Asbestos and Smoking | A Dangerous Combination for Lung Cancer

Asbestos and smoking create a recipe of disastrous proportions in the lungs. This dangerous combination not only leads to various lung illnesses and a decreased quality of life due to its negative impact on health, but also because it promotes an increased risk of developing lung cancer. Here’s what you should know about how asbestos and smoking can become combined risks to the development of lung cancer, as well as some myth surrounding the possibility of qualifying for financial compensation to help pay for medical treatments.

Lung Cancer and Asbestos

These days, asbestos is known as the cause of almost all cases of mesothelioma. This is true, and it has become such a pervasive issue in public health that asbestos is almost exclusively viewed as a mesothelioma concern. To be sure, asbestos exposure and mesothelioma are intimately connected, but the importance of assessing the risk of mesothelioma should not cause us to turn a blind eye to the other concerns surrounding asbestos exposure. 

Smokers exposed to asbestos are five times more likely to develop lung cancer than smokers without asbestos exposure.

In fact, you may be surprised to know that mesothelioma- while almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure- is not the largest instance of cancer-causing asbestos exposure. This statistic actually belongs to lung cancer. But besides lung cancer making up the highest percentage of asbestos-related cancer cases worldwide, victims are at a higher risk if they have a history of smoking. 

The Occasions and Aftermath Asbestos Exposure

Besides the noteworthy forms of asbestos exposure that can be traced back to things like building materials, household items, and even personal protection equipment, the danger of secondary exposure often gets overlooked because the name “secondary” might suggest that this form of exposure is less dangerous. 

There is no safe level of asbestos exposure; if you were exposed, get a chest X-ray to screen for lung sdamage.

It is important to realize one of the most basic truths about asbestos exposure: All available research concludes that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Even brief forms of asbestos exposure can lead to detrimental health effects. What makes secondary exposure different from other types of exposure is not whether it can lead to the same kinds of health risks. It certainly can. The difference simply has to do with how the exposure to asbestos takes place. 

Secondary asbestos exposure occurs when someone is exposed to asbestos in an indirect way. One of the best examples of this would include those who worked in an environment containing asbestos. This could include working directly with asbestos or being in a facility where asbestos was used. Asbestos consists of tiny microscopic fibers that can become attached to work clothing, tools, lunch boxes, or other articles and carried into the home. The result is secondary asbestos exposure when friends and family members in the home are indirectly exposed to these fibers. 

Latency: Asbestos-related lung cancer can take 20-50 years to appear, even if you were exposed in your youth.

This is what makes secondary exposure so dangerous. It is a situation that is often out of sight, out of mind. In the earlier history of asbestos use, workers were never told that asbestos posed a direct health risk. Despite the widespread use of asbestos, manufacturers have known for almost 100 years that asbestos could lead to the development of breathing problems and other negative health effects. 

Despite this knowledge, these companies continued to use asbestos and expose workers to this mineral, which is known widely today as a carcinogen. Instead of telling the public the truth or stopping the use of asbestos, these companies looked to legal options to protect themselves once the truth came out about asbestos. 

How Asbestos Increases the Risks of Lung Cancer

The connection between secondary asbestos exposure and the increased risk of lung cancer can be understood by considering several factors. 

First, asbestos has been sufficiently determined as a carcinogen, meaning that it is known to cause cancer. Of these cancers, the most common type attributed to asbestos is mesothelioma, However, research points toward a link to other forms, including ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, and lung cancer.

Second, metastasis (spreading of cancer to other organs) can occur in the event of asbestos-related cancer developing in one organ in the body and spreading to other organs, including the lungs.

Third, the evidence pointing toward lung cancer and asbestos exposure dates back as far as the knowledge of asbestos-related health concerns altogether, with the first two published cases occurring in 1935.

Contributing Factors

One of the most recent publications concerning asbestos-related lung cancer occurred in 2020, with an Indonesian case study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The research concluded that there seemed to be a conclusive link between asbestos exposure and lung cancer. However, the research also concluded that the added risk of smoking should be taken into account.

Smoking + Asbestos Exposure = Fifty Times More Likely To Develop Lung Cancer

Smoking is a very high-risk factor for lung cancer in general, but adding asbestos exposure into the equation can greatly increase lung cancer risks, and vice versa. For example, smoking and asbestos exposure can increase the likelihood of lung cancer up to 50%! 

Smoking can lead to the suppression of the body’s immune response, which can cripple the body from being able to attack asbestos fibers that can become lodged in the lungs. Smoking can also damage lung tissue, making them more susceptible to damage from asbestos fibers.

When asbestos fibers interact with compounds found in cigarette smoke, they can increase the risk of lung cancer. This is known as epigenetic changes or DNA and RNA alterations related to asbestos and lung cancer. 

The Challenge of Lung Cancer Treatment Costs

Lung cancer is a challenging diagnosis, largely due to the fact that treatment isn’t anything but cheap. There are more financial assistance programs available these days through workers compensation and veterans disability, but it’s still not enough for the majority of Americans. Cancer drugs can cost up to $100,000 a year, and health insurers have increasingly shifted costs to patients. Even in remission, studies show that cancer survivors pay more out of pocket for their medical care than other medical patients. This is a challenge, but there are options available when asbestos exposure is a factor.

Smoking and Asbestos 

There is a close connection between lung cancer, asbestos, and smoking. According to research, smokers have a much higher risk of lung cancer if they are also exposed to asbestos. This has to do with the already compromised health and strength of the lungs if asbestos fibers are already present. Adding smoking to the already dangerous equation of asbestos exposure can mean that lung damage happens at an accelerating rate. 

However, contrary to popular belief, smokers are not disqualified or barred from receiving asbestos compensation. We have come to believe from health screenings, life insurance, and other things that focus on the risks of smoking that there will be potential penalties or the denial of certain coverages if smoking is an aspect of someone’s medical history. Because of this custom, you need to know that even lifelong smokers can receive compensation for asbestos health damage from asbestos trusts.

Conclusion

It is clear that there are additional contributing factors that can lead to the development of lung cancer in connection with asbestos exposure, with smoking at the top of the list. It is important to know that even if you suffer from cancer related to secondary asbestos exposure and you are a life-long smoker, you are not disqualified from financial compensation to help you get the treatment you need. 

There are a range of medical signs and symptoms that point to asbestos exposure, but you’ll need to reach out to a medical professional to be able to determine this conclusively. If you have been exposed to asbestos, reach out to the good folks at AsbestosClaims.law who can help you determine what kind of financial compensation you may qualify for.