Other Cancers Related to Asbestos Exposure |
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In addition to mesothelioma, asbestos exposure can cause lung cancer, cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum. Asbestos alone, without other agents, can cause cancer.
In 1935 the medical community began to study the link between occupational exposure to asbestos and lung cancer. The link between lung cancer and workplace exposure to asbestos was conclusively established by 1955, and the link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma was conclusively established in 1960. It was also confirmed that the risk of mesothelioma included not only who personally handled asbestos-containing products, but also those who were in the area of where asbestos was used.
Lung cancer can be caused by cigarette smoking and by asbestos exposure. However, asbestos-exposed workers who smoke face a much higher risk of developing lung cancer than asbestos workers who do not smoke. Studies suggest that asbestos-exposed workers who quit smoking can reduce their risk of developing lung cancer by as much as fifty percent within five years of quitting.
