Why does asbestos cause cancer?
More basic answer; the asbestos crystals have hooks. So the cilia in the lungs have difficulty moving them out with the other dust. This irritates the tissue causing the effects of the first answer. So it is a matter of time and number of asbestos particles that increases the probability of a cancer. Decades ago , the asbestos miners in Africa typically worked for years ( eg 20 years) before getting cancer.