Asbestos exposure is associated with both lung cancer and mesothelioma. While both conditions are life-threatening cancers, there are some differences.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. It is comprised of tiny, glass-like fibers “woven” by natural processes into a cotton-like consistency. The silicate material is highly resistant to burning, and does not melt or burn even at industrial temperatures. Additionally, the fibrous structure traps air within its structure, like down feathers but much more efficiently, making the material an effective insulator. These properties made the material greatly valued and widely used, starting during the Industrial Revolution. Unfortunately, the material has been strongly linked to several types of cancer.

Lung cancer is any type of cancer that starts within the lungs. This technically makes it a sarcoma, or cancer of the tissues derived from the mesoderm. It includes a variety of cancers. The majority of lung cancers have very poor outcomes, with fewer than 15 percent surviving more than five years after diagnosis. These cancers typically cause pain in the chest, trouble breathing, and coughing—sometimes with blood. Lung cancer is among the diseases strongly linked to asbestos.

Mesothelioma is another cancer linked to asbestos. In fact, the majority of cases of mesothelioma are strongly linked to asbestos, and some have resulted in mesothelioma asbestos class action lawsuits. Though often mistakenly called a type of lung cancer, mesothelioma is a cancer of a specific type of tissue that forms the lining of various tissues and organs. Most often, mesothelioma forms in the lining of the chest cavity, though it can also form in the lining of the heart, testicles, and several other types of tissue. It is a particularly aggressive cancer, with the majority of patients succumbing to the disease. However, a small subset of patients can survive for years after enduring a grueling regiment of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery.

There are several differences between the two types of cancer beyond the origin cite of the cancer. First, the term lung cancer is actually used to describe a number of different cancers, while mesothelioma is a specific type of cancer. Additionally, both cancers “respond” differently to tobacco use. When a person is exposed to asbestos, smoking increases their risk of lung cancer more than smoking or asbestos use alone could increase a person’s risk. Curiously, tobacco use does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma.

Asbestos lawsuits have largely focused on both mesothelioma and lung cancers. The fact that both types of cancer can take decades to manifest sometimes runs afoul of issues of statutes of limitations, a legal concept that limits the amount of time a person can wait to take to file a mesothelioma lawsuit.

Additionally, legal action against companies that used asbestos often takes the form of asbestos class action lawsuits. Class action lawsuits are a type of group lawsuit where a group of plaintiffs take legal action against a single defendant, alleging that they have suffered similar harm. Since many asbestos exposures occurred through industrial use and consumer use, many individuals may trace their exposure to the same source.