Asbestos causes what kind of cancer

If products containing asbestos are disturbed, tiny asbestos fibers are released into the air. When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they may get trapped in the lungs and remain there for a long time. Over time, accumulated asbestos fibers can cause tissue inflammation and scarring, which can affect breathing and lead to serious health problems. Low levels of asbestos fibers are present in the air, water, and soil. Most people, however, do not become ill from this type of exposure.

People who become ill from asbestos usually have been exposed to it on a regular basis, most often in a job where they have worked directly with the material or through substantial environmental contact.

Most heavy exposures to asbestos occurred in the past. The heaviest exposures today tend to occur in the construction industry and in ship repair, particularly during the removal of asbestos-containing materials due to renovation, repairs, or demolition. Workers may also be exposed during the manufacture of asbestos-containing products, such as textiles, friction products, insulation, and other building materials.

Exposure to asbestos causes mesothelioma a cancer of the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen and cancers of the lung , larynx , and ovary. Mesothelioma is the most common form of cancer associated with asbestos exposure, although the disease is relatively rare. The use of asbestos is now highly regulated in the United States.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued standards for the construction industry, general industry, and shipyard employment sectors. Many studies have shown that the combination of tobacco smoking and asbestos exposure is particularly hazardous.

However, there is also evidence that quitting smoking reduces the risk of lung cancer among asbestos-exposed workers. Menu Contact Dictionary Search. Understanding Cancer. What Is Cancer?

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Clinical Trials Information. A to Z List of Cancer Drugs. Questions to Ask about Your Treatment. Feelings and Cancer. If building materials that contain asbestos like older insulation and ceiling and floor tiles begin to decompose over time, asbestos fibers can be found in indoor air and may pose a health threat. There is no health risk if the asbestos is bonded into intact finished products, such as walls and tiles.

As long as the material is not damaged or disturbed for example, by drilling or remodeling , the fibers are not released into the air. Maintenance workers who sweep up and dispose of the asbestos dust or handle damaged asbestos-containing materials are often exposed to higher levels than other people in these buildings.

Removing asbestos from homes and other buildings can also cause some exposure, although modern asbestos abatement workers are trained to use proper protective equipment to minimize exposure. Although use of asbestos has declined in the United States, people can still be exposed to asbestos in the workplace.

In recent years, the US Occupational Health and Safety Administration OSHA has estimated that over a million American employees in construction and general industries face significant asbestos exposure on the job.

The mining and use of asbestos is also still a health hazard in some other parts of the world. Mining in the Russian Federation, China, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Canada, and Zimbabwe accounts for almost all of the world production of asbestos.

Much of what is produced is used in the Russian Federation and other countries in the former Soviet Union and Asia, and its use is on the rise in some areas. In , the World Health Organization estimated that about million people worldwide were exposed to asbestos at work, despite the known links to cancer and other lung diseases for more than 60 years. In most cases neither type of study provides enough evidence on its own, so researchers usually look at both human and lab-based studies when trying to figure out if something causes cancer.

Evidence from studies in both people and lab animals has shown that asbestos can increase the risk for some types of cancer. When asbestos fibers in the air are inhaled, they can stick to mucus in the throat, trachea windpipe , or bronchi large breathing tubes of the lungs and might be cleared by being coughed up or swallowed.

But some fibers reach the ends of the small airways in the lungs or penetrate into the outer lining of the lung and chest wall known as the pleura.

These fibers can irritate the cells in the lung or pleura and eventually cause lung cancer or mesothelioma. Inhalation of asbestos fibers has been linked to an increased risk of lung cancer in many studies of asbestos-exposed workers.

In general, the greater the exposure to asbestos, the higher the risk of lung cancer. Most cases of lung cancer in asbestos workers occur at least 15 years after first exposure to asbestos. In workers exposed to asbestos who also smoke, the lung cancer risk is even greater than adding the risks from these exposures separately.

Mesothelioma is a fairly rare form of cancer that most often affects the thin linings of the organs in the chest pleura and abdomen peritoneum. Mesothelioma is closely linked with asbestos exposure. Treatment may include: surgery — to remove the tumours radiotherapy — the use of x-rays to kill cancer cells chemotherapy — anti-cancer medication that kills cancer cells immunotherapy — using parts of your own immune system to recognise and kill cancer cells palliative care.

Other illnesses linked to asbestos As well as cancer, some asbestos-linked non-cancerous conditions include: asbestosis — scar tissue forms inside the lungs and makes breathing difficult pleural plaque — asbestos fibres can cause thickened patches of scar tissue on the pleura, or lung lining.

Compensation claims for cancer linked to asbestos A person who develops lung disease after exposure to asbestos may be entitled to seek compensation. Mesothelioma , , Cancer Council Victoria, Australia. Medical information , Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia. Cancer in Victoria, statistics and trends , Cancer Council Victoria.

Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. View all cancer. Related information. Support groups Asbestos Council of Victoria. Cancer Council Victoria. From other websites Asbestos Council of Victoria. Mayo Clinic. Cancer Council - information in other languages. Content disclaimer Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Reviewed on: Many studies focus on the relationship between occupational exposure and lung cancer. There will be an estimated , deaths from lung and bronchus cancer in Learn More About Lung Cancer.

Ask experienced mesothelioma advocate Jennifer Lucarelli. Ask a Question. Ovarian Cancer and Asbestos Quick Facts. Some studies note an increased risk of ovarian cancer with regular talcum powder use. Talcum powder can be particularly dangerous if contaminated with asbestos. Cases of ovarian cancer have been linked to secondary exposure from men who held high-risk asbestos occupations. There will be an estimated 13, deaths from ovarian cancer in Laryngeal Cancer and Asbestos Quick Facts.

Studies have found a correlation between levels of asbestos exposure and laryngeal cancer mortality rates. Smoking and excessive alcohol use may increase the risk of asbestos-related laryngeal cancer. Exposure to other carcinogens, such as silica dust, may lead to an increased risk of asbestos-related laryngeal cancer. There will be an estimated 3, laryngeal cancer deaths in Resources for Mesothelioma Patients. Connect With a Top Mesothelioma Doctor. Experts near you Get matched quickly.

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