The Importance of Exercise for Mesothelioma Patients Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos. It can affect the thin, protective membrane surrounding the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity. There are four main types of mesothelioma cancer and they include pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma, and testicular mesothelioma. The most common type affects your lungs, causing shortness of breath, painful and frequent coughing, chest pain, weight loss and lumps of tissue under the …