Asbestos Exposure and Lung Cancer

Asbestos Exposure and Lung Cancer
In the UK, asbestos accounts for 2-3% of male lung cancer deaths. There is a complementary effect between tobacco smoking and asbestos in the formation of lung cancer. Asbestos can also cause cancer of the pleura, called mesothelioma (which is different from lung cancer).

People who work with asbestos have a higher risk of getting lung cancer. People exposed to industrial substances or building materials such as asbestos, nickel, chromium compounds, arsenic, polycyclic hydrocarbons and chloromethyl ether also have a higher risk of developing lung cancer. It is also important to try to avoid second-hand tobacco smoke, radon, and pollution, which can increase a person's risk of getting lung cancer.

People who have been exposed to asbestos will only diagnosed with lung cancer twenty to thirty years down the road. If you suspect that you may be exposed to the hazards listed above, look out for symptoms that are associated with lung cancer.

dyspnea (shortness of breath)
hemoptysis (coughing up blood)
chronic coughing or change in regular coughing pattern
wheezing
chest pain or pain in the abdomen
cachexia (weight loss)
fatigue and loss of appetite
sphonia (hoarse voice)
clubbing of the fingernails (uncommon)
dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).
repeated chest infections
asthma
fluid around the lung
swelling in the neck or face
lethargic

Some lung cancers do not cause any noticeable symptoms until they are quite advanced and have spread to other parts of the body. By the time people have symptoms, lung cancer is generally at stage four, having already spread to another major organ.

Additional symptoms that may also occur with lung cancer includes:

Swallowing difficulty
Nail problems
Joint pain
Facial paralysis
Eyelid drooping
Bone pain or tenderness.

Visit http://www.AsbestosLungCancerTreatment.com for the latest information on lung cancer and how to reverse lung cancer using gentle, alternative methods.

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What Is Asbestos?

What is Asbestos?

According to the Asbestos Network, asbestos actually refers to several naturally occurring minerals. These minerals have been used in commercial products to increase strength and flexibility. The Asbestos Network claims that these minerals are a mix of metals, silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Asbestos, like coal or gold is mined. Some of the countries that mine asbestos include the United Sates, Canada, South America and the former Soviet Union.

Types of Asbestos

Asbestos is not just one substance; in fact it can be divided into several different types, and these types can be divided into two basic groups. These two groups are serpentine and amphibole. Environmental Health and Safety claims that the serpentine group only contains one member: chrysotile. This type of asbestos is the most common form found in buildings and is also known as “white asbestos.”

Both the Asbestos Network and Environmental Health and Safety list five different types of asbestos within the amphibole group. These five include amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. Amosite is the second most prevalent type found in building materials and is also referred to as “brown asbestos.” Crocidolite, “blue asbestos,” is found in structures where the materials need to be safe from high temperatures. The final three, anthyphyllite, tremolite, and actinolite, are rarely found.

Problems Related to Asbestos

The Asbestos Network explains that contact with asbestos can cause diseases such as asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma. The fibrous nature of asbestos causes much of the problem. The fibers may get caught in the lungs and create lung damage. Or, they may even be swallowed and become lodged in membranes of the gastrointestinal track, according to the Asbestos Network. Again, this could lead to cancer of the lungs or of the GI tract. So while it may be thought that the lungs are the only place that can be damaged, it is other parts of the body can be negatively affected by asbestos.

Who is at Risk?

According to the Asbestos Network, the “dose” of asbestos that a person is exposed to equals the combination of the concentration, or the amount of asbestos in the air, and the duration, or the length of time that a person is exposed to asbestos. The more asbestos inhaled, the greater the chance of damage to lungs or other internal organs. Also, the Network says that cigarette smoking increases the likelihood of contracting an asbestos disease as it decreases the general health of the lungs. The Asbestos Network also lists several occupations that may be more likely to suffer from asbestos created diseases. These occupations include construction work, ship building, railroad working and automobile engineers.


How To Avoid It

There are several things that those who work around asbestos can do to limit their contact with the cancer causing fibers. The American Lung Association of Georgia insists on no eating or drinking while you are working. The Association also urges workers not to smoke and to follow proper guidelines when handling asbestos. Employers that place their employees in asbestos filled areas should have the employees properly trained on how to handle the substance, as well as how to avoid interacting with it.

About the Author:
Robert Michael is a writer for ABE Mesothelioma which is an excellent place to find mesothelioma links, resources and articles. For more information go to: http://www.abemesothelioma.com/

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An Asbestos Related Lung Cancer

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer in the lining of the lungs, stomach or heart. The linings are thin layers of tissue covering the body.

The film is side-arms fabric covering the lungs and chest wall and the pro formation, which protects the lungs. The peritoneum lines abdominal wall and surrounding most organs in the abdomen. The pericardium is the tissue surrounding the heart.

Mesothelioma is a rare but very serious cancer. There are three types based on the types of cancer cells. The most common type is epithelioid and consists of 50-70% of the total cases and better diagnosis. The second type is called sarcomatoid, comprising 10-20% of cases of mesothelioma and is the most predictable in nature. The third type of mesothelioma called biphasic, a combination of two other consists of 20-35% of all cases.

