Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare type of asbestos lung cancer that results from asbestos becoming lodged in the lining of the lung. However, unlike asbestosis, which originates in the lungs, mesothelioma occurs in the serous lining, which is the lining surrounding the outside of the lungs. Another thing that distinguishes mesothelioma from asbestosis is that it leads to the growth of tumors that are malignant (asbestosis leads to the growth of scar tissue, which is benign). This means that the growths in the lungs' serous membranes related to mesothelioma are cancerous, can grow rapidly and can spread to other organs. Asbestosis, on the other hand, does not spread to other organs. When cancer tumors grow and then spread to other organs, this is called metastasis.