Asbestos exposure can lead to very serious – and, in many cases, terminal – diseases, including the type of cancer known as mesothelioma. For decades, people worked with asbestos-contaminated materials, unaware of the risks. This continued even after product manufacturers learned about the dangers.
What Is the Link Between Asbestos and Mesothelioma?
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), about 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. This is most commonly an occupational disease, affecting people who worked in jobs that required the handling, installation, and removal of asbestos and asbestos products.
Construction companies and manufacturers once used asbestos as an essential component of their buildings and products. Others who may have had frequent contact with asbestos at work include those who built and renovated ships, airplane manufacturers, and, more recently, those who demolish and renovate older buildings.

