Is Mesothelioma Contagious?

Is Mesothelioma Cancer Contagious?

After a diagnosis of a rare disease like mesothelioma, family members or close loved ones might be concerned about “catching” the cancer like you would a cold.

However, as a type of cancer, mesothelioma is not contagious, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). There’s no risk of directly getting mesothelioma from someone who already has it.

You cannot catch mesothelioma through: 

• Any form of physical contact
• Living with the patient
• Sharing meals or drinks

“Cancer cells in a person with cancer are not able to get inside and live in the body of another person.”
– American Cancer Society

In some cases, people from the same family have gotten sick with mesothelioma — not because it’s contagious, but because they were all exposed to asbestos, the only cause of this cancer.

Workers in industries like construction and shipbuilding often handle asbestos every day, coming home with fibers stuck to their hair or uniforms and exposing their families. Manufacturers of asbestos-containing materials hid the health risks for decades, and now, families like yours could be in danger.

At Sokolove Law, our mesothelioma law firm has successfully helped over 9,200 families affected by mesothelioma. Let our lawyers work to secure the compensation and justice you deserve.

Why Mesothelioma Is Not Contagious

Mesothelioma is not contagious because cancer develops in an entirely different way from contagious diseases. Bacteria and viruses are common causes of contagious illnesses like the flu, and involve foreign agents that come into the body to cause harm, according to Cleveland Clinic.

However, in the case of mesothelioma, the cancer develops when healthy mesothelial cells that line the body’s internal surfaces become cancerous after exposure to asbestos fibers — not a bacteria or virus.

“Cancer cells are far different from infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses. A cancer cell is essentially a normal cell whose growth and division machinery has veered out of control. Should cancer cells from one person enter another person, that person’s immune system would recognize the invaders and destroy them.”
– Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Asbestos: The Only Known Cause of Mesothelioma

There is only one proven cause of mesothelioma, which is exposure to asbestos, a fiber-like mineral. Nothing else is definitively known to cause mesothelioma besides asbestos.

The body can’t break down asbestos fibers in the body, so they cause damage over time. Exposure results in chronic harm to the body that causes normal processes to break down, which can lead to serious, but not contagious, diseases like mesothelioma.

Here’s how asbestos causes mesothelioma: 

1. Exposure to asbestos-containing materials could release fibers into the air
2. Anyone nearby could breathe in or swallow the fibers
3. The fibers get trapped in the body and cause long-term irritation
4. After decades, the damage results in mesothelioma or other serious illnesses

Asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma have a long latency period. It can take 20-50 years for mesothelioma and other illnesses to develop after initial exposure.

However, just because someone you love has mesothelioma does not guarantee that you’ll get it.

Is Asbestos Contagious? Secondhand Exposure Risks

​​Asbestos is not contagious and cannot spread from person to person like a virus or bacteria. However, asbestos fibers can be carried home by those working with or around it, potentially exposing loved ones through secondhand asbestos exposure.

Here’s how secondary asbestos exposure to family happens: 

• A worker comes home with asbestos fibers on their clothing, tools, or body
• A spouse handles or washes contaminated laundry
• Children hug a parent who has asbestos dust on their skin or hair
• Asbestos settles on furniture, into carpets, or inside cars

In the U.S., up to 30% of all mesothelioma deaths can be traced back to secondary asbestos exposure, according to the Journal of Health and Lung Diseases.

Those working with or around asbestos-containing materials often didn’t realize it was a carcinogen or caused cancer. Manufacturers of these products knew the risks as early as the 1930s but worked to hide the truth to make profits.

Can Asbestos Be Passed On?

The risk of getting sick from asbestos exposure could be passed on from workers to loved ones as a result of secondary exposure. Anyone who lived with someone who worked with or around asbestos-containing materials could potentially go on to develop mesothelioma 20-50 years later.

In fact, being married to someone who worked with asbestos is the biggest risk factor for asbestos poisoning other than occupational exposure, per the Annals of Work Exposure and Health.

The risks of asbestos exposure could be passed on to: 

• Spouses
• Children and stepchildren
• Domestic partners
• Other family members in the home

In 2024, more than half of all women who filed asbestos claims were exposed secondhand, per KCIC’s annual report on asbestos litigation.

In the present day, spouses and children continue to get sick as a result of secondhand asbestos exposure that they suffered unintentionally decades prior.

“My late husband’s dad worked for National Lead, and he would come home with asbestos on his clothes. It would go into the washing machine, which was in the general area where my husband and his sister would play and hang out with friends. So that was his initial exposure.”
– Joyce, Wife of Mesothelioma Patient

Is Mesothelioma Hereditary?

Some cancers are considered hereditary, in which family members inherit gene mutations that cause cancers from parents and grandparents, according to UCSF Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center.

However, hereditary gene mutations are not proven to cause mesothelioma. Only asbestos is known to cause mesothelioma at this time.

In cases where multiple people from the same family have gone on to develop mesothelioma, asbestos exposure is almost certainly to blame — not any genetic factors.

Our mesothelioma attorneys can help prove asbestos exposure if you're unsure by conducting research, cross-referencing your work history, and reviewing the jobs you and your family members held.

Is Mesothelioma Genetic?

Mesothelioma is not genetic. This cancer is only caused by exposure to asbestos. However, families who are newly facing mesothelioma may sometimes hear about genetic mutations to the BAP1 gene, which can be inherited.

