Asbestos Cancer

Question: how much exposure to asbestos causes cancer? how much or how long would you need to be exposed to asbestos in order for it to harm you or in order for you to develop cancer?

Answer: A rather unknown quantity, which varies with lifestyle. As much as one exposure to blue asbestos could cause illness. Some builders have worked with ordinary asbestos all their lives and have no signs of illness yet. Others are already dead.

Question: My grandpa has altsimas and asbestos cancer. Should I be worrying? Is he going to live much longer? He is 64 and he has had back pains. He's been in hosptial for his altsimas and his back. PLEASE don't give me "god will take care of him" it doesnt help!

Answer: When you say "altsimas"-do you mean alzhiemer's disease?I think you do. These are questions that the medical profession are asked all the time by relatives and patients...It is almost impossible to be able to tell you,with any certainty, how much longer your grandfather will live. Its just so hard-even for the most experienced nurse or doctor. A good indication of how much longer he will live would be when the doctor's take him off his meds-as a nurse that is always a good indicator. Of course if we could assess him, we might have a better idea. Is he in hospital full time? Are they telling you that he is palliative? Alzhiemer's does not always indicate that he will pass soon-he may live for years with just the alzhiemers alone, but combine that with asbestosis/cancer and it does not indicate a good outcome. I'm very sorry but the best information I can give you would be to ask his doctor privately to explain exactly your grandfather's condition to you.If you don't understand the explanation, tell the doctor that you don't understand.

Question: How do you spell that asbestos cancer ones gets that starts "Metho______?

Answer: Mesothelioma is the cancer caused by asbestos. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma

Question: What are symptons of Mesothelioma asbestos lung cancer?

Answer: Shortness of breath is the main first symptom. Fatigue, weight loss, and a dry cough are also symptoms. My mom died from mesothelioma in 2006.

Question: How does asbestos cause lung cancer? Please make the terms simple. I need it for my report and I don't want to say anything that I don't understand. It's for high school biology.

Answer: The carcinogenic nature of asbestos (chrysotile) has been related to the shape of the particles more than their composition. In other words, the substance itself is not carcinogenic - the shape is! Chrysotile produces very thin fibers that can be many times longer than they are wide. When these become embedded in the lungs, larger particles can be coughed out but smaller particles need to be carried out by a type of white blood cell called a macrophage. Unfortunately, small asbestos fibers tend to be so long relative to their width that they tend to be actually longer than the macrophages. When the macrophages try to engulf them, the cells puncture and the macrophages die before they can do their job. The EPA has targeted asbestos fibers over 8 micrometers in length as being the bad actors in causing mesothelioma (asbestos-related cancer), and claims that particles shorter than about 4 micrometers are not harmful (although this point is still being argued). Theoretically, the macrophages can successfully engulf shorter particles and get rid of them. So why the cancer? There have been various theories about the mechanism. One theory is that the constant release of biochemical "distress signals" given off by the dying macrophages are the actual cause of the cancer. Another theory is that the asbestos particles have active surface sites for the generation of free radicals from oxygen, and that the free radicals are capable of reacting with and damaging the surrounding cells. It's an interesting story. The link below has everything that you need (it is basically a list of resource papers and articles) although you will have to do some work to sift through the material. The summary I wrote here is just from memory. When I was in university many moons ago this was one of the hot research topics in our department, so I got to see a lot of presentations on the subject although it was not an area in which I was personally working. Good luck on the project

Question: Why get upset over asbestos because it causes cancer? When we continue to sell tobacco that causes more cancer deaths than asbestos? And it's legal to sell!

Answer: Anything that is in the public that causes cancer should be taken care of. And people who smoke have the choice. People who are in buildings and are not aware that they are containing asbestos do not really have the choice to stay away from it.

Question: Asbestos broken up in the garden can this one exposure cause lung cancer? The builder who took a shed down for me started breaking up the Asbestos sheets from my shed If i knew he was going to do this I would have stopped him but it was to late. So this was out in the garden and then I was told by my neighbour if i breathe in 1 single Fibre i could have lung cancer in the next 25yrs, so this has scared the life out of me. Just wondering if it would be a threat if it was out in the garden?

