Diagnosing Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer
Asbestos in lung tissue. Source: Ospedale S. Polo - MonfalconeAsbestos-related lung cancer is diagnosed in the same way as lung cancer caused by any other carcinogen. Imaging scans such as MRIs and CT scans are used to identify the presence of tumors, while biopsies determine if the cells are cancerous. Although additional tests can be performed to scan the tissue for the physical presence of asbestos, very few patients undergo these expensive screenings. More commonly, the patient is interviewed by their doctor to determine whether their diagnosis is asