The most serious is mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer that can come on many years after exposure to the asbestos (the film star Steve McQueen died of this many years after his exposure to asbestos during his stint in the US Navy) and from fairly indirect exposure (there have been cases of women contracting it when their only contact has been washing the overalls of a family member who worked with asbestos)

Asbestos workers have increased chances of getting two principal types of cancer: cancer of the lung tissue itself and mesothelioma, a cancer of the thin membrane that surrounds the lung and other internal organs.

Malignant Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that affects the cells that form the lining around the outside of the lungs (pleura), but that can also occur in the abdomen (peritoneum) or around the heart (pericardium). Affected cells grow without restraint and can eventually form a malignant tumor that can destroy these vital organs. The cancer can remain virtually ‘dormant’ for 20 to 40 years after the initial exposure. Mesothelioma cancer and asbestos-related pleural disease is diagnosed in approximately 5 million individuals every year.