Asbestos / Mesothelioma

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Asbestos is a natural fiber that has been used in many industrial, commercial, and household products. While asbestos has some very good qualitites – it is light, strong, and fire resistant – it also is very dangerous when inhaled.

Asbestos related illnesses are usually caused by industrial exposures in the workplace; however, many who suffer from asbestos-related diseases also encounter asbestos-containing dust from sheetrock and joint compound used in home improvement projects and from friction products, such as brake shoes and clutch plates, used in automobile repair work. Also, secondary exposure to asbestos can cause asbestos-related diseases. Secondary exposure is exposure to asbestos-containing dust from the work clothes of another. Asbestos exposure has been proven to cause the following conditions:

Asbestosis is a slowly progressive scarring of the lung tissue. This scarring leads to decreased lung volume and increased resistance in the airways.

Mesothelioma is a fatal cancer of the lining of the lungs or the lining of the chest. Mesothelioma is considered to be exclusively related to asbestos exposure. Click here for more Mesothelioma information.

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor of the lung. The tumor grows through surrounding tissue, invading and often obstructing air passages. The time between exposure to asbestos and the occurrence of lung cancer is often between 20 and 30 years. Unfortunately, there is a synergistic effect between smoking and asbestos exposure, which means that asbestos exposure greatly increases a smoker’s likelihood of developing lung cancer.

Asbestos exposure has also been proven to cause colon cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer and stomach cancer.