According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, asbestos consists of six different naturally occurring silicate minerals, all of which are hazardous to human beings and can cause cancer. Asbestos was used and named by the ancient Greeks, though it wasn't until the nineteenth century that it became much more popular among builders, manufacturers and industrialists. Asbestos was useful because of its resistance to heat, fire, electrical and chemical damage and for its tensile strength and insulating properties. Exposure to asbestos, especially through inhalation of asbestos fibers, produces serious, harmful effects in the lungs.
Malignant Lung Cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, asbestos is classified as a human carcinogen and studies have shown that exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer. Asbestos fibers get caught in the lungs, causing irritation, inflammation and, ultimately, cell mutation. Most lung cancer caused by asbestos starts in the lining of the bronchi, although the trachea, bronchioles and the alveoli are also potential cancer sites. The two most common types of lung cancer are non-small-cell, accounting for about 80 percent, and small-cell. Both types usually develop slowly, though they can quickly become malignant and spread to other parts of the body via the blood and lymph nodes, which is why lung cancer is usually deadly.
The odds of developing lung cancer are greatly increased by smoking cigarettes. According to Asbestos.com, the relative risk of dying from lung cancer is 87 percent if a person is an asbestos worker and smokes more than a pack a day. The relative risk drops to 5 percent for non-smoking asbestos workers and 11 percent for regular smokers not exposed to asbestos.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is cancer of the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen. Although once considered quite rare, mesothelioma is more common due to inhalation of asbestos fibers and fiberglass particles. Mesothelioma is the most common form of cancer associated with asbestos exposure, according to Mesothelioma.com. Further, there are three types of mesothelioma, with pleural mesothelioma accounting for about 70 percent of all cases and affecting the pleural lining of the lungs.
In many cases, mesothelioma will not appear in those who are exposed to asbestos until many years later, although cigarette smoking can speed up the process. Most countries have outlawed or limited the use of asbestos, but many retired workers currently suffering from mesothelioma were exposed in the 1960s and 70s before any regulations were in place. Symptoms of mesothelioma include back and chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and difficulty swallowing.
Asbestosis & Other Lung Disorders
Asbestos exposure also increases the risk of asbestosis, which is an inflammatory lung condition that causes shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing and permanent lung damage, as cited on Mayoclinic.com. Asbestosis often is a precursor to lung cancer and mesothelioma. Asbestosis is best considered a form of pulmonary fibrosis, which can take 20 to 30 years to develop.
Other non-malignant lung and pleural disorders occur from asbestos exposure, including pleural membrane plaques, pleural membrane thickening and pleural tissue effusions, which are pockets of fluid between the various tissue linings.
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