What is mesothelioma?

Different from benign asbestos plaques (more continuous) • Mean survival: < 1 year. • Main etiology: asbestos exposure (amiante). • Male predominance. • Long latent period (starting of exposure until disease: >20 years). • Age of appearance: between 50 and 70. • Incidence: 10 per million inhabitant per year. Main cause is asbestors, other non asbestos causes: radiation, organic chemicals, chronic inflammation [TB, recurrent diverticulitis, FMF], non specific industrial exposure (shoe industry, petrochemistry, stone cutter, leather factory, Copper, nickle, hereditary predisposition)