What Is Asbestos Related Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the USA. The asbestos-related lung cancer cases represent a small proportion (around 4%) of the total number of around 200,000 of lung cancer cases.

Asbestos exposure related lung cancer develops in the tissue of the lung due to the asbestos fibers lodged in the tissues. There are two main types of asbestos related lung cancer: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. The first type is the rarest but also the most aggressive cancer.

Symptoms of Asbestos Related Lung Cancer

Common symptoms are:

• chest pain,
• difficulty breathing,
• fatigue,
• weight loss,
• wheezing or hoarseness of the voice,
• haemoptysis (coughing up blood).

The symptoms are similar to pleural mesothelioma symptoms due to the close proximity of the tissues where these cancers form. Pleural mesothelioma is formed in the pleura, the thin membrane covering the lung. Very often pleural mesothelioma is misdiagnosed as lung cancer.

Diagnosis of Asbestos Related Lung Cancer

Similar to mesothelioma, the lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos is diagnosed at a late stage.

The diagnosis process includes a physical examination, X-rays or other advanced imaging tests such as CT or PET scans and biopsies. A useful test in diagnosing lung cancer is the sputum cytology test.