Asbestos cancer is a type of malignancy that develops after continuous exposure to asbestos. When the small fibers of asbestos become lodged in the lining of the lungs or abdominal cavity, it irritates the tissue. This causes cellular damage that may lead to mesothelioma, lung cancer, or other types of cancer.
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What Cancers Are Caused By Asbestos?
Mesothelioma is the type of cancer most associated with asbestos, but it is not the only type of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium, a thin, double layer of tissue that surrounds organs and lines cavities.
Mesothelioma most often develops in the tissue around the lungs. This is called pleural mesothelioma. Less often, mesothelioma forms in the abdomen, called peritoneal mesothelioma.
Because asbestos exposure most often occurs through inhalation of fibers, pleural mesothelioma is more common. Asbestos-related lung cancer can also develop after inhaling asbestos fibers.
Cancers other than mesothelioma found to be associated with asbestos exposure include:
- Lung cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
- Pharyngeal cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Breast cancer
How Common Is Asbestos Cancer?
Asbestos cancers are not very common. Most people do not encounter asbestos and never develop these illnesses. Even among people who are exposed to asbestos, cancer is not typical. Some people exposed may have genetic factors that make them more likely to develop cancer.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer, with only about 3,000 cases diagnosed yearly. That number is expected to decrease as fewer people are exposed to asbestos.
Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma differs from other types of lung-related cancers in that it is the only one primarily caused by exposure to asbestos. People develop mesothelioma by inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers.
After the fibers are in the body’s system for a while, DNA damage occurs, which leads to tumors in the lungs, abdomen, and other parts of the body, with the lungs being the most common part of the body for mesothelioma development.
Mesothelioma can also develop from some forms of radiation therapy and through second-hand contacts, such as the clothing worn by a family member who worked around asbestos.
Direct and prolonged asbestos exposure remains the leading cause of mesothelioma.
How Long Does it Take to Get Cancer From Asbestos?
Mesothelioma has a very long latency period. Most people go anywhere from 20 to 50 years before experiencing the first warning signs of mesothelioma. In many cases, mesothelioma has already moved into a later stage of the disease before victims get a proper diagnosis.
Since the first signs of mesothelioma are often confused with the flu or pneumonia, mesothelioma can go undiagnosed for a long time, making the prognosis grim once it’s diagnosed.
In addition, many victims may actually have recurring pneumonia or bronchitis because of mesothelioma, which further confuses a proper diagnosis with more common diseases.
How Much Asbestos Exposure Causes Cancer?
No amount of asbestos exposure is safe, but a one-time incident is very unlikely to cause cancer or another illness.
The majority of malignant mesothelioma patients have been subjected to long-term asbestos exposure. In certain situations, victims have been exposed to asbestos for a short time before contracting mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.
Some studies have also suggested, as previously mentioned, that people risk asbestos exposure just by washing the clothes of someone who has been around asbestos.
Teachers, staff members, and students also risk developing mesothelioma in school buildings built with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).
This type of exposure is rare, though, as state and federal laws are set up to ensure each school maintains an asbestos management plan at all times.
Mesothelioma also differs from other types of lung cancers in that victims never contract the disease from tobacco products.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
The symptoms of mesothelioma include:
- Severe chest pain
- Rough breathing sounds
- Reduction in chest expansion when inhaling
- Dyspnea
- Hacking, dry coughing, or wheezing
- Unusual weight loss
- Fatigue and lethargy
- Nausea and vomiting
Mesothelioma Prognosis
Since there is currently no cure for mesothelioma, the prognosis for victims is not favorable. However, with the advancement of several treatment options, many patients can go on to live many years after diagnosis.
Each case is unique and will depend upon the stage of the disease and the physical and mental health of the patient. Adherence to an aggressive treatment plan is the best way to improve prognosis.
Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), lung cancer, one of the most prevalent types of cancer globally, is also one of the greatest risks for American workers exposed to asbestos.
