mesothelioma

Thousands of people in the U.S. and worldwide have been afflicted with asbestos cancers, a group of deadly malignancies that can attack a variety of organs and body tissues.

Asbestos Cancers

Asbestos cancers have developed in tens of thousands of people in the U.S. and around the world since the introduction of asbestos mining hundreds of years ago. The several minerals known collectively as “asbestos” are all carcinogenic; that is, exposure to asbestos can produce a variety of types of cancer in humans and other mammals.

Asbestos cancers have been observed to:

 prevent the lungs from moving
 weaken the heart and blood circulation
 severely damage the gastrointestinal tract
 be fatal
 be far more common among asbestos workers compared to the general population

Several Types of Asbestos Cancers
Asbestos cancers include both cancers that may be caused by toxins other than asbestos, plus a type of cancer for which the only confirmed cause is asbestos — mesothelioma.

All of these asbestos cancers appear to have essentially the same mode of development; the microscopic-sized fibers of asbestos enter the body through inhalation or oral ingestion, and the fibers become lodged within the body, in one or more organs and body tissues.

Asbestos Fibers Initiate the Disease Process
The asbestos fibers initiate the disease process, culminating in cancer in a given organ such as the lungs, heart, or stomach, or in tissue such as the mesothelium (the tissue lining in the chest cavity). Once established, asbestos cancers are often able to metastasize (spread) to additional locations in the body. In most cases, the asbestos cancer does not produce symptoms until the cancer is at a fairly advanced stage, making it unlikely that the cancer can be cured.

Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Are the Most Common Asbestos Cancers
The most common types of cancer associated with asbestos are lung cancer and mesothelioma. These cancers are found again and again among the individuals who work closely with asbestos-containing products, and those who mine or process asbestos.

However, other types of asbestos cancer are also documented with some regularity, and the spouses and other family members of asbestos workers are also prone to asbestos cancers, due to the ability of asbestos fibers to “travel home” with an asbestos worker.

Small-Cell and Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Two types of lung cancer are among the group of asbestos cancers — small-cell lung cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer. An individual may also develop a combination of these two cancer types.

Mesothelioma: A Common Asbestos Cancer
Mesothelioma is cancer that attacks the mesothelium, a tissue lining around the lungs. It can also attack:

 the peritoneum, a tissue that surrounds the GI tract
 the stomach lining
 other internal organs
 the pericardium (the tissue sac covering the heart)

Learn More about Asbestos Cancers
If you want to know more regarding asbestos cancers, their treatments you can visit the following Government resources:

National Cancer Institute

Asbesots EPA

Safety and Health Topics: Asbestos

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