Can you get throat cancer from asbestos?
Results from 34 studies show that people exposed to asbestos have an average 40% greater chance of laryngeal cancer than those with no exposure, the committee concluded. People with high exposure — including miners and some construction and textile workers — had up to double to triple the risk.
How does asbestos affect the throat?
Like the squamous cell carcinomas that develop in the skin, digestive tract and lungs, squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx form gradually as healthy cells mutate into increasingly abnormal clones. When asbestos fibers penetrate the larynx, they cause genetic changes and cells begin to divide uncontrollably.
What is the most common kind of cancer caused by asbestos?
Exposure to asbestos causes mesothelioma (a cancer of the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen) and cancers of the lung, larynx, and ovary. Mesothelioma is the most common form of cancer associated with asbestos exposure, although the disease is relatively rare.
What are the 4 major asbestos related diseases?
There are 4 main diseases caused by asbestos exposure:
- Pleural disease. Pleural plaques and pleural thickening are non-cancerous conditions affecting the outer lining of the lungs (the pleura).
- Mesothelioma.
- Asbestosis.
- Lung cancer.
Can asbestos cause sore throat?
Therefore, symptoms such as a scratchy or sore throat, congestion, coughing, or lung irritation would not be due to a recent asbestos exposure, but might be the result of inhalation of other irritating or allergenic dusts, or possibly due to illnesses, such as a cold or flu.
Can you get a sore throat from asbestos?
What two diseases are caused by asbestos?
Asbestos-Related Lung Diseases
- Asbestosis, in which the lung tissue becomes scarred.
- Lung cancer.
- Mesothelioma, which is cancer of the tissue around the lungs.
- Pleural effusion, a type of pleurisy.
- Pleural plaque, which are hard structures around the lungs and diaphragm.
- Thickening of the tissues around the lungs.
What are the signs of asbestos poisoning?
What Are the Symptoms of Asbestosis?
- Shortness of breath.
- Persistent dry cough.
- Chest tightness or chest pain.
- Weight loss from loss of appetite.
- A dry, crackling sound in the lungs while breathing in.
- Wider and rounder than normal fingertips and toes (clubbing)
How long does it take for asbestos related diseases to develop?
Development of asbestos-related disease that cause this restriction, as well as other symptoms, has a latency period anywhere between 10 and 50 years. Symptoms usually only present themselves 20 to 30 years after exposure to asbestos, once the disease has already started to develop.
What kind of cancer can you get from asbestos?
Studies like these have amassed a large body of evidence that asbestos can certainly cause cancers of the throat and especially the larynx.
Is there a link between asbestos and laryngeal cancer?
Some studies also confirmed a dose-dependent relationship, meaning heavier exposures increased the likelihood of laryngeal cancers. Studies like these have amassed a large body of evidence that asbestos can certainly cause cancers of the throat and especially the larynx.
What kind of cancer is in the throat?
Throat cancer is a general term that refers to the malignant tumors arising in the pharynx, larynx (voice box), and tonsils. Laryngeal cancer, though linked to numerous risk factors including smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, has also been associated with workplace asbestos exposure.
What to do if you get throat cancer from asbestos?
If you have been diagnosed with throat cancer after asbestos exposure at worksites handling asbestos or its products, you may be eligible to file a claim with the asbestos trust funds of your former employers. You will need to initiate the legal process as soon as possible and seek legal assistance.