Over the years, asbestos has served a crucial purpose as a commercial product for insulation and fireproofing materials. However, since the start of the commercial production of asbestos in 1879, there have been reports of asbestos-related illnesses. Back in 1899, a man experienced the first occurrence of asbestos-related sickness characterized by “curious bodies” in the lungs.

In the United States, the first diagnosis of asbestosis and lung cancer linked to asbestos exposure occurred in 1935.

But asbestos companies denied it for decades, while their workers and customers were exposed.

A book on the negative effects of asbestos and its connection to cancer etiology, as it covers the examination of workplace ailments m, has been on the shelves of the Congressional Library of Congress since it was released in 1939.

If you may have been exposed to asbestos, even when you were a child, speak to your healthcare provider about tests and screening to help detect the presence of asbestos fibers and asbestos-related diseases.

Lung Cancer And Asbestos

Today, many lung-related illnesses have been linked to exposure to asbestos. In numerous studies of asbestos-exposed employees, asbestos inhalation has been associated with an elevated risk of lung cancer. As a matter of fact, the majority of lung cancer cases caused by asbestos usually appear at least ten years after their initial asbestos exposure.

Asbestos fibers are like microscopic needles. They cause scarring in human tissue, and can puncture and deform white blood cells.

During the process, some of the asbestos fibers that are inhaled become embedded in the body of the individual who breathes them in. The asbestos fibers never fully leave the body once they are inhaled. These embedded fibers have the potential to develop into major breathing problems and a number of cancers, as well as other ailments, over time.

“The overall evidence suggests there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.”

Source: National Cancer Institute (NIH)¹

Consequently, asbestosis and pleural plaques are the two respiratory conditions that are most frequently brought on by asbestos exposure. Lung cancer, throat cancer, stomach cancer, and colon cancer have also all been linked to asbestos.

A condition known as mesothelioma is a very dangerous kind of cancer that is nearly entirely brought on by asbestos exposure. There is no safe level of exposure, and even a little amount can result in life-threatening conditions years down the line.

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Synergistic Effects Between Smoking And Asbestos

According to studies, asbestos exposure causes lung cancer in humans. On the other hand, cigarette smoking has also been a major cause of lung cancer. In fact, it has been a major reason for avoidable fatalities in the world.

However, both smoking and asbestos exposure can significantly increase the risk of lung cancer when present together compared to each acting alone. This defines the synergistic effect of asbestos exposure and cigarette smoking.

Asbestos exposure makes smokers five times more likely to develop lung cancer.²

Usually, the individual risk variables associated with exposure to two separate carcinogens are put together to determine the overall risk associated with exposure to both carcinogens. As a matter of fact, both smoking and asbestos exposure actually has a multiplicative effect when they are combined. This increases the overall risk of being exposed to both carcinogens.

The toxic concoction in cigarettes and other tobacco products not only weakens the user’s lungs but also ultimately causes cancer. The combination of asbestos exposure and smoking is a recipe for disaster.

Even lifelong smokers can collect compensation for asbestos damage.

Many of our clients believed they weren’t eligible to file an asbestos lawsuit because they were cigarette and cigar smokers.

This isn’t true under the laws of many states.

Our database contains the medical evidence needed to show that smokers who are exposed to asbestos are far more likely to develop cancer than smokers who weren’t exposed to asbestos. Cigarettes and asbestos are far more dangerous than cigarettes or asbestos.

Asbestos and chemicals in cigarettes interact to multiply the risk of lung cancer by up to fifty times.

It has long been known that asbestos exposure can result in lethal malignancies and respiratory conditions. Still, many powerful commercial figures prioritized money over public health concerns in the middle of the 20th century when asbestos use was at its peak.

What’s more, despite a dramatic decline in recent years, smoking is still a very common habit in the United States. And even though there are now a lot more safety precautions in place, asbestos is still widely used today, which is frightening. As a result, if a person smokes while being exposed to asbestos, the hazards are significantly greater.

5%	Asbestos exposure makes it five times more likely that a person will develop lung cancer.
10%	Smoking cigarettes makes it ten times more likely that a person will develop lung cancer.
50%	Being a smoker with asbestos exposure makes it fifty times more likely that a person will develop lung cancer!³

Normally, lung cancer has a five-times increased risk in people who have been exposed to asbestos. On the other hand, smokers have a ten-times greater chance. However, lung cancer risk increases by up to 50 times in smokers exposed to asbestos.

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What Is Epigenetics?

Epigenetics is the study of how environmental factors and behavior can alter how a person’s genes function. These epigenetic alterations are reversible and do not alter one’s DNA sequence as genetic changes do. In fact, they can alter how the body interprets a DNA sequence.

The frequency or timing of protein synthesis from genes’ instructions is referred to as gene expression. Since genetic variations can impact which proteins are produced, epigenetic variations affect gene expression, turning genes “on” and “off.” As a result, each cell only generates the proteins required for it to operate.

Epigenetic effects can vary, but a small change in gene expression can have big consequences.

Image Asbestos Understanding Connection foot article body

Image Asbestos Understanding Connection lungs article body

Additionally, epigenetic alteration patterns range across individuals, between tissues within an individual, and even between individual cells within a tissue. The epigenome can be impacted by environmental factors like a person’s nutrition and exposure to contaminants.

When cells divide, epigenetic alterations can be preserved from cell to cell and, in some situations, passed down through the generations. Eventually, this process can be affected by asbestos exposure.

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How Asbestos Affects Epigenetics and the Formation of Disease

It is unclear how asbestos alters epigenetic processes. Numerous studies have demonstrated that cells react to asbestos fibers in clastogenic and cytotoxic ways. This contributes to the formation of asbestos-related diseases and health problems.

Asbestos silicates capture and bind cations when they bond with human cells, and in the lungs, asbestos fibers will both hold the ions on the surface of the fiber and discharge them into the cellular environment. These reactions have the potential to produce reactive oxygen compounds and free radicals, which start the stages of genotoxicity and DNA damage.

Asbestos fibers damage the body and increase inflammation, adding to the risk of disease.

According to research, the asbestos fibers crocidolite and chrysotile cause oxidative stress and release local inflammatory mediators, which create an inflammatory microenvironment and cell growth.

However, there are several mutations that increase a person’s risk of getting cancer. The chances of developing cancer is increased by some epigenetic modifications. Although some genes in cancer cells have more DNA methylation than in healthy cells, overall DNA methylation levels in cancer cells are lower than those in healthy cells.

Even cancers that appear to be the same type can differ in their DNA methylation patterns. Epigenetics can be used to identify the sort of cancer a person has or to locate malignancies that are difficult to find earlier. In the long run, cancers would need to be validated with other screening tests since epigenetics alone cannot identify cancer.

What Is the Risk of Second-hand Asbestos Exposure?

In the 20th century, men were more likely to experience primary asbestos exposure. This is because they were directly exposed to asbestos from labor jobs that required asbestos-containing materials.

Women and young children are more likely to experience second-hand asbestos exposure. Before the 1970s, when strong laws were put into place, asbestos workers frequently brought asbestos home on their tools, shoes, and work clothes.

“Generally, those who develop asbestos-related diseases show no signs of illness for a long time after exposure.”

Source: National Cancer Institute (NIH)⁴

Asbestos has no smell or taste. You may not know when you’re breathing it.

In essence, when someone comes into contact with asbestos and then carries that asbestos on their person, clothing, tools, or vehicles, they are causing someone else to experience second-hand asbestos exposure.

Surprisingly, secondary exposure is just as deadly as first exposure to asbestos. In fact, any level of asbestos exposure can have negative effects on one’s health. The same illnesses and malignancies, including mesothelioma, are brought on by frequent, prolonged secondary exposure.

The danger of getting crippling asbestos-related diseases is higher among people who have previously worked with asbestos. However, if they spent a lot of time around someone who has never worked in an asbestos-related industry, they could still be in danger.

Conclusion on Asbestos and Lung Cancer

The dangers of smoking tobacco products and being exposed to asbestos are now fairly well-known. Unfortunately, when it comes to asbestos exposure, we can’t go back in time. Nevertheless, we can still manage the risk of lung cancer by reducing our exposure moving forward — this is especially important for smokers.

AsbestosClaims.Law

For Justinian C. Lane, getting compensation for asbestos victims is personal.

Justinian’s grandparents and his father all worked with asbestos in their younger years and died from asbestos-related cancers in their later years.

At the time of each of their deaths, no one in Justinian’s family knew that they were eligible to file an asbestos lawsuit and to seek compensation from the asbestos trusts.

Because no one in Justinian’s family knew their options, they never received any compensation for the death of their loved ones.

If you believe that you or your family member’s injury was related to asbestos exposure, you could be entitled to significant compensation.

This is money you could use to cover the costs of asbestos removal services, pay for medical treatment, and preemptively protect your physical well-being.

There are also asbestos trusts that offer compensation much more quickly and easily (without filing a lawsuit.)

If you’d like help with filing a claim, please get in touch by email at [email protected], or call or text us at (833) 4-ASBESTOS (427-2378) or (206) 455-9190. We’ll listen to your story and explain your options. And we never charge for anything unless you receive money in your pocket.

In addition to legal claims, veterans disability, social security and employment protection like workers compensation, FELA and The Jones Act for maritime workers, there are asbestos trusts that have been set up to compensate those harmed by asbestos without having to file a lawsuit.

There is no risk or cost to speak with one of our staff about your asbestos litigation. There are no fees unless you receive money.

If you have any additional questions or concerns related to asbestos, check out our website and YouTube page for videos, infographics and answers to your questions about asbestos, including health and safety, asbestos testing, removing asbestos from your home and building, and legal information about compensation for asbestos injuries.

Introducing the largest database of asbestos information on the planet.

W.A.R.D., which stands for the Worldwide Asbestos Research Database, helps clients to narrow down when and where they may have been exposed, as well as which products may still contain asbestos. W.A.R.D. will also help indicate compensation types and how much a person may be entitled to.

1 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.
2 Asbestos, smoking and lung cancer: an update. Klebe, S., Leigh, J., Henderson, D.W. and Nurminen, M., 2020, International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(1), p.258.
3 Asbestos, smoking and lung cancer: an update. Klebe, S., Leigh, J., Henderson, D.W. and Nurminen, M., 2020, International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(1), p.258.
4 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.
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