Answer: No. The people who have cancer from asbestos worked with it on a daily basis. The job that was one of the worst was machining asbestos in a factory. No one has done this in the USA for over 30 years. Not all people who were exposed to the dust got cancer and they were exposed to a lot of dust.

Question: How to prevent people living in houses with asbestos roofs to get lung cancer?

Answer: It depends on the kind of asbestos. Some kinds the risk is so low that it is worse to remove it, because of the added risk of stirring it up. I'm assuming you mean mesothelioma, which afflicts about 2-3,000 new people each year in the US (out of all third of a billion of us!), so the actual risk is very, very low. It also tends to be older folks. Of course, none of that helps if it's you, but you should keep the risk in perspective, and remember to wear a seatbelt and not smoke before you worry about spending mega-bucks removing asbestos or buying a new home to get away from it. Here's some info on prevention:

Question: please help! does asbestos cancer kill everyone? does anyone who gets asbestos cancer die from it? My aunty has asbestos cancer and i have heard that anyone who gets it dies from it!! PLEASE help my mums just had to take my aunty to hospital cause she has a chest infection i cant cope i just need to no shes only done two sets of cemo cause she only got diagnosed 5 weeks ago and i just need to no if it will aventually kill her because i have heard there is no cure for this cancer u can only expand ur life time by shrinking the tumor by doing cemo my aunty has 2 tumors in her left lung please answeer me :(

Answer: I'm sorry about your aunt:-( Prognosis varies from case to case, and becomes worse the longer the cancer is left undiscovered. Early diagnosis is crucial. Once mesothelioma reaches its later stages and the disease spreads to other areas of the body, there is no curative treatment. She'll be in my prayers! ************************************************************************ http://www.mesotheliomatreatmentcenters.org/asbestos/asbestos-cancer/ http://www.mesotheliomahealth.org/ Mesothelioma is not generally diagnosed until the disease is its latest stages of development primarily because of the amount of time it takes for mesothelioma patients to display the symptoms associated with the disease. In many cases, mesothelioma symptoms do not appear until several decades after the initial asbestos exposure occurred. Additionally, the symptoms of mesothelioma are very general, and often resemble less serious conditions which can make the cancer difficult to diagnose. As a result, the prognosis for the majority of patients is poor, but many doctors can recommend treatment options such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation to help combat the disease. Doctors typically address the cancer in terms of stages , ranging from stage one to stage four, with the cancer’s progression increasing with each stage. A mesothelioma patient’s stage greatly affects their prognosis. Unfortunately, once mesothelioma cancer has reached stage three or four, treatment options not only become more limited but less effective as well. When a patient has stage four mesothelioma, the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, and tumors have often deeply penetrated organs and tissues. The poor general health of the patient often rules out the possibility of surgery. In addition to the stage of the cancer at diagnosis and the age of the patient, other factors that affect prognosis include: The type of mesothelioma – pleural , peritoneal , pericardial or testicular The size of the tumor The location of the tumor and whether it can be surgically removed The extent of other symptoms, including fluid in the lungs or abdomen Whether or not the patient is a smoker Malignant mesothelioma is typically diagnosed in individuals over 55 years old, though there are certainly exceptions. Because of this, some patients who are diagnosed already have multiple medical problems caused by advancing age, making treatment even more difficult and increasing the mortality rate among mesothelioma patients. Mesothelioma Survival Rates Many studies have been conducted in regards to survival rates among mesothelioma patients. When discussing survival rates for this or any type of cancer, references to the "five-year relative survival rate" are often stated. This number refers to the percentage of patients who live at least five years after their cancer is diagnosed. However, in studies involving mesothelioma patients, the figures do not include patients that pass away from diseases other than mesothelioma. According to statistics published by the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for patients with mesothelioma is approximately 10 percent. That number has improved in the last five years, up from 9 percent reported at the end of 2002. In addition, recent studies show that the one-year survival rate is now about 40 percent, a number that has also gone up in the past five years. Throughout the 1990s, it was rare for a patient to survive more than a year after diagnosis.

