ASBESTOS-LINKED LUNG CANCER

Worksite asbestos exposure causes lung cancer, according to medical authorities

National estimates of asbestos-linked lung cancer deaths range from 5,000 to 10,000 per year, according to the EWG Action Fund, a nonprofit environmental research group headquartered in Washington, D.C.

October 7, 2010 – People who work with asbestos have a greater risk of developing asbestos-linked lung cancer, just one of several potentially lethal diseases associated with occupational asbestos exposure.

According to the American Cancer Society, worksite inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers was proven to cause lung cancer as early as 1925.

And while asbestos was used for many years in a variety of industries, the government only recently began regulating its use and handling. Many asbestos-containing materials are still present in public buildings constructed before the 1980s.

These products are not harmful, however, as long as they remain in good condition and have not deteriorated. Asbestos-based products in poor condition, or ripped up during renovation and demolition projects, are known to release toxic fibers into the air, creating conditions that can result in asbestos exposure

Lung cancer liability

Asbestos-linked lung cancer is a preventable disease often caused by the negligence of industrial plant managers and asbestos companies that were aware of the toxicity of their products, but deliberately ignored worksite health safety in exchange for greater corporate profits.

The American Cancer Society reports that approximately 1 in 7 workers who suffer from asbestosis eventually develops lung cancer. The more prolonged the exposure to asbestos – as is the case with career tradesmen – the greater the risk of developing asbestos-linked lung cancer.

All four main types of commercially used asbestos – chrysotile, amosite, anthophyllite, and mixtures containing crocidolite – are associated with an increased risk of lung cancer.

Lung cancer: Two types

The two most common types of lung cancer are small cell lung cancer, in which the cancer cells are small and round, and non-small cell lung cancer, in which the cancer cells are larger. Sometimes a cancer has features of both types, and is called mixed small cell/large cell cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for almost 80 percent of lung cancers, according to the American Cancer Society.

Smoking is a major factor

Smoking acts together with asbestos to greatly increase the risk of asbestos-linked lung cancer, say medical authorities. If asbestos-exposed workers smoke, their risk of developing lung cancer is greatly increased.

Notably, individuals exposed to asbestos – whether they smoke or not – also have a greater risk of developing another type of cancer that starts in the lining of the lungs called mesothelioma. Strictly speaking, mesothelioma is an asbestos-related disease and not caused by cigarette smoking alone, like other forms of lung cancer.

Evidence suggests that workers who quit smoking can reduce their risk of developing lung cancer by as much as 50 percent within 5 years of quitting, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Workers have a champion in Weitz & Luxenberg

Asbestos disease claims the lives of 10,000 individuals in the United States every year. If obvious precautions were taken against the possibility of work-site asbestos exposure, thousands of industrial workers would not have been subjected to the horrors of asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

The realization that these diseases are preventable has prompted many diagnosed individuals to consult a mesothelioma cancer attorney. Courts recognize asbestos-linked lung cancer as a work-related injury eligible for significant financial compensation.

If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease and seek a FREE legal review of your case, contact a Weitz & Luxenberg asbestos cancer attorney today through the communication form presented here. The consultation is free, and the information you receive will help you make crucial decisions to assist you at this difficult time.