Human Illness Associated with the Carcinogen Known as Asbestos

There are a myriad of studies analyzing the intensity and duration of asbestos exposure and its relation to human illness. One interesting study on point is called, “Asbestos - Still a Carcinogen” New England Journal of Medicine volume 338:1618-1619 may 28, 1998 number 22. Here is an excerpt: “Asbestos is an important cause of human illness. Clinical and epidemiologic studies have established incontrovertibly that asbestos causes cancer of the lung, malignant mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum, cancer of the larynx, and certain gastrointestinal cancers. Asbestos also causes asbestosis, a progressive fibrotic disease of the lungs. The risk of these diseases increases with cumulative exposure and also with the length of time since the first exposure. Asbestos has been declared a proven human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization.”

Another interesting study is called, “A case-referent study of lung cancer, occupational exposures and smoking. II. Role of asbestos exposure.” By Kjuus H, Skjaerven R, Langård S, Lien JT, and Aamodt T. - Scand J Work Environ Health. 1986 Jun;12(3):203-9. Here is an excerpt: “In a hospital-based case-referent study of 176 incident lung cancer cases, ascertained during a five-year period from two county hospitals, the role of asbestos exposure and smoking has been studied. Information on asbestos exposure was obtained from personal interviews, and allocated to four exposure categories, according to the intensity and duration of the exposure. Twenty-five percent of the cases and 10% of the referents had been moderately to heavily exposed to asbestos during their working career. A statistically significant trend in risk ratio related to the degree of exposure was observed, with a more than fourfold risk among the heavily exposed. The strongest association was found between asbestos exposure and small cell carcinoma, and the weakest association between asbestos exposure and adenocarcinoma. Very high risk ratios were observed among asbestos-exposed subjects who were heavy smokers, and the interaction observed between asbestos and smoking conformed more closely to a multiplicative model than to an additive one. The results suggest that the observed association between lung cancer and occupational exposures in this study was, to a large extent, due to asbestos exposure. Information on such exposure was missing in 90% of the medical records of these patients.

Another interesting study is called, “Non-malignant asbestos pleural disease.” By

G Hillerdal - Thorax 1981;36:669-675. Here is an excerpt: “Abstract - During a 10-year period (1970-79) all patients in Uppsala County found to have pleural changes related to asbestos exposure were followed. The lesions could be divided into four types: parietal pleural plaques, exudative pleurisy, thickening of the visceral pleura, and progressive pleural fibrosis. There were 891 cases. The most common type was parietal plaques, which was seen in 827 patients, some of whom later developed other changes. In 22 types exudation was proven radiologically, and in 84 more cases obliteration of the costo-phrenic angle was seen. The exudations almost all had a benign course, despite sometimes fairly large and bloody effusions. They were practically all symptom-free, being a surprise finding on chest radiography. Thickening of the visceral pleura can only be seen radiologically in the fissures and occurred in a few cases in addition to other changes. In a small group of more heavily exposed individuals, a progressi
ve pleural fibrosis developed, sometimes after an initial effusion.”

If you found any of these excerpts interesting, please read the studies in their entirety. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the people examining these important issues.

About the Author:

Monty Wrobleski is the author of this article on Asbestos Exposure. Find more information about Navy Asbestos Claims here.