The following guest post, exploring the possible relationship between breast cancer and asbestos exposure, is by Ben Leer, Outreach Coordinator for the Mesothelioma Center (Asbestos.com).
Mesothelioma is an uncommon and very aggressive cancer caused by exposure to a group of minerals called asbestos. The main use of asbestos was to insulate products from heat. It was commonly used in ships, boiler rooms and even houses with hopes to prevent fires. Unfortunately, asbestos is the cause of a cancer that metastasizes up to 20-50 years after being exposed.
Because of the thin fibrous crystal composition of asbestos, nearly 75% of mesothelioma cancer cases occur in the lungs. These physical properties allow the fibers to be inhaled and pierce the lining of lungs, causing irritation and leading to cancerous cells to grow. As a result, neighboring organs are at great risk, including the breast.
More and more, risk factors for breast cancer are becoming better defined; age, family history, alcohol consumption, obesity. Americans are becoming more knowledge about what causes breast cancers. What about the exposure to asbestos as a cause?
There have been several studies regarding the connection of breast cancer to asbestos exposure.
One of the first studies involved British asbestos factory workers; the study revealed a slight increase in breast cancer diagnosis with their workers. Another similar British study examined the presence of asbestos fibers in 178 female participants, 30 percent had asbestos present and the majority of the women with asbestos present also had a breast cancer diagnosis.
Currently, there are two main theories linking breast cancer to asbestos. Because asbestos fibers can travel through the lymphatic system, they can reach the chest wall. Another theory suggests that asbestos fibers can continue to puncture passed the chest wall and reach the breast tissue. These studies are limited and result in vague conclusions. Further studies will be needed to create a more definitive relationship.
Except for lung cancer, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Nearly 1 in 35 deaths in women will be caused by breast cancer. Statistics reveal that these numbers have been declining as a result of successful awareness campaigns and early detection. As it relates to mesothelioma, early detection is paramount to increasing your mesothelioma life expectancy. If you would like more information about mesothelioma, asbestos, or other asbestos related disease please feel free to visit: http://www.asbestos.com. http://twitter.com/#!/TheMesoCenter http://www.facebook.com/themesocenter
