The health effects of asbestos. (Technical Briefs).Compiled by Pascale Krumm, Ph.D., Office of Policy and External Affairs Asbestos is a fibrous substance classified as a human carcinogen carcinogen: see cancer. carcinogen Agent that can cause cancer. Exposure to one or more carcinogens, including certain chemicals, radiation, and certain viruses, can initiate cancer under conditions not completely understood. . Asbestos fibers can enter the body through inhalation or ingestion ingestion /in·ges·tion/ (-chun) the taking of food, drugs, etc., into the body by mouth. in·ges·tion n. 1. The act of taking food and drink into the body by the mouth. 2. . Because the body cannot break down or eliminate asbestos fibers once they enter the lungs or body tissues, the fibers become trapped, causing serious health problems. Exposure to asbestos can lead to signs of lung abnormalities (pleural Pleural Pleural refers to the pleura or membrane that enfolds the lungs. Mentioned in: Pneumothorax pleural emanating from or pertaining to the pleura. plaques) or to scarring of the lung tissues (asbestosis asbestosis Lung disease caused by long-term inhalation of asbestos fibres. A pneumoconiosis found primarily in asbestos workers, asbestosis is also seen in people living near asbestos industries. ), and two types of cancer (lung cancer lung cancer, cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States in both men and women. Like other cancers, lung cancer occurs after repeated insults to the genetic material of the cell. and mesothelioma Mesothelioma Definition Mesothelioma is an uncommon disease that causes malignant cancer cells to form within the lining of the chest, abdomen, or around the heart. Its primary cause is believed to be exposure to asbestos. ). The risk for asbestos-related disease depends on many factors, including type of asbestos fiber, level of exposure, duration of exposure, and the smoking history of the person. The latency period latency period n. In psychoanalytic theory, the fourth stage of psychosexual development, extending from about age 5 to puberty, when a child apparently represses sexual urges and prefers to associate with members of the same sex. for these diseases ranges from 10 years to 30 years. Following is a description of the three known asbestos-related diseases. * Asbestosis is a serious, chronic, noncancerous respiratory illness. It causes scarring of the lung tissues, making breathing more difficult as the scarring increases. The disease can lead to heart failure. Asbestosis is usually caused by chronic occupational exposure to asbestos. No effective treatment exists for asbestosis, and the disease can be disabling or fatal. * Lung cancer accounts for about 50 percent of all asbestos-related diseases. Studies have shown that asbestos workers are five times more likely to develop lung cancer than are workers who are not exposed to asbestos. In addition, asbestos workers who smoke are 50 to 90 times more likely to develop lung cancer than are nonsmokers who are not exposed to asbestos. In the United States, only 14 percent of patients with lung cancer survive for five years. * Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the chest or abdomen. This form of cancer is rare-about 200 cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma is incurable and is usually fatal within one year of diagnosis. The majority of mesotheliomas are caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma accounts for 10 percent to 18 percent of deaths among workers exposed to asbestos, (Adapted from Hazardous Substances & Public Health, Vol. 112, No. 1, 2002, a publication of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry The United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, (ATSDR) is an agency for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that is directed by a congressional mandate to perform specific functions concerning the effect on public health of hazardous , in the public domain.) * DeVita VT., Hellman, S., & Rosenberg, S.A. (Eds.). (2001). Principles and practices of oncology (6th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. |
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