Asbestos Lung Cancer

People with a history of asbestos exposure areand in older homes, it is generally thought to be less
about seven times more likely to die from lungharmful to leave it in place than to remove it, as
cancer than those who are unexposed to asbestos.doing so may release asbestos fibers into the air.
Asbestos exposure is associated with all types ofSome industries continued to use asbestos after its
lung cancer, and with a rare type of cancer calledrisks became known, and are facing lawsuits from
malignant mesothelioma, which affects the tissueformer employees.The symptoms of
lining the lungs called the pleura. The time betweenasbestos-related lung cancer are similar to those of
exposure and development of cancer ranges from 15lung cancer in general. These include breathlessness,
to 30 years. This gap between exposure and diseasewheezing, chest pain, coughing up of blood, a new
may delay diagnosis until the lung cancer is advancedcough or a persistent cough, or hoarseness. A
and less amenable to treatment. If someone withdiagnosis is usually made using a combination of
asbestos exposure also smokes, the risk of gettingphysical examination, x-rays, CT scans, lung tissue
lung cancer increases substantially.Until the mid-20thbiopsies, and lung function tests. Recent research
century, asbestos was widely used in constructionsuggests that levels of a blood protein, osteopontin,
and to manufacture insulation and fire retardantrise in people with malignant mesothelioma.
materials. As knowledge of the health risksTreatment depends on the type of lung cancer and
associated with asbestos fiber inhalation or ingestionon the stage or extent of spread when it is
increased, asbestos became less commonly used.diagnosed; overall five-year survival rates are below
While asbestos is still present in many public buildings20 percent.