Thousands of workers die each year due to asbestos-related lung cancer, and these numbers are expected to increase as more people begin to hit the timeline in which asbestos-related symptoms start to show up.
One of the most significant differences between asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma is that individuals who smoke cigarettes, pipes, or cigars are much more likely to develop asbestos-related lung cancer. Still, smoking doesn’t factor into an increased risk of mesothelioma.
Symptoms of asbestos-related lung cancer consist of:
- Dry coughs and hacking
- Difficulty in breathing
- Lung and chest pain
- Fatigue
- Fever, chills, and throat pain
- Frequent episodes of pneumonia or bronchitis
- Face and neck swelling
- Unusual weight loss
- Pain that worsens when inhaling
- A gargling-type sound when inhaling, accompanied by pain
Ovarian Cancer Caused by Asbestos
Ovarian cancer has recently been linked to asbestos exposure through talcum powder products. Talc is a natural mineral that often contains some asbestos. That asbestos can make it into products that some women use on their genital areas. Decades of talcum powder use led to ovarian cancer in some women.
Most ovarian cancer diagnoses are unrelated to asbestos, but some cases are connected to exposure. Early studies that found a link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer date to the 1980s and 1990s. Later, these findings were found to be related to asbestos in talc.
Common Occupations at Risk for Asbestos Cancer
The most common occupations in which workers were exposed to asbestos include:
- Engineers
- Mechanics
- Carpenters
- Maritime workers
- Construction workers
- Firefighters
- Plumbers
- Roofers
- HVAC workers
- Factory workers
- Papermill workers
- Military personnel before the early 1980s.
Almost all mesothelioma victims had prolonged exposure at work, and usually for extended periods of time on a daily basis.
Moreover, victims are typically older males ages 60 and older, although mesothelioma can affect anyone at any age.
For example, as mentioned earlier, teachers and even students are at a slight risk if the school building was created before the asbestos ban.
Older males are more apt to develop mesothelioma because of the occupations associated with asbestos use. Most job sites were male-dominated when exposure occurred.
Naturally-Occurring Asbestos
Sometimes, those who’ve never worked around asbestos but live close to naturally occurring asbestos will develop asbestos cancer.
For example, citizens of three villages in Turkey were dying at an alarming rate due to exposure to natural asbestos that was scattered around the small towns of Karain, Sarıhıdır, and Tuzköy.
Around 50% of all deaths occurring in these villages were from asbestos cancer.
Diagnosing Asbestos Cancer
Diagnosing asbestos cancer can be problematic as the signs and symptoms tend to mimic various other common diseases. Therefore, a complete medical history and your entire work history should be provided to your physician immediately.
If a doctor knows you have a history of asbestos exposure right away, it can speed up the diagnosis process.
X-rays, a CT scan, or an MRI scan are usually performed next, which gives doctors a detailed look around the chest cavity and other internal body parts.
If abnormal cells or a thickened pleura are found, a syringe or a chest tube is inserted into the patient’s body. It’s used to gather the fluid in the infected areas of the body, which will then be evaluated for cancerous cells and tumors.
If malignant cells are found, a biopsy usually follows. A biopsy allows the physician to remove a small part of the infected area for a pathologist to study it.
A biopsy is always needed to confirm a positive diagnosis of mesothelioma.
Screening for Asbestos Cancer
There is no official or universal screening method for asbestos cancer, even though an early screening would help doctors diagnose the disease much earlier than the methods used today.
However, some physicians are testing the Mesomark assay screening, an in-vitro test that measures soluble mesothelin proteins. Mesothelin-related proteins are released by infected mesothelioma cells.
Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers are considered new in the medical world, but a better, more successful screening method could surface as more research continues.
If You’ve Been Diagnosed
Remember, if you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for significant compensation. Remember to fill out our form to get your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area. If you need additional assistance, contact us toll-free at 800-793-4540.
