Mesothelioma in children.

A literature review of mesothelioma in children is presented. The role of nonoccupational exposure to asbestos fibres in the etiology of mesothelioma, and the relatively short latent period of the disease in children are discussed. The transplacental transfer of asbestos fibres and the physiology of the immunological system during intrauterine life and infancy may explain some of the differences between mesotheliomas in children and those in adults.