Asbestos Cancer Exposure and Effects

Asbestos cancer is caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals that can be separated into thin threads. Asbestos fibers resist heat and fire and for this reason, have been used in many products that need to be resistant to heat and fire such as brake pads, gaskets and pumps. Unfortunately, however, asbestos-containing products can cause asbestos cancer.


Asbestos cancer: The types
There are different types of asbestos cancer. They include lung cancer and mesothelioma.

There are two types of lung cancer:

• Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and
• Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
• Small cell lung cancer is the less common form of lung cancer and constitutes about 20% of lung cancer cases. Small cell lung cancer occurs almost exclusively in cigarette smokers. It is the more aggressive type of lung cancer and by the time it is diagnosed, it has usually spread to many areas of the body.
• Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer occurring in about 80% of lung cancer cases. Non-small cell lung cancer can have various causes including asbestos exposure.
• Mesothelioma is also a form of asbestos cancer. It affects the mesothelium, which is the membrane that covers the body's internal organs. The mesothelium produces a fluid to allow organs to glide against adjacent structures. The peritoneum is the mesothelium that covers organs within the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the mesothelium that covers the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium is the mesothelium that surrounds the heart.

Types of mesothelioma:

• Pleural mesotheliomaThe pleura is the lining of the sacs of the chest. A cancer of this lining is known as pleural mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma. Some symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are shortness of breath, chest pain and cough.
• Peritoneal mesothelioma
• The peritoneum is the lining of the abdomen. A cancer of the abdominal lining is known as peritoneal mesothelioma. Peritoneal mesothelioma is less common than pleural mesothelioma. The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include abdominal swelling, bowel obstruction and nausea.
• How does asbestos lead to the development of cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma?
• When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can become trapped in the body's internal organs such as the lungs. Asbestos fibers can remain within lung tissue for a lifetime. Asbestos fibers within the body can trigger chemical reactions that can lead to the development of asbestos cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. Asbestos cancers generally have a long latency period, i.e., they can develop decades after exposure to asbestos has taken place.

Who is at risk for asbestos cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma?
People who work with asbestos-containing products are at the highest risk of developing asbestos cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. Because asbestos was used in many products, many workers are at risk of

developing asbestos cancers. Some workers who are at risk include:

• Mechanics
• Carpenters
• Shipyard workers
• Welders
• Construction workers

In addition, the household members of people who work with asbestos products are also at risk of developing asbestos cancer because of secondary asbestos exposure. Secondary asbestos exposure occurs because asbestos fibers can cling to the clothing of people who work with asbestos products. When these workers come home, their household members can inhale those fibers and develop asbestos cancers decades later.

Asbestos Cancer: Treatment options

• Lung cancer treatmentTreatment options for lung cancer depend largely on the type of lung cancer and on the stage of the cancer. Treatment techniques for lung cancer include: Surgery “ this treatment technique involves cutting away the lung cancer tumor. Surgery is effective when the cancer has not spread beyond the lung. Surgical procedures for lung cancer are Thoracotomy “ surgery performed through the chest wall Median sternotomy “ involves cutting through the breastbone
• Anterior limited thoractomy “ performed on the front area of the chest ย 
• Anterioraxillary thoractomy - performed on the front part of the chest near the underarm
• Posterolateral thoracotomy “ performed on the rear of the trunk
• Photodynamic therapy “ is the treatment technique that is used when surgery is not feasible. It involves the use of a specific type of light to kill cancerous cells.
• Mesothelioma treatmentTreatment techniques for the asbestos cancer mesothelioma include:
• Surgery “ this procedure usually involves removing part of the lining of the chest or the abdomen. The lining of the chest is removed if the cancer is pleural mesothelioma. The lining of the abdomen is removed if the cancer is peritoneal mesothelioma. In some cases, an entire lung may have to be removed. Also, sometimes the diaphragm (the muscle below the lungs) is removed.
• Radiation therapy “ involves the use of light rays to kill cancer cells and reduce tumor size. This treatment technique is only effective for the area of the body that is subjected to radiation. External radiation therapy involves radiation that comes from a machine. Internal radiation therapy involves the insertion of substances that produce radiation through tubes to the area where cancer cells exist.
• Chemotherapy “ involves the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs for mesothelioma are usually administered by intravenous injection.
• Immunotherapy “ involves manipulating the immune system so that it attacks cancer cells. Normally, the human immune system does not kill mesothelioma cancer cells because it does not know that the cancer cells are harmful.

In a type of immunotherapy known as active immunotherapy, mesothelioma cancer cells are removed and converted into a vaccine. The vaccine is then injected into the patient. The hope is that the patient's immune system will recognize the vaccine as harmful and therefore recognize mesothelioma cancer as harmful as well.
For further information Contact Andrew Calcagno, Esq. at andrew@nynjlaw.net

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