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Asbestos cancers are caused by inhalation or ingestion of large amounts of toxic asbestos fibers. Besides mesothelioma and lung cancer, asbestos exposure can lead to other serious, potentially fatal diseases.
While the term “asbestos cancer” most often refers to mesothelioma, a number of other cancers are associated with asbestos exposure. Lung cancer can be directly caused by asbestos exposure, and some studies have suggested a link between exposure and other types of cancer. Elevated risks for a number of other cancers continue to be investigated. According to the World Health Organization, approximately half of all deaths from occupational cancer are caused by asbestos.
In a large study of 1,047 asbestos industry employees, a malignant tumor was listed as the official cause of death for 208 workers. Respiratory cancers (primarily in the bronchus, trachea or lung) made up the majority of the cancer deaths, followed by cancers of the digestive organs and peritoneum, the lining of the abdomen.
Causes, Risk Factors and Incidence
As its name suggests, asbestos cancers are caused by the inhalation or ingestion of asbestos. When these toxic fibers enter the body, they can cause genetic changes in healthy mesothelial cells. Over time, healthy mesothelial cells develop DNA damage that leads to cancer. Asbestos exposure is practically the primary cause and risk factor for mesothelioma, while lung cancer can be caused by smoking cigarettes or exposure to radon.
Although smoking exacerbates any potential symptoms that asbestos-related diseases may display, it does not increase your risk of developing mesothelioma if you've been exposed to asbestos. Smoking combined with asbestos exposure does greatly increase the risk of developing lung cancer. Other factors that may affect a person's overall health and risk of developing cancer following exposure may include a lifestyle low in exercise, high in stress and poor dietary choices.
People with a history of asbestos exposure need to watch out for signs and symptoms of cancer in their bodies. Around 20 percent of persons exposed to asbestos will go on to develop a related disease, and in most cases the disease will affect the lungs. As a result, they should be especially mindful of their lung health and function. Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain are symptoms of asbestosis, lung cancer, laryngeal cancer and pleural mesothelioma.
Symptoms that affect the pelvis, abdomen and digestive system could be signs of peritoneal mesothelioma, gastrointestinal cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer and ovarian cancer. Be watchful of abdominal swelling and pain, digestion issues, changes in bowl habits and nausea. Women should be mindful of menstrual changes, pain during sex, back pain and fatigue, because these are symptoms of ovarian cancer.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosing cancer can be a lengthy process. It often starts with a visit to a primary care physician to assess arising symptoms. Referral to a specialist will depend upon which part of the body is producing symptoms. Various tests and procedures are conducted to evaluate a person’s overall health and learn more about what may be causing symptoms.
Imaging tests like X-rays, CT and PET scans help doctors look inside the body for tumors. Blood tests look for other signs of cancer, such as abnormal blood cell counts. And biopsies, which are samples of tissue collected in and around a tumor, help determine which kind of cancer is present.
These tests are standard when mesothelioma or lung cancer is suspected. Other cancers may involve unique testing. For example, pap smears screen for ovarian cancer and mammograms screen for breast cancer. A colonoscopy can detect signs of colon cancer and urine tests help to diagnose kidney cancer.
Mesothelioma and nearly all forms of cancer are treated with surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Experimental therapies, such as immunotherapy, are only being used in clinical trials on some cancers. Photodynamic therapy is approved for the treatment of lung cancer but not mesothelioma. Hormone therapy is used in the treatment of breast cancer but not mesothelioma or lung cancer. Chemotherapy may be used to treat all asbestos-related cancers, but the exact drugs used will vary depending upon the cancer being treated.
Mesothelioma
The majority of references to asbestos cancer speak to mesothelioma because it is the only cancer that is almost exclusively caused by the mineral. Mesothelioma can develop after someone inhales or ingests large amounts of asbestos over time.
The inflammation and DNA damage that can result from exposure may eventually lead to the formation of tumors in the lining of the lungs (pleura) or abdominal cavity (peritoneum). In rare cases, the lining of the heart or testicles can be affected.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the U.S., and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration calls it “the greatest health risk for American asbestos workers.” One study shows asbestos kills at least twice as many people through lung cancer than mesothelioma.
Unlike mesothelioma, the risk of lung cancer is greater among smokers exposed to asbestos. The effect of smoking and asbestos drastically weakens the lungs and makes smokers with past exposure more likely to develop lung cancer.
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