Asbestos Related Disease: Be Aware Of Long Latency

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Pharmeceutical-Medical )



Asbestos refers to a group of naturally occurring, fibrous silicates, which are all resistant to heat and chemicals. Chrysotile, or serpentine asbestos, has curvilinear fibers. The other types, known as amphibole asbestos, have straight fibers. Asbestos has been used in textiles, thermal insulation, building materials, and friction products such as brake linings.

Exposure by inhalation to asbestos fibers causes asbestos related diseases. When you inhale asbestos, the sharp ends of the fibers injure the lungs; repeated inhalation means repeated injury. Your lungs become the primary site of adverse effects. Common to all types of asbestos related disease is the long latency period, the length of time for the disease to develop after exposure.

The risk of asbestos related disease also comes from the fiber type. Your lungs are usually able to dispose of chrysotile asbestos; in contrast, they retain amphibole asbestos to a much greater extent. As a result, amphibole asbestos has a more direct relationship with asbestos related disease.

Lung Cancer

There is no doubt that exposure to asbestos causes lung cancer. There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure in relation to lung cancer. The lung cancer latency period from asbestos exposure is usually 15 years, with a peak at around 25 years.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is an unusual form of cancer and usually occurs only with asbestos exposure. It is incurable, usually fatal. The mesothelioma latency period is up to 40 years, from time of exposure to the onset of disease.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a type of pneumoconiosis, a generic name for lung cancer caused by dust inhalation. Asbestosis causes disability and death. It progresses long after exposure has stopped. If exposure has been heavy, the asbestosis latency period is less than 10 years; otherwise, it may run for 20 years or more.

There has been a spate of asbestos litigation due to these asbestos related diseases.


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