Asbestos Lung Cancer
Exposure to asbestos is one of the main factors responsible for lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pleural thickening. Asbestos accounts for up to 8,500 new lung cancer cases in the United States each year. Studies have shown that smoking and exposure to asbestos work together synergistically to cause lung cancer. Individuals who worked with asbestos containing products and smoked are 50 to 100 times more likely to develop lung cancer.
What Is Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer is a deadly disease that begins in the lungs. If left untreated, the tumor can spread into other organs. This process is called metastasis. One fourth of all people suffering from this disease have no symptoms when the tumor is detected. This form of cancer claims more lives each year than ovarian, breast, and colon cancers combined.
This medical condition is the main cause of death from cancer every year. The disease can be classified into two main categories: small and non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer can be divided into four types: adenocarcinoma, large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and bronchioalveolar carcinoma. Non–small cell lung cancer accounts for more than 80 percent of all cases. Small cell lung cancer comprises about 20 percent of lung cancers. Some patients develop both types of cancer.
Lung Cancer Symptoms
Most people who develop asbestos lung cancer present no symptoms in the first stages of the disease. Some patients experience chest pain, joint pain, cough, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, swelling of the face and arms, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, and coughing up blood. Those who are diagnosed in late stages usually present facial paralysis, bone pain, eyelid dropping, dysphonia (hoarse voice), wheezing, and difficulty swallowing.
Asbestos and Lung Cancer
Smoking and exposure to asbestos are the main causes of lung cancer. This lethal disease may also be triggered by exposure to radon gas, viruses, and certain genetic mutations. Asbestos exposure increases the risk of developing lung cancer. The amount and duration of exposure, as well as the type and size of asbestos fibers influence the magnitude of the risk of lung cancer. Individuals who have been exposed to asbestos at young ages face a higher risk of cancer. One in seven patients diagnosed with asbestos, a fibrotic lung disease caused by exposure asbestos, develop lung cancer.
Like other asbestos related diseases, the latency period between asbestos exposure and the development of lung cancer may be three, four, or five decades. Numerous studies indicate that asbestos exposure is linked to lung cancer. When inhaled, asbestos fibers delete large stretches of DNA from a cells genome and kill healthy cells. People who have been exposed to high amounts of asbestos for long periods of time present a higher risk of developing lung cancer.