There are an estimated 2000-3000 new cases in the United States each year. The majority of these cases begin in the chest wall (the film Ocean lung mesothelioma), and a few start in the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), and is very rare cases begin in the lining surrounding the heart (pericardial mesothelioma).

The side-arms membrane is a thin lining of mesothelial cells. There are two films side-arms in the chest, side-arms parietal membrane and membrane visceral side-arms. The parietal membrane lines the chest side-arms, including inside wall of the rib, and the veil barrier and pericardium. The visceral membrane covering the lungs and side-arms, filters and liquid to the chest. If the film side-arms becomes diseases it is not effective in removing fluid from the chest, which led to film Ocean lung or Shedding much fluid in the chest.

Mesothelioma is usually as a result of exposure to asbestos. Most people who are diagnosed have had jobs where breathing asbestos fibers. It may take 60 years from the time of exposure to asbestos to develop mesothelioma.

Although rare, mesothelioma is a serious form of cancer, which is often at an advanced stage when the diagnosis is made. In general, and diagnosis, the patient is poor, but some patients live with the disease for a long time. As mentioned above, the type of mesothelioma have an impact on the diagnosis, as well as old, the sick, and how cancerous developed and whether treatment is provided. There are many variables in the assessment of the state of mesothelioma, and thus only a doctor can determine patients the best possible treatment, and diagnosis on an individual basis.

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Lung Cancer, Mesothelioma and Asbestos

Commonly, because lung cancer symptoms do not manifest in the early stage of the disease, treating it will be a big problem especially when detection happens when cancer metastases or secondary cancer cells already developed in the other organs of the body. Much research work has been dedicated to find out the first symptoms of lung cancer. Extensive research works conducted at Mesothelioma research clinics have uncovered some symptoms of lung cancer closely linked with the disease.

The main three symptoms to lung cancer that should not be ignored are shortness of breath, pain when breathing or coughing, and existence of a persistent cough, especially if it is accompanied by expectoration of sputum streaked with blood. Additionally, loss of appetite, fatigue, unusual losses of weight are three symptoms, which are indicative of lung cancer. The website further deals with the symptoms that can indicate and help identify the formulation of the preliminary stages of the disease (though difficult to be detected) so that adequate measures can be taken at the earliest possible opportunity.

Stage IV with extensive lymph node involvement or cancer that has spread to other organs, hen treated with chemotherapy and palliative care to reduce symptoms and increase comfort has a one-year survival rate.

Mesothelioma

Erionite fibers were found in biopsies of lungs of the mesothelioma cancer afflicted people. The third type of mesothelioma is called biphasic, it is a combination of the other two types and consists of 20-35% of all cases. In fact, Mesothelioma research news states that the period of the onset of Mesothelioma cancer could be from 10 to 60 years from the time of exposure to asbestos.

It is said that mesothelioma is linked to lung cancer and it is a good idea to get the help that is deserved when someone feels like they have been diagnosed because of the work that they did for a living. The term mesothelioma is used to describe a cancer tumor, which involves the mesothelial cells of an organ; this is usually the lungs, heart, or the abdominal organs. Mesothelioma cancer is caused by exposure to carcinogens such as asbestos.

Most cancers are caused by external stimuli and mesothelioma is no different.

Exposure

The time between exposure and development of cancer ranges from 15 to 30 years. Your risk increases by 30 percent from daily exposure to second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke: Exposure to second-hand smoke has been shown to be a definite risk factor.

Although rarely discussed, exposure to toxic fumes in the workplace or environmental toxins in the air contribute to a significant number of deaths from lung cancer. For example, occupational exposure to diesel motor emissions, asbestos, and paint was found to be significantly correlated with an increased risk of lung cancer. Although changes in the lung begin almost immediately upon exposure to carcinogens, lung cancer takes years to develop.

Mesothelioma is a rare but deadly type of cancer usually caused by exposure to asbestos or asbestos-containing products. People who get lung cancer from asbestos exposure usually get it from work or from living in an older home. Factors that may protect people from lung cancer are not smoking, avoiding second hand smoke, a diet rich in fresh vegetables and fruit, and limiting exposure to potential carcinogens in the environment such as radon.

Asbestos

Imagine a building with asbestos insulation torn apart and exposing all that insulation, well now you can see the problem. Lung Cancer is affiliated with Asbestos Exposure.

People working in industries which involve extensive use of asbestos and other chemical substances/fumes are also at a greater risk of lung cancer. There are no reported cases of mesothelioma in people who were not exposed to asbestos either in the workplace or through their environment. Because asbestos related diseases take decades to form, early detection is critical for proper treatment.

However, exposure to asbestos presents an added urgency for routine appointments.

For more related information about Asbestos Exposure, Asbestos Cancer, Pleural Asbestosis and various other pages on this topic, stop by and see if the information we have can help you.

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