Asbestos has long been coveted in the United States as a reliable material valued for its dynamic physical properties. The cultivated fibers of the mineral possess high levels of tensile strength, electrical and chemical resistance, and flame retardation. These characteristics have made asbestos especially attractive for both its construction and manufacturing applications.
The turn of the 20th century saw wide ranging use of asbestos coincide with the initial understanding of the potentially hazardous effects regarding human exposure. British physician Dr. W.E. Cooke dismissed earlier understanding of asbestos-related illness identifying the ailment as ‘chronic bronchitis’ and ‘fibrosis.’ The term ‘asbestosis’ was later applied after the Dr. Cooke performed an autopsy on a 33 year-old male who worked in an asbestos ‘carding’ room.
The current medical understanding regarding asbestos exposure establishes a direct correlation with mesothelioma, a rare cancer originating in the membranes that cover the body’s internal organs and cavities. Malignant mesothelioma is caused with long-term exposure to the microscopic fibers that are present with the industrial use of asbestos.
The cancer is thought to occur when these tiny fibers penetrate the wall if the protective membranes, or mesothelium, causing erratic cellular reproduction which can result in the formation of a tumor.
The occurrence of mesothelioma is seen in workers and family members who may come in direct contact with the clothing of an individual working in an environment containing asbestos dust and fibrous material. The signs and symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear for several decades following asbestos exposure.
In addition to the rare occurrence of mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer is believed to account for 3,500 to 8,500 of the new lung cancer cases per year. Adenocarcinoma, a glandular cancer affecting the skin around the organs and cells of the body, and bronchial carcinoma, a cancer directly affecting the aveoli; have both been identified as having asbestos related origins in some patients. An unfortunate reality is that early stage asbestos related lung cancer may arrive without symptoms. This combined with the effects of long term smoking may lead to a misdiagnosis regarding the cause of the ailment.
Although asbestos use is widely regulated in the United States, sufficient levels of public awareness must be maintained regarding the dangers of exposure to the hazardous material. The gradual elimination of asbestos as a chief building material must coincide with a concerted effort to keep the risks, dangers, and ailments associated with the mineral foremost in the public conscious.
