Colorectal
Scientists and the public have known for many years that asbestos, as a human carcinogen, causes cancer in humans with whom it comes into contact. While cancers like mesothelioma and lung cancer have shared the ignominious spotlight, each leading to more than 2000 American deaths a year, another form of devastating cancer has begun to make waves with the media and scientists. A few years ago, some scientists began to suspect that colorectal cancer could be caused by exposure to asbestos. However, for many years, there was little evidence to support these claims. Today, although there is no definitive proof that asbestos causes colorectal cancer in humans, the findings of several studies at large, prestigious universities have led scientists and authorities to conclude that there may be a correlation - and even a causal relationship - between exposure to asbestos and the eventual development of colorectal cancer.
We are only now beginning to experience the peak of the asbestos epidemic in the United States. Although the use of asbestos in construction materials and consumer goods went out of vogue a few decades ago, each year more and more asbestos-related diagnoses are made, because cancers caused by asbestos typically take many years to develop and present symptoms. Each year, nearly 10,000 Americans die from illnesses related to exposure to asbestos. To read about other non-mesothelioma cancers, please see Other Asbestos Cancers.
Of these thousands of innocent individuals who have been stricken with needless cancer, many may have succumbed to colorectal cancer caused by exposure to asbestos; and because doctors didn't associate colorectal cancers with asbestos, many victims of the asbestos industry may have slipped through the cracks, unable to make a claim against those who injured them, and unable to afford the treatment necessary for their survival.
Colorectal cancer is the second largest cause of cancer deaths in the United States, following lung cancer. Colorectal cancer occurs when cells in the rectum or colon begin to divide or multiply rapidly and uncontrollably, after which point they may spread to other regions of the body, putting the afflicted individual in serious danger. Authorities estimate that more than 100,000 Americans were diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer in 2007, many of which may have developed cancer as the result of exposure to asbestos. Studies conducted by the American Journal of Epidemiology found that smokers who have been exposed to asbestos have a 36 percent increased risk of developing colorectal cancer than smokers who have not been exposed to asbestos. This study also found that individual who developed pulmonary asbestosis as a result of exposure to asbestos suffered a higher incidence of colorectal cancer than did individuals not afflicted by asbestosis. These recent findings serve as strong evidence of a possible correlational or causal relationship between exposure to asbestos and the eventual development of a colorectal cancer.
There are a number of factors that may play a significant role in your risk for developing colorectal cancer once you've been exposed to asbestos. The volume of asbestos to which you are exposed is a factor, as is the amount of time during which you are exposed to asbestos. The more these factors increase, the greater your chances are of developing a serious case of colorectal cancer. Additionally, your present health and medical history are important to consider. If you are a smoker, you at a much greater risk of developing any cancer, including colorectal cancers associated with exposure to asbestos. A healthy individual with a strong resistance to disease and illness may have a decreased risk for the development of cancers following such an exposure, although the risk still exists.
Many individuals with colon cancer will present no symptoms during the early stages of the illness. Some symptoms that commonly occur are bloody stools, diarrhea, abdominal pain and weight loss. It may be particularly difficult to diagnose colorectal cancer in the cases of those who have been exposed to asbestos, because cancers related to such an exposure may take many years or even decades to present symptoms. Doctors agree that in the case of colorectal cancers, preventative screenings are important for everyone, not just those who have been exposed to asbestos. If you believe you may be at risk for developing colorectal cancer, or if you have been exposed at any time to asbestos-containing materials, please get in touch with a physician who may be able to answer any questions you have, and who can help you to get the proper screening.
So please, take action today. Already, asbestos has killed countless thousands of innocent individuals, parents and children with families, and every day, asbestos claims the lives of many more. Don't be another victim of the asbestos industry. If you think you may have been exposed to asbestos and are at an increased risk for colorectal cancer, seek the advice of an asbestos lawyer who can help you get the treatment you need.
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