Asbestos Lung Cancer Risks and What to Do About Them
Asbestos is a substance which was extensively used in the 1990's for construction and decoration. This is because asbestos was found to have a high tensile strength and was known very well for its flame and heat resistance. However, people who worked in factories and who were commonly exposed to this substance were not really warned about asbestos lung cancer risks. What sort of risks are there?
Well, so far, there are two main asbestos lung cancer risks you should be worried about:
Mesothelioma - This is cancer that does not occur in the lungs but in the tissue covering the lungs. Mesothelioma is a disease wherein a person develops tumors on the tissue covering the vital organs. Although there are certain cases wherein the tumors are benign, the majority of those which develop are very much malignant. Because of this, common use of the term no longer makes decisions between benign and malignant mesothelioma. Almost all of the cases of mesothelioma being reported today have a history of asbestos exposure. This just goes to show you how large the asbestos lung cancer risks are.
Actual lung cancer - Mesothelioma differs from lung cancer in the sense that while mesothelioma affects the tissue covering the vital organs, lung cancer hits the vital organs-the lungs themselves. This is not a pretty sight which is why you should be thankful that lungs are inside your body.
These are the two types of asbestos lung cancer risks that some people face everyday. Now comes the question of how those risks can be lowered.
The first thing that you can do to lower the asbestos lung cancer risk on yourself is to work someplace other than a factory or establishment which makes use of asbestos as a raw material. Most people who have developed asbestos lung cancer have been exposed to the substance in a work environment. This is because during the early 90's when people used asbestos extensively in construction and decoration, employers frequently forgot to mention to their employees that asbestos was a very dangerous substance when inhaled. People were not equipped with the right accessories to help them prevent the asbestos fibers from getting into their lungs. Although these people did not feel any sort of symptom while they were working, 20-50 years later, they finally realize how big an impact that job actually made on them.
The next thing you can do to lower the risk of asbestos lung cancer is to try and get rid of any asbestos products at home. In cases like this, you have to remember that there are certain regulations that need to be followed in the disposal of asbestos. You should also try to get an inspector to look around your house and see which asbestos products need to be removed or which products need to be left alone for the general safety of people.
This is because although there are some products which do give off dangerous asbestos fibers, there are those products which are better left alone in order not to render contained asbestos fibers airborne. Hiring an expert will be able to help you make sure that everything is taken care of. After all, no matter how good you may be, you won't be able to spot asbestos products immediately without the help of an expert, right? By doing this, you can be sure that each asbestos product is disposed of properly and that you don't place yourself in unnecessary danger.
Another thing you can do to lower the risk of asbestos lung cancer is to check out your workplace or school. Some offices are located in old buildings wherein the ceiling can be a bit damaged. As you may well know, old ceilings do have asbestos in them. This is mainly because people thought that adding asbestos to ceiling tiles can help fireproof a building. If you notice some cracked ceiling tiles, you might want to talk about it to someone who can get it fixed. Old ceiling tiles which are quite crumbly give off a huge amount of asbestos fibers so removing them can help you reduce the risk of asbestos lung cancer. These few tips are quite simple but they may save your life.
