Asbestos exposure is the main cause of mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers can lodge in the lining of the lungs or abdomen, risking inflammation, DNA mutations and eventually cancer. Workers, veterans and families exposed secondhand face higher risks, with symptoms appearing 20 to 60 years after exposure.
Written by Dr. Daniel Landau, MD | Medically Reviewed by Dr. Jacques Fontaine | Edited by Amy Edel | Last Update: March 11, 2026
Expert Take
Dr. Marcelo DaSilva: What causes mesothelioma?
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Expert Take
Dr. Marcelo DaSilva: What causes mesothelioma?
Asbestos fibers cause mesothelioma when they’re inhaled or ingested and become stuck in the mesothelium, a thin tissue layer surrounding the lungs, abdomen and other organs. The body can’t clear these fibers, so they can stay there for decades, slowly damaging DNA and triggering the cell mutations that lead to cancer.
Risk varies depending on how much and how long the asbestos exposure was. While this dose-response relationship means the risk of a single exposure in a well-ventilated environment is low, there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.
Key Facts About Mesothelioma Causes
Most mesothelioma diagnoses are the result of primary asbestos exposure at work or in the military. Some people develop mesothelioma from secondary exposure, which happens when workers accidentally carry fibers home on their bodies, clothes or gear.
Asbestos is a group of 6 naturally occurring fibrous minerals. Manufacturers used it heavily in construction, insulation, shipbuilding and manufacturing throughout the 20th century. When someone disturbs asbestos-containing materials, microscopic fibers enter the air and people can inhale or swallow them.
Mesothelioma develops when the DNA of healthy cells mutates and becomes cancerous. This can happen when microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled or swallowed, travel through the body, reach the pleural and peritoneal tissues and cause irritation and inflammation over time.
A process known as “frustrated phagocytosis” can happen, which means the immune system keeps trying to clear these irritants, but can’t. The white blood cells the body sends to fight the asbestos (called macrophages), cause inflammation as they signal to the body to send more reinforcements to help in the fight. This leads to chronic inflammation.
Over time, this chronic inflammation repeatedly damages DNA in mesothelial cells, making them cancerous. The long latency period of 20 to 60 years between asbestos exposure and diagnosis reflects the time it takes for cellular damage to build up and overwhelm the body’s natural repair systems.
Asbestos exposure is the biggest risk factor for mesothelioma. Risk factors are characteristics or behaviors that increase the chances of developing a specific disease. Other risk factors include genetics, age, gender and different types of asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma Risk Factors
Asbestos exposure can happen at work, in older homes, in public buildings and in the environment. Workers in commercial and industrial sectors have faced higher exposure risks.
Pleural mesothelioma survivor Terry Latham’s asbestos exposure happened during his 10 years of construction work. Terry tells us he received his diagnosis decades later. Now, he’s one of the longest-living pleural survivors. He shares, “People should know you can get through it, but you can’t stop fighting. Whatever you do, don’t give up.”
Connect with top-rated mesothelioma specialists at a cancer center near you, who will personalize treatment options based on your diagnosis.
Find Your CenterOccupational asbestos exposure is the No. 1 cause of mesothelioma. Among the highest-risk groups are miners and industrial workers, who have long faced significant exposure. Shipyard workers, as well as those in boiler rooms and power plants, are also at risk.
Additionally, legacy asbestos present in older buildings continues to pose a hazard. Construction workers and firefighters encounter risks related to legacy asbestos, especially during renovation, demolition or disaster response. Auto mechanics remain exposed when working with legacy asbestos brakes and clutches.
Veterans get mesothelioma from military asbestos exposure. The U.S. military used asbestos extensively in bases, vehicles, ships and planes. Navy personnel have some of the highest rates of mesothelioma among military veterans because asbestos was widely applied on ships to reduce the spread of fire.
Ventilation was poor in confined spaces like engine and boiler rooms. This meant fiber concentrations reached extremely high levels and protective gear was rarely provided. Boiler workers, pipefitters and shipyard workers involved in military shipbuilding and maintenance were at particularly high risk of exposure and developing mesothelioma.
Navy veteran John Conway tells us he remembers stripping asbestos insulation as part of his job. Decades later, John shares with us that he developed pleural mesothelioma. “It used to look like it was snowing down there,” John recalls about the airborne asbestos fibers he witnessed.
