Exposure to asbestos particles is one of the principal causes of mesothelioma cancer,
also known as asbestos cancer. As a naturally occurring mineral with
useful commercial applications, asbestos is found in plumbing,
insulation and other building materials and products.
Through the liberal commercial use of this material, most people in
the United States and other industrial nations have been or will be
exposed to loose, airborne particles in their work or home environments,
this exposure can create significant health hazards.
Commercial Applications
Over
700,000 schools
and buildings in the United States today contain asbestos insulation as
reported by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Asbestos exposure
doesn't stop there, however. Asbestos is often found in ship yards,
manufacturing facilities, railway facilities and construction sites.
Blue collar workers are at the highest risk for developing mesothelioma
due to occupational exposure. They typically work in aluminum plants,
oil refineries, chemical plants, mines, factories, shipyards,
construction sites and railroads. Employees at insulation and gas mask
manufacturing facilities are also at risk. The occupations
most widely affected are miners, factory workers, railroad workers,
ship builders and construction workers - especially those who install
asbestos-containing insulation. Sometimes family members related to the
workers receive second hand exposure to asbestos from the dust and
fibers that were brought home on the workers clothes and also become at
risk for contracting mesothelioma.
There are six different types of asbestos: chrysotile, amosite,
crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite. These six mineral
types are divided into two classifications, serpentine and amphibole.
Chrysotile is the only mineral in the serpentine class. As known
carcinogens both classes of asbestos can cause mesothelioma.
In the United States, chrysotile was the most commonly used asbestos
mineral, and is known for its curly fibers that can be easily woven into
fabrics. Applications of chrysotile include drywall compound, plaster,
vinyl floor tiles, roofing materials, acoustic ceilings, fireproofing,
caulk, brake pads and shoes, stage curtains, fire blankets and dental
cast linings.
Amosite and crocidolite are the other more common asbestos minerals
used, though their application is not as extensive as chrysotile.
Products manufactured out of these asbestos minerals include insulation
board, ceiling tiles and casing for water services.
In the past ten years, trace amounts of asbestos have been found in talc, a leading ingredient in crayons.
Exposure and Health Risks
The extensive use of asbestos across many different industries
exposes not only those individuals working in the manufacturing of raw
asbestos or working with asbestos-related products, but also individuals
who may have asbestos in their homes, churches or schools. Further,
asbestos particles may cling to the clothing or hair of an individual
working with asbestos and potentially contaminate others.
Though chrysotile is the most common form of asbestos used in
products and is a known carcinogen, amosite and crocidolite asbestos are
the most hazardous to health. All types of asbestos can linger in an
individual’s lungs for many years after exposure, but amosite and
crocidolite are the most persistent, lingering particles.
There is a higher risk for individuals working in asbestos-related
environments, though many individuals with minimal exposure can also
have damage that can lead to mesothelioma cancer or other diseases.
Although
asbestos exposure may have hit its peak from the turn of the
twentieth century through the 1970s, many individuals are still being
subjected to asbestos particles. Arguably, the most recent and tragic
mass exposure resulted from the attacks on 9/11, where tons of asbestos
particles were released into the air, harming thousands of rescue
workers and individuals living near Ground Zero. Diagnosed with asbestos
cancer due to their prolonged, persistent exposure, many brave
firefighters, police and rescue workers continue to suffer.
Further, many individuals continue to be exposed to asbestos in older
homes. With the boom of Do-It-Yourself projects, many homeowners are
tackling renovations without knowing the potential health risks.
Attempting renovations in these environments may disturb asbestos
causing it to become airborne and inhaled. Without knowledge of where
asbestos may be located in these homes, there is a significant risk of
accidental exposure, and any homeowner should have professional do a
thorough inspection before any projects begin. Removal should always be
handled by a professional contractor and should not be attempted by
homeowners.
One
of the groups hardest hit from asbestos-related diseases are
America’s veterans. All branches of the United States military used
equipment, gear and products laden with asbestos, unwittingly exposing
young men and women between the 1940s and late 1970s. Most veterans
repeatedly exposed to asbestos suffer from mesothelioma disease.
For over one hundred years, almost every product that we can come in
contact with may have been produced with asbestos components. From
decorative household items, to products manufactured to protect
firefighters, to dental products, asbestos has been the silent, deadly
part of recent American industry.
Asbestos Related Disease
Some
research points to the fact that inhaled asbestos fibers cause a
physical irritation resulting in mesothelioma
rather than the cancer being caused by a reaction that is more chemical
in nature. As fibers are inhaled through the mouth and nose they are
cleared from the body by adhering to mucus in the nose, throat and
airways and then get expelled by coughing or swallowing. The Amphibole
fibers (long and thin) do not clear as easily and it is therefore
thought that they can embed into the lining of the lungs, chest or
stomach causing scarring and inflammation which increases the risk for
mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma symptoms can be detected as early as
ten years after exposure and can incubate as long as forty years.
Asbestosis (scar tissue in the lungs) or mesothelioma lung cancer
can also be caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers. In fact,
people exposed to asbestos are seven times more likely to develop lung
cancer over the general public. Workers who sustain high levels of
asbestos exposure are more likely to die from asbestosis, lung cancer or
mesothelioma than any other disease. It is also believed that the
action of coughing up and swallowing asbestos could contribute to a form
of mesothelioma originating in the abdomen called peritoneal
mesothelioma. This disease has been found to exist in other organs of
the body as well such as the larynx, pancreas and colon, but those
instances are extremely limited compared to lung cancer incidents.
The
chance of developing mesothelioma is in direct proportion to the
duration and amount of asbestos exposure that an individual sustains.
Those who are exposed to high levels of asbestos at a young age, for
long periods of time have a greater risk of being diagnosed with
mesothelioma than those who have short, low level exposure. Another
important consideration is that the mesothelioma latency period
is very long. Often, twenty to forty years can elapse from the time of
exposure to diagnosis. Genetic factors can also play a role which
explains why not everyone exposed to asbestos develops an asbestos
related disease.