Asbestos disease is a term that implies that an individual is suffering from exposure to asbestos. In this nearly always fatal condition, an individual has usually ingested small particles of asbestos dust into their lungs. These particles latch on to the lung's outer lining and other organ lining and over time invade the organs and cell walls. This leads to the development of cancers that are highly dangerous and hard to treat. This asbestos disease is officially known as mesothelioma. One of the most difficult aspects of this disease is that it is often undetected until it is in its final stages, often 30 or more years after the asbestos exposure.