DEAR DR. GOTT: I saw a commentary on television recently about mesothelioma. This sounds simply awful and would like to know more about the topic. Can you fill in the blanks?
DEAR READER: Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that lines a person’s organs and is the result of lead paint and asbestos exposure and, rarely, radiation exposure. There are three forms — plural, pericardial and peritoneal. The pleural form affects the chest cavity and makes up more than 70 percent of all reported cases. The peritoneal form affects the stomach cavity, and the pericardial form occurs in the outside linings of the heart.
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