Mesothelioma Lung Cancer Exposure to asbestos can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. Mesothelioma is a condition that affects the tissues' linings and most cases start in the lungs. Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rarer mesothelioma type that begins in the abdominal linings. Like other cancers, mesothelioma caused by uncontrolled