Question: Metastatic lung cancer with asbestos related pleural? diagonised at 63 with lung cancer - acute.. included loss of weight and anaemia. Scans in July 2006 and October 2006 show cancer - re-staging despite treatment with Chemo. Was a smoker - but gave up approx 15yrs ago.. Also used to work with asbestos In October 2006 - as shown in July 2006, there is asbestos related pleural disease in both lungs. They are tumors in Right upper lobe, Retrocaval pretracheal node and left upper lobe - measuring a total of 12.1cm (this was in July 2006. In October 2006 they measured 13.3cm.. with the left upper lobe increasing from 3.7cm to 5cm Also indication of small left pleural effusion that increased in size. Difficultly in breathing as well as retaining of fluid in left lung according early 2007. Recent drainage took 800ml (feb 2007) and April 2007 was 450ml. Can anyone assist in understanding of this condition - what outcome will be?? This person is my father - and i have been reading from some of his reports.. Thanks to those that replied.. Dad had placed all affairs into order last yr - with myself with my mum being deciders re medical treatment etc.. SADLY - dad passed away last night.. Doctors don't know reason - he was doing well - his body just quit..

Answer: Your description of the disease is quite good, but I am afraid that my prognosis is not good. I would say without seeing the patient that it is a down hill course. From fluid drainage, I would only estimate a survival of six months or less. With Chemo (useless in asbestos inhalation), surivival might be extended but the metastis has probably spread to other lymph nodes...axillary...perhaps even the groin. The outlook is very ominous.

Question: Can someone who was exsposed to asbestos but did not contract cancer file a lawsuit?

Answer: You would need to discuss with an attorney what damages were done. You would likely need a medical condition to prove damages, and should find an attorney who specializes in abestos claims to find out for sure whether there could be a lawsuit or not. Go to www.totallawyers.com and see if you can find someone who is familiar with asbestos. That's the best lawyer site on the Internet. Good luck.

Question: Does my thick and prank asbestos curtain makes mosquito's or flies to get cancer? It is from the vault of my deceised uncle. It keeps the livingroom so cool summertimes, than my guests from NY turned on the electric heat by august.

Answer: No, Insects breath very little air. If it is asbestos and you breath the fibers if could however make you sick.

Question: why are step children added in a wrongful death suite from asbestos cancer? the parents blood children, who lived with him during the contamition filed the suit but we were told our stepmother and her grown children would prevail.

Answer: as a former asbestos handler you must understand that asbestos has far reaching effects. it takes years for symtoms to appear and then your life quickly deterorates. medical bills will be out of sight and they will most probaly walk around with oxygen tank the rest of their life. i saw lots of guys who worked me end this way.

Question: If asbestos is not reactive with the body why does it caus cancer? I know what asbestos does! Its why!

Answer: Hi, basically a Cancer can grow from ANY single abnormal cell within the body. Without getting too technical or medical here a single fibre of asbestos can lay dormant for years and then grow into a tumour.

Question: My Gran died of an asbestos related cancer a while back of which we are seeking compensation which will...? be spread throughout the family, is any of this taxable?

Answer: It will form part of her estate for Inheritance Tax purposes. If the amount, plus the rest of her estate exceeds £365k, then IHT will be due. Otherwise, there is no lilability on the beneficiaries of the will.

Question: Can cats get lung cancer by being exposed to asbestos?

Answer: It's unlikely. Cats don't smoke, which greatly increases the likelihood of lung cancer for people who have been exposed to asbestos. Cats don't live very long, and are likely to die of other causes well before lung cancer would show up. But here's the thing: if your cat has been exposed to asbestos, so have you. Kitty will have carried some fibers home on her fur. I'm more worred about you than the cat. Tell your doctor. You may want to get screened in a decade.