BAP1 is a gene that protects the body from different types of cancers. Some families have a mutation in their BAP1 gene that could make it more likely for them to get mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos, according to the National Library of Medicine.

However, BAP1 mutations do not cause mesothelioma, according to Fox Chase Cancer Center. Instead, they increase the risk only after exposure to asbestos occurs.

Is Asbestos Cancer Contagious?

Besides mesothelioma, asbestos exposure can cause several other types of cancers. Cancers in general are not considered contagious, so you can’t “catch” any asbestos-caused malignancies from a loved one.

However, you may be in danger of developing cancer if you ever potentially came in contact with asbestos fibers, whether through your job, a loved one’s work, or another source of exposure. Like mesothelioma, asbestos-related cancers could develop 20-50 years after initial exposure.

The following cancers have known or possible links to asbestos: 

• Colon cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Gastrointestinal cancer
• Lung cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Rectal cancer
• Stomach cancer

Family members and other household contacts of asbestos workers have double the risk of dying from cancer, per the ATSDR.

At Sokolove Law, our asbestos attorneys have over 45 years of experience helping families affected by exposure secure compensation, recovering over $5.7 Billion nationwide.

Occupations at Risk of Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos-containing materials were used across a wide range of industries from the 1930s through the early 1980s for fireproofing, insulation, durability, and more.

Workers across the country risked daily exposure at their jobs. When they came home, they could potentially pass on toxic asbestos fibers to spouses, children, and the other people that mattered most to them, putting them in danger of mesothelioma.

High-risk asbestos occupations included:

• Automotive repair
• Construction work
• Industrial work
• Insulation work
• Military service
• Milling
• Mining
• Pipefitting
• Plumbing
• Shipyard work

Don’t blame yourself if you or a loved one is now suffering from asbestos-related diseases after working in one of these high-risk roles. Manufacturers of asbestos materials had a duty to protect hardworking people like you, but instead, many hid the dangers for decades to keep profits high.

Our mesothelioma attorneys can work on your behalf to file claims against companies that passed on the risks of asbestos to you and your family.

Compensation from mesothelioma lawsuits can cover treatment costs, basic living expenses, and more.

Asbestos Exposure & Family Members

Besides bringing asbestos fibers home from a job site, there were other ways the risks of this toxic material could have spread to affect families.

Today, many families are dealing with the impact of a mesothelioma diagnosis as a result of exposure from everyday products like talcum powder and makeup to home remodeling.

Families risked asbestos exposure through: 

• Talcum powder: Talc is naturally found near asbestos in rock deposits, and mining could cause cross-contamination. Today, more than 67,376 families have filed lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson, a major manufacturer of baby powder. The lawsuits claim that the company’s talcum powder led to ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, and other cancers.
• Other asbestos-containing products: Many household and consumer goods used asbestos-containing products like makeup, crayons, toasters, dishwashers, ovens, and more. If these products were damaged, they could release fibers into the household environment.
• Home renovations: Doing DIY home repairs to asbestos-containing components like HVAC systems, shingles, popcorn ceiling, tiles, or insulation could release fibers into the air, putting families at risk if precautions aren’t taken. There is still a danger today as up to 30 million older homes in the U.S. have “legacy asbestos” materials present, according to PBS.
• Vehicles: Anybody who worked on their cars at home may have put their family at risk of exposure to asbestos-containing materials like brake pads, insulation, gaskets, and more.
• Environmental pollution: In some cases, families have gotten sick from mass environmental pollution committed by corporations. For instance, NPR reported on a family from Libby, Montana, where three generations had been affected by asbestos-related illnesses, with grandparents, parents, and children all diagnosed. Libby was home to a major mining operation that spread asbestos fibers through the whole town for decades.

You didn’t know that the dangers of asbestos could be passed on to the people who mattered to you most. Companies that manufactured and sold asbestos-containing materials should have protected you, but instead chose to hide the facts.

Compensation for Asbestos-Related Illnesses Affecting Families

While mesothelioma treatments can help patients improve their quality of life, yearly expenses for care can exceed $400,000. Even with insurance, you could still face very high costs.

Anyone with mesothelioma may qualify for financial compensation, regardless of how they were exposed to asbestos. Many companies knew asbestos was dangerous but failed to warn workers and families about the risks.

Now, families can hold these companies accountable and seek compensation for their illness. The average mesothelioma payout awards over $1 Million, and many clients start receiving compensation in as few as 90 days.

At Sokolove Law, we’ve helped thousands of families access compensation, allowing them to focus on getting treatment without extra worries. We’ll handle every step in the legal process for you, from proving your asbestos exposure to filing your claims.

If you or your loved ones have gotten sick from asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma, it’s not your fault, and you don’t have to shoulder the costs of care alone.

Sokolove Law: Supporting Families Harmed by Mesothelioma

While mesothelioma isn’t contagious, sometimes multiple family members are diagnosed due to shared asbestos exposure. When asbestos fibers were brought home, everyone was put in danger.

At Sokolove Law, we may be able to help if you or a family member has mesothelioma. Our registered nurses can review your medical options, find doctors, and recommend supportive resources.

As a mesothelioma law firm, we’re able to help families across all 50 states pursue compensation. There’s no out-of-pocket expenses or upfront fees to work with us. However, there’s only a limited window to take legal action.

Call (800) 647-3434 now or fill out our contact form for a free case review. If you wait too long, you can lose your right to pursue compensation.

Mesothelioma: Is It Contagious? FAQs