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Diseases Caused by Asbestos

Researchers estimate that roughly 9,000 Americans die each year of asbestos-related diseases, such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.

According to a 2004 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), asbestos-related deaths have increased fourfold in the last three decades. The CDC report states that the number of people suffering from lung diseases caused by inhalation of mineral or metallic dust - such as black-lung commonly suffered by coal miners and silicosis that generally afflicts stonecutters - have dropped by up to 70% since 1982. Deaths due to asbestos exposure, however, have increased at a steady rate. The escalated rate of asbestos-related deaths is likely due to the often decades-long latency period of asbestos-related diseases and the fact that use of asbestos was at an all-time high during the mid-1900s.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory lung condition that results from inhalation of asbestos fibers over prolonged periods of time. The prime symptom of asbestosis is a slow onset of shortness of breath upon exertion (dyspnea). A physical examination will reveal fibrosis of the lungs brought on by asbestos fibers lodged in lung tissue. Onset of asbestosis symptoms will typically occur twenty to forty years after an individual's initial exposure to asbestos.

When asbestos is inhaled, its fibers may reach the lungs' air sacs (alveoli), which serve as the body's mechanism for transferring oxygen to the blood. By being lodged in the alveoli, the asbestos fibers trigger an inflammatory reaction in the lungs. Additionally, certain cells, known as macrophages, ingest the asbestos fibers and signal the structural precursors of body tissue (fibroblasts) to deposit connective tissue in the affected areas of the lung. This process results in excess fibrous connective tissue, which is commonly known as scar tissue. Scar tissue in the lungs often causes the alveolar walls to thicken, reducing total lung capacity as well as the transfer of oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide out of the blood. Thus, asbestosis may eventually lead to total loss of lung function and, due to a reduced total lung capacity, may induce heart failure (cor pulmonale).

People who suffer from asbestosis are also at an increased risk of developing mesothelioma and certain lung cancers associated with asbestos exposure. There is no cure for asbestosis. However, treatments are available to ease the symptoms of the disease, including oxygen therapy for relief of dsypnea, aerosol inhalation medications that may thin lung secretions, and draining of excess pleural fluid from the chest cavity.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a tumorous cancer of the membranes that surround internal organs (mesothlia) of the abdomen or chest cavities. Although the National Cancer Institute has stated that up to 30% of reported cases of mesothelioma have unknown causes, exposure to asbestos is the only known cause.

Unlike asbestosis which develops after prolonged periods of exposure to asbestos, cases of mesothelioma can occur from only one month of exposure. Some cases of mesothelioma have been reported from just a single exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma has a latency period of fifteen to fifty years after initial exposure to asbestos, and by the time symptoms manifest the cancer has usually spread to other areas of the body. Although treatments exist to alleviate some symptoms of mesothelioma, a cure is not currently available.

Other Cancers

Studies have suggested that a year of heavy exposure to asbestos or at least five years of moderate exposure may double a person's chance of developing lung cancer. Each of the four major types of lung cancer - squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and small cell carcinoma - are associated with asbestos exposure. Individuals who smoke and have been exposed to asbestos face an even greater chance of developing an asbestos-associated lung cancer.

Asbestos-associated lung cancers have a latency period of ten to thirty years after the onset of asbestos exposure. Whether a person exposed to asbestos will develop lung cancer depends not only on cumulative exposure, but also on other underlying lung cancer risks. Asbestos has also been linked to cancer of the larynx. Some studies suggest that asbestos exposure may slightly increase ones risk of stomach, pharyngeal and colorectal cancer as well.

Have You Been Diagnosed With a Disease Caused by Asbestos?

If you or a relative have been diagnosed with a disease associated with asbestos and you would like to speak to a professional about your rights, please fill out the free case evaluation and an experienced member of Seeger Weiss's staff will contact you. Initial consultations are free of charge and do not create a legal relationship. Seeger Weiss LLP maintains offices in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia and its attorneys are available to practice throughout the country.