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Asbestos exposure is the main cause of pleural mesothelioma.
When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they travel to the ends of small air passages and reach the pleura, where they can cause inflammation and scarring.
This may damage cells’ DNA and cause changes that result in uncontrolled cell growth.
Radiation treatments for other cancers have been linked to mesothelioma in some studies. Radiation can damage the cells’ DNA, leading to out-of-control cell growth.