John Conway
Navy Boiler Technician Exposed to Asbestos
John Conway worked as a Navy boiler technician when ships heavily used asbestos. He then worked for the Merchant Marines for 24 years. “I was proud to serve. It was fun, too. It took me around the world three times,” he shares with us.
John Conway
Secondary asbestos exposure happens when workers bring tiny asbestos fibers home on skin, clothes, shoes or tools. These fibers can spread into the air and settle on surfaces, putting family members and others close by at risk of breathing asbestos. This take-home exposure is the most common secondary form. It can lead to serious illnesses years later.
For example, barbers and ceramics workers used asbestos-contaminated talcum powder. Taking these fibers home raised the risk of cancer among family members. An engineer exposed to asbestos at work could also carry fibers into a shared office with people who don’t work directly with asbestos, but are exposed as fibers spread in the shared space.
My mesothelioma was caused by my father’s work clothes. He had been a lagger and worked with asbestos all through my childhood. He died of mesothelioma in 1989.
Living near asbestos deposits carries a risk of exposure. Tiny fibers can remain airborne in these areas, posing a potential health hazard. The danger is greatest close to old asbestos mines and factories.
Although the risk of disease from living near asbestos mines is lower than from working directly with asbestos, research suggests it accounts for about 3% of all mesothelioma cases. For women, that number rises significantly to 19%.
Some minerals, such as erionite, often develop near asbestos deposits. Erionite isn’t a form of asbestos but contains long, thin fibers similar to asbestos. Because of this, erionite deposits can present an additional exposure risk in affected areas.
Talc and asbestos deposits form close together in the earth, which means talc can become contaminated with asbestos during mining. This has been documented in geology books since as far back as 1872, yet for most of the 20th century the talc industry was largely left to police itself and consumers were rarely warned of the risk.
Government research and a growing body of independent studies have since linked asbestos-contaminated talc to cancer. Products like baby powder, cosmetics and body powder have all been found to contain asbestos, and talc lawsuits have surged as more people learn of the risk. Many people who used these products regularly over years may have inhaled asbestos fibers without ever knowing it.
Doctors diagnose mesothelioma more often in men than in women. Men made up 70% and women 30% of new mesothelioma cases in the U.S. in 2021, according to the CDC’s United States Cancer Statistics. The CDC has also reported a recent sharp rise in mesothelioma among women.
Women’s asbestos exposure historically came mainly from secondary exposure or from living near asbestos sites. Today, increased occupational exposure to legacy asbestos and use of asbestos-contaminated products like talc may contribute to the rise in cases. Better medical awareness has also helped doctors identify more cases in women than before. Women also develop peritoneal mesothelioma at proportionally higher rates than men. Researchers haven’t fully explained this disparity.
Age also plays an important role in mesothelioma risk. Most people receive their diagnosis between ages 75 and 79, which reflects the 20 to 60 year latency period after exposure. However, doctors have found cases in teens and young adults in their 20s as a result of early-life asbestos exposure.
One piece of advice I would give to a woman who has been recently diagnosed with mesothelioma is this. Let me encourage you for a moment. You have access to treatments, different treatments. You have the right to get a second opinion. You have the right to ask questions. You have the right to find the specialist who you want for your journey.
Some genetic factors can increase a person’s chance of getting mesothelioma after asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma isn’t inherited like some other diseases. However, a BAP1 gene mutation can make someone more likely to develop mesothelioma if they come into contact with asbestos.
Genes carry instructions for how our bodies work, and mutations are small differences in those instructions. Certain mutations in the BAP1 gene can affect how cells grow and repair themselves. These changes are often found in mesothelioma tumors and can help explain why people with this mutation are at higher risk.
Because of this discovery, doctors now suggest that testing for BAP1 gene mutations should be part of diagnosing mesothelioma. This testing can help patients and their doctors better understand the disease and guide treatment choices.
Researchers have found some cancer tumors contain Simian Virus 40, also known as SV40. However, there is no evidence that SV40, a virus found in humans and monkeys, causes mesothelioma. Scientists continue to study SV40 to understand if it plays any role in the disease.
Workers on nuclear submarines and in propulsion plants faced widespread asbestos exposure from insulation and fireproofing, putting them at higher risk for mesothelioma. Research indicates that the high doses of radiation these workers received on such vessels may add to their mesothelioma risk.
This radiation exposure differs greatly from the low levels people receive from medical imaging, such as X-rays and CT scans. Radiation from imaging scans has not been linked to mesothelioma risk.
Not everyone exposed to asbestos will develop mesothelioma. Researchers have identified 4 key variables that influence a person’s risk. Cumulative exposure is the strongest predictor of mesothelioma. Dose and duration play the biggest role because the longer and more intense the exposure, the more fiber accumulation and DNA damage in the body.
The fiber type involved in the exposure also matters. Amphibole asbestos, including crocidolite and amosite, persists in tissue longer and carries a higher risk than chrysotile.
Every person’s immune response to asbestos fibers is different. So is each individual body’s ability to repair DNA damage before healthy cells change into cancer. Both factors help explain why some people develop mesothelioma after exposure and others don’t.
Even with all known risk factors, doctors can’t predict individual outcomes with certainty. Anyone with a documented asbestos exposure history should talk to their doctor about screenings and early detection.
Employers must provide safe working conditions to prevent mesothelioma. They’re responsible for keeping workplaces free of asbestos, providing personal protective equipment and conducting proper training. If workers notice safety violations, they should talk with their union representatives or file a report with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA then investigates.
The public can lower its risk by avoiding asbestos products, including consumer goods, home building materials and automotive parts. Older homes, salvaged and vintage materials and classic auto parts can contain legacy asbestos and put DIY-ers at risk.
Tips to Reduce Asbestos Exposure
If you’ve already been exposed and worry about your health, our Patient Advocates can connect you with a doctor to screen for mesothelioma. Early detection improves treatment options.
See your doctor promptly if you experience symptoms of mesothelioma such as shortness of breath, chest pain or abdominal discomfort. Patient Advocates can connect you with specialists who offer expert care.
Dr. Catherine Perrault, medical officer and board-certified family physician with The Mesothelioma Center’s Medical Outreach Team
We asked our Patient Advocates about the questions people ask when they call us about the cause of mesothelioma. Here are some common questions and helpful answers.
Asbestos has no safe exposure level, but risk isn’t equal across all exposures. Of people with heavy, prolonged occupational exposure, 8% to 13% develop mesothelioma. Risk from brief or low-intensity exposure is substantially lower but isn’t zero. Anyone with a history of asbestos exposure should talk to their doctor.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer. The CDC reports 2,669 new cases in the U.S. in 2022, the most recent year of available data. People without any known asbestos exposure rarely develop mesothelioma. Workers in high-risk industries like construction, shipbuilding, power generation and manufacturing are among the highest risk groups.
Asbestos can change healthy cells into cancer cells decades after exposure. The fibers start an inflammation that slowly harms genes and can lead to cancer 20 to 60 years later. After tumors form, mesothelioma can swiftly advance to stage 3 or 4. Symptoms may appear after this progression.
No, smoking does not cause mesothelioma. The primary cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos fibers. Smoking and tobacco use are linked to lung cancer and other cancers. But they are not linked to a higher risk of mesothelioma.
Answered By: Anna Nowak, internationally renowned asbestos researcher and mesothelioma advocate.
Asbestos fibers can lodge in mesothelial tissue, triggering an immune response. The body’s immune cells try but fail to break down asbestos fibers, triggering a cycle of inflammation and cellular damage that can persist for decades. Over time, DNA in mesothelial cells can mutate, disabling the genes that normally control cell growth and repair (like BAP1 and NF2). After decades of accumulated damage, mesothelial cells turn cancerous.
Mesothelioma isn’t inherited. A BAP1 gene mutation that can increase risk in people who are exposed to asbestos can pass down through families. People with a family history of BAP1-associated mesothelioma may benefit from genetic counseling and testing.
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Asbestos.com. (2026, March 11). Mesothelioma Causes & Risk Factors. Retrieved March 11, 2026, from https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/causes/
"Mesothelioma Causes & Risk Factors." Asbestos.com, 11 Mar 2026, https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/causes/.
Asbestos.com. "Mesothelioma Causes & Risk Factors." Last modified March 11, 2026. https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/causes/.
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Dr. Jacques Fontaine is a thoracic surgeon at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, where he heads up the Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center. He specializes in minimally invasive robotic surgery and aggressive surgeries for mesothelioma.
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