Asbestos lung cancer
Lung cancer is most commonly associated with cigarette smoking, and logically so as 90% of lung cancer cases are a direct result of cigarette smoking. However, between 2% and 5% of lung cancer cases are caused soley by asbestos exposure. Considering that lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in the US, it is an important risk to consider for those with a history of asbestos exposure.In 2003, 1500 Nevada residents were diagnosed with lung cancer. Nevada, in that same year, lost 1300 people to lung cancer. Like other cancers caused by asbestos, it can take decades for lung cancer to develop after asbestos exposure.
Smoking & asbestos exposure
If you have a history of asbestos exposure, it is especially important that you do not smoke, or quit smoking if you do. While individually, either cigarette smoking or asbestos increase your risk of developing lung cancer, together, they are a deadly combination. It is estimated that smoking and asbestos exposure combined increases your chances of developing lung cancer at least five times over smoking alone, and 10 times over asbestos exposure alone.
What is the difference between asbestos lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma?
Asbestos-related lung cancer is not the same as pleural mesothelioma, although both cancers are located in the chest cavity. Pleural mesothelioma arises from the cells of the pleura, or membrane surrounding the lungs, and not the actual lung tissue. While pleural mesothelioma often affects the functioning of the lungs because the pleura wraps around the lungs, it is not actually a type of lung cancer. Lung cancers instead arise from the parenchyma of the lung, the actual lung itself.
What are the symptoms of asbestos-related lung cancer?
In its beginning stages, there may be no symptoms that you have asbestos-related lung cancer. Once symptoms do appear, they are often vague, and not necessarily indicative of something as serious as lung cancer. Chest pain, weight loss, hoarseness, and a persistent cough are sometimes present. Recurrent lung ailments, such as bronchitis or pneumonia, may also be a symptom of lung cancer.
How is asbestos-related lung cancer diagnosed?
Because of the general symptoms and sometime asymptomatic early stages of asbestos-related lung cancer, a diagnosis is often not made until late into the disease progression. Treatment in the early stages of lung cancer is much more effective, so if you have risk factors for lung cancer, you should make sure your doctor is aware of your asbestos exposure history, family history, and smoking history. Actually diagnosing lung cancer can be done in a variety of ways:
- The doctor may have an analysis done of sputum or phlegm coughed up; referred to as a spit test, this non-invasive test has improved greatly with better technology in recent years.
- A biopsy, or tissue sample, may be collected and examined under microscope. A bronchoscopy, where a thin lighted tube is inserted through the nose or mouth into the wind pipe, can allow doctors both a closer look at the lung tissue and an opportunity to take biopsy samples. Biopsy collection can also be done through fine needle aspiration, thoracentesis, or mediastinoscopy.
- Imaging, through either xray or CT scans (computed tomography) can reveal signs of tumor growth. The National Lung Screening trial is a research study currently underway that is aiming to determine if spiral computed tomography scans or x-rays are more effective in detecting lung cancer early. Results are expected by 2010.
How is asbestos-related lung cancer treated?
The treatments your team of doctors will recommend will depend upon the characteristics and stage of your disease, as well as your overall health. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are all common treatments for those diagnosed with lung cancer and are often used in conjunction with one another.
- Surgery
- Surgery is often a recommended first step in cases of lung cancer found in the earliest stages. A section of tissue, lobe of the lung, or an entire lung may be removed during surgery. Surgery may be deemed curative if it has the potential to remove all of the cancer, or a palliative if the goal is to lessen discomfort caused by the tumor growth.
- Chemotherapy
- Various chemicals and drugs can be used to kill cancer cells or inhibit their growth. Either delivered intravenously, or via pill, anticancer medications are often used as together with surgery; in these applications, it is sometimes referred to as adjuvant chemotherapy. Side effects vary with different chemotherapeutic drugs.
- Radiation
- Radiation, or radiotherapy, uses high-energy rays (similar, but more powerful, to x-rays) to kill or inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
- Other Lung Cancer Treatments
- New and novel treatments for asbestos-related lung cancer are regularly being developed. Photodynamic therapy (using light to kill cancer cells made sensitive to light by special chemicals), lung cancer vaccines, and gene therapy are all being researched to help fight lung cancer.
How do I know if my lung cancer is asbestos-related?
If you know you have a history of asbestos exposure, there is a strong likelihood that your lung cancer is asbestos-related. Especially among non-smokers, a history of asbestos exposure is a common thread in lung cancer diagnoses. Additionally, people with lung cancer may also have pleural thickening or asbestosis.
