Exposure to asbestos and cancer risk

Exposure to asbestos and cancer risk, we all know asbestos cancer Is one of dangerous cancer in the world so with this article I want to share to all of you about Exposure to asbestos and cancer risk, and also we will discuss about asbestos cancer and also how to protect our self from this cancer, let us know about asbestos cancer

* Asbestos is the name for a group of minerals that occur naturally in the environment, given as a fiber bundle
* Exposure to asbestos may increase the risk of asbestosis, lung cancer and other malignant pleural disease increase, lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers
* Smokers who are exposed to asbestos have a greatly increased risk of lung cancer
* People who have been exposed (or suspect that they may have been exposed) to asbestos at work, on the environment or at home via a family contact their physician to inform

So let me know about asbestos one by one

1. What is asbestos?

Asbestos is the name for a group of minerals that occur naturally in the environment as bundles of fibers, which are separately placed in thin, durable son. These fibers are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals and does not derive electricity. For these reasons, asbestos was used in many industries.

Chemically, the asbestos minerals consisting of silicates, which implies that contain atoms of silicon and oxygen in its molecular structure.

Asbestos minerals are divided into two groups: serpentine asbestos and amphibole asbestos divided. Includes mineral serpentine, chrysotile asbestos, which has long, curly fibers, which can be woven. Chrysotile asbestos is the form used in the wide commercial applications. Amphibole minerals crocidolite containing actinolite, tremolite, anthophyllite and amosite. The amphibole is entitled, such as needles fibers, which are more sensitive than serpentine, asbestos, and are limited in their ability to be produced (1, 2).

2. How is asbestos used?

Asbestos has been mined and trade in North America since the end of 1800th Its use greatly increased during World War II . Since then, asbestos was used in many industries. For example, the construction and use of cement and plastics as well as for insulation, roofing, fire protection and strengthening of sound insulation. To isolate the asbestos used in the shipbuilding industry of boilers, steam and hot water. The automotive industry uses asbestos in brake shoes and clutch plates of the vehicle. Asbestos was on the ceiling and floor tiles, using paints, lacquers and adhesives and plastics. In addition, asbestos in vermiculite-containing products and some garden-talk with crayons.

At the end of the year 1970, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) prohibition on the use of asbestos in wallboard patching compounds and gas fireplaces because the asbestos in these products could be released into the environment during use. In addition, manufacturers of electric hair dryer had voluntarily stopped using asbestos in their products in 1979. In 1989, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA banned), all new uses of asbestos but are developed applications that allow even before 1989. EPA has regulations already require that the school systems of buildings for the presence of asbestos damage to inspect and to eliminate or reduce exposure to asbestos for the occupants in the removal of asbestos or boxes set .

In June 2000, the CPSC concluded that the risk was the burden of children with asbestos fibers in crayons very low . However, U.S. producers agreed to eliminate talc from these pins to their products.

In August 2000 EPA conducted a series of tests to assess the risk to consumers of the health effects of exposure to asbestos-contaminated vermiculite are connected. The EPA concluded that exposure to asbestos in certain products to be low risk to the health vermiculite. The EPA recommends that consumers with low risk arises with occasional use of vermiculite during gardening activities by limiting the amount of dust, if with vermiculite reduced. Specifically, the EPA suggested that consumers use vermiculite outdoors or in a well ventilated, keep the vermiculite damp while you should avoid pre-mixed dust from vermiculite in the house on clothes and use potting soil, which is less likely to dust (2 to produce).

Describe the regulations and other measures, with public concern over the dangers of asbestos have led to a significant annual decrease in the use of asbestos, USA. Domestic consumption of asbestos amounted to about 803,000 tonnes in 1973, but had about 2,400 tonnes in 2005 decreased .

3. What are the health risks of exposure to asbestos?

People exposed to asbestos at their workplace, their communities or homes. When treated products containing asbestos, are the small asbestos fibers released into the air. When inhaled asbestos fibers, can be caught and there for longer stays in the lungs. Over time, these fibers can occur, and this scarring and inflammation, which can impair breathing, cause serious health problems.

Asbestos has been shown to be carcinogenic to humans (When a substance that causes cancer) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, EPA and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Studies have shown that (the exposure to asbestos, the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma, a relatively rare cancer of the thin membrane along the chest and abdomen may increase). Although rare, mesothelioma is the most common form of cancer with exposure to asbestos. In addition to lung cancer and mesothelioma, some studies an association between asbestos exposure and stomach and colon cancer and an increased risk of throat cancer, kidney, esophagus, gallbladder and recommended. But the evidence is not conclusive.

Exposure to asbestos may also be the risk of asbestosis (an inflammatory disease that affects the lungs and can cause breathing difficulties, coughing and) permanent damage to the lungs and non-malignant diseases of the lungs and pleura, including pleural plaques (changes in the membrane surrounding the lung ), pleural effusion, pleural thickening, Benin (abnormal accumulation of fluid between thin layers of tissue on the walls of the lungs and chest cavity). Although pleural plaques do not precursors to lung cancer, evidence that people with pleural disease caused by exposure to asbestos in May caused an increased risk of lung cancer.

4. Who is at risk from diseases caused by asbestos?

Everyone is exposed to asbestos at some point in their lives. Low of asbestos in the air, water and soil. But most people are not ill from their exposure. People who are ill from asbestos are usually those that are regularly exposed, often in a job where they work directly with the material or the environment with important contacts.

Since the 1940s, millions of American workers exposed to asbestos. Health hazards from asbestos fibers have been suspended for manual workers in the business of shipbuilding, known uranium mining and asbestos manufacturing of asbestos textiles and other products "asbestos insulation work in construction and building trades, and a variety of other trades. The demolition, drywall stripper, exposed workers in asbestos removal, fire and auto workers May to asbestos fibers. studies that the risk of cancer with experience in motor mechanics, asbestos exposure from brake repair are limited, but the general evidence that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos . Due to legal regulations and improved work practices, today's workers (persons exposed without any previous exposure) are likely to lower risks than those in the past face.

Those who rescue, recovery and cleanup at the site involved in September 11, 2001 against the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York, another group at risk of developing a disease associated with asbestos. Because asbestos was used in the construction of the north tower of the World Trade Center when the building was attacked, hundreds of tons of asbestos were released into the atmosphere. People most at risk are firemen, policemen, paramedics, construction workers and volunteers who worked in the rubble of Ground Zero. Other people are at risk residents in the vicinity of the WTC towers and those who visit in the vicinity. These people should be followed to determine the health effects of exposure to long-term .

Une étude a revel que près de 70 pour cent des travailleurs dans le sauvetage et la récupération du WTC a subi de nouvelles ou aggravé les symptômes respiratoires au cours de leurs travaux sur le site du WTC. The study describes the results of the WTC Worker and Volunteer Medical Screening Program that was created to identify and characterize potential effects on the health of WTC responders context. The study found that about 28 percent of those tested had abnormal lung function tests, and 61 percent of those who have no health problems before respiratory symptoms.
However, it is important to note that these symptoms associated with exposure to components of other traces of asbestos can.

Although it is clear that the health hazards of asbestos and increased with increased exposure time, researchers have found out, diseases caused by asbestos exposure among persons with short duration. Overall, those who develop asbestos diseases show, with no signs of illness for a long period after the first exposure. It can be 10 to 40 years or more symptoms of a condition associated with asbestos appear.

There is some evidence that family members of workers heavily exposed to asbestos are at increased risk of developing mesothelioma . This risk is expected from exposure to asbestos fibers brought into the house results on shoes, clothing, skin and hair of workers. To reduce these risks, federal law governs the working methods to reduce the possibility of asbestos has been limited in this way. Some employees may be required to shower and change clothes before leaving work, storing your street clothes in a separate area of the workplace, or wash their work clothes separately from other laundry.

The cases of mesothelioma have also been observed in individuals without occupational exposure to asbestos, live close to asbestos mines .
5. What factors influence the risk of developing a disease, for asbestos-related?

Several factors may help determine, how asbestos affects a person :

* Dose (how much asbestos a person was exposed).
* Duration (how long a person was exposed).
* Size, shape and chemical composition of asbestos fibers.
* Source of exposure.
* The individual risk factors such as smoking and pre-existing lung diseases.

Although all forms of asbestos are considered hazardous, different types of asbestos fibers may be associated with various health risks. For example, several studies show that amphibole forms of asbestos can be more harmful than chrysotile, particularly for the risk of mesothelioma, because in the lungs for a longer period.

6. How smoking affect risk?

Many studies have shown that the combination of smoking and asbestos are particularly dangerous. Smokers exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing lung cancer is greater than the individual risks from asbestos and smoke add. There is evidence that smoking reduces the risk of lung cancer among workers exposed to asbestos. Smoking combined with asbestos does not increase the risk of mesothelioma. But people have been exposed to asbestos at work at any time during their life, the suspect, or they may be exposed should not smoke was.

7. As diseases are detected by asbestos?

People who have been exposed (or suspect that they may have been exposed) to asbestos fibers at work on the environment or at home via a family contact their doctor about their exposure and history information, if any symptoms. The symptoms of diseases caused by asbestos in May will be seen for several decades after exposure. It is especially important to consult a doctor if any of the following symptoms:
* Shortness of breath, wheezing or hoarseness.
* A persistent cough gets worse over time.
* Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up from the lungs.
* Pain or tightness in the chest.
* Difficulty in swallowing.
* Swelling of the face or neck.
* Loss of appetite.
* Weight loss.
* Fatigue or anemia.

A complete physical examination, including chest x-ray and pulmonary function tests may be recommended. Chest x-ray is currently the most common tool used to detect the disease through exposure to asbestos. However, it is important that the chest x-ray can not detect, observe asbestos fibers in the lungs, but can contribute to early signs of lung disease resulting from exposure to asbestos.

Studies show that the computed tomography (CT) (a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body shown from different angles, the images are assembled by a computer to an x-ray machine) can be produced more efficiently than conventional chest X -rays to detect abnormalities in asbestos-related persons, the lungs were asbestos.

A lung biopsy, which detects microscopic asbestos fibers in pieces of lung tissue removed by surgery included, is the most reliable test for the presence of anomalies confirmed by asbestos. Bronchoscopy is a test less invasive than a biopsy and detects asbestos fibers in the material that has washed the lungs. It is important that these studies did not determine how much asbestos an individual was exposed to the disease or develop. Asbestos fibers can also be detected in urine, mucus or feces, but these tests are not reliable for determining the amount of asbestos in the lungs, a person can.

8. That workers can protect against exposure to asbestos?

The Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a component of the Department of Labor (DOL) and the federal agency for health and safety in maritime transport, construction, manufacturing, services and jobs. OSHA requirements laid down by exposure to asbestos at work, especially in construction, shipbuilding, industry and employers are obliged to follow. In addition, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), another component of the Department of Labor's policy puts the safety of mining are related. Workers should use all protective equipment recommended by their employers and their work practices and procedures to monitor safety. For example, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has respirators fit properly should be worn by workers when needed.