Guest post by Asbestos.com

Radon, genetics, carcinogenic chemicals and asbestos exposure have all been linked to the development of lung cancer. In comparison to the number of lung cancer prognosis cases caused by tobacco, the number of lung cancer cases caused by these factors is minimal, but that does not make them any less detrimental to human health.

Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer
As many as 4 percent of all lung cancer cases are caused by asbestos exposure. In all, around 4,800 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States are caused by asbestos.

Occupational asbestos exposure – which was extremely common at industrial worksites until the 1980s – is the most prevalent type of exposure. Prolonged exposure to these fibers places a person at the highest risk for developing an asbestos-related cancer. However, even brief exposures through environmental or secondhand sources can cause lung cancer.

Asbestos-related lung cancer is not distinguishable from lung cancer caused by any other carcinogen. Both types of lung cancer (small cell and non-small cell) can be caused by asbestos exposure, and the symptoms tend to be the same regardless of the cause. People who are diagnosed with asbestos-related lung cancer may experience:

·         Chest pain

·         Chronic cough (with or without blood in the sputum)

·         Shortness of breath

·         Wheezing

With asbestos-related lung cancer, these symptoms may not arise for 10 or more years after asbestos has been inhaled. The cancer can even take several decades to develop. 

Anyone who develops these or any other respiratory symptoms after a known history of asbestos exposure should immediately make an appointment with an oncologist. Even without these symptoms, asbestos-exposed persons should consider signing up for regular health screenings to prevent any illnesses from going unnoticed.

Source: American Cancer Society – Tobacco Related Cancers Fact Sheet. (16 November 2011). Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/tobacco-related-cancer-fact-sheet

Author bio: Faith Franz is a writer for the Mesothelioma Center. She combines her interests in whole-body health and medical research to educate the mesothelioma community about the newest developments in cancer care.