Causes - Asbestos
Aside from smoking and radon exposure, the other leading cause of lung cancer is exposures to asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was present in any number of home goods and products before its carcinogenic qualities became apparent in the last quarter century.
Asbestos is a mined particle that was mined for its specific use as well as mined in conjunction with other minerals, such as vermiculite. Asbestos was used extensively dating back to ancient civilizations that mixed it within clay to insulate their pottery for cooking or storage. Its hair-like fibers were also woven into clothing to produce a warmer and more durable garment. In the modern era it was used in almost any capacity, and widely regarded as a miracle mineral for its ability to insulate and prevent heat transfer. Common places that it is found today include any aspect of pipe, electrical, or other plumbing fixture. It was also commonly used in many types of home or building insulation and ceiling or floor tiles.
The way in which asbestos causes lung cancer is somewhat different than smoking or radon exposure. Asbestos containing materials, such as linoleum tiles, when left alone pose little risk for exposure. It is when they are disturbed that they pose the most risk by chipping or grinding away at the tiles, the tiny fibers are released into the air and are able to be inhaled. Many foreign particles, when introduced to the body are expelled or destroyed by the body's natural mechanisms. The nature of asbestos is such that it is extremely durable and generally regarded and indestructible in the body.
When the fibers are introduced to the lung, they generally stick to the pleural lining of the lung. When these fibers are not broken down they generally react with the lung in the form of inflammation. An inflammation will typically sustain long enough in the lung if the fibers are never broken down. Sustained inflammations will typically result in harmful scar tissue developing within the interior of the lung. Some of this scar tissue will move to the lining of the lung, known as the pleura, and form white plaques upon the surface of the lining. This development can ultimately lead to malignant mesothelioma, a lung cancer of the pleural lining of the lung.
While asbestos related cancers have no medical or causal relationship with smoking, typically there is a much better chance of developing mesothelioma among smokers. Like other cancers, a number of factors that are known to be related to lung cancer will dramatically compound the likelihood of developing mesothelioma when introduced in concert. Mesothelioma is unique however, in that the symptoms of asbestos related respiratory complications can take several years, usually more than 30, to develop in a patient.