chemotherapy drugs and research scientists concentrate on finding ways and means for an early diagnosis of the fatal disease. In some cases surgery is performed on patients to remove tumors or an entire lung. Still most of them are treated with radiation or chemotherapy.

The reason someone develops the condition can be attributed to the negligence of the employers. The harmful impacts of asbestos and asbestos products are quite evident. Still, most of the employers pay scant respect regarding the health of the employees and do not offer adequate protection. It was in the 1970s that the public became aware of the dangers of the asbestos dust and fibers. Since then many employers have started giving protective clothing such as respirators, aprons, gloves and other necessary items to the hapless victims working in the field on a daily basis. But, these efforts are not at all sufficient and lot more has to be done to ensure the safety of the workers. The companies dealing with the production of asbestos or products containing asbestos have been subjected to numerous law suites owing to the irresponsible behavior of the employers. Most of these cases are filed by the unfortunate victims of the disease.