Mesothelioma, just like other forms of cancer, is not contagious. Touching, sharing meals, or even breathing the same air cannot spread mesothelioma. Generally, cancer cells from a cancer patient cannot live in the body of a healthy person because the immune system usually destroys foreign cells, including cancer cells from a cancer patient. How Does a Person Get Mesothelioma? Asbestos exposure is still the only known cause of mesothelioma. According to the American Cancer Society, about eight out of 10 people with mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos.