Due to the large number of lung illnesses related to exposure to asbestos, you'll find many doctors whose primary function is to treat patients with asbestos related illnesses. These "asbestos doctors" may be part of a larger team treating a patient's mesothelioma or asbestosis. Many medical oncologists, or cancer doctors, have narrowed their practice, for example, to work exclusively with mesothelioma patients. Mesothelioma is a deadly lung cancer almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. Most mesothelioma patients die within one year of their diagnosis. Because of the high mortality rate of this disease, a number of palliative care doctors have also begun to focus on treating these patients. Palliative care is an important part of the medical care of mesothelioma patients, and of many asbestosis patients, too. Once treatment of the diseases is no longer fruitful, doctors focus on care that can make the patients comfortable and able to live out the remainder of their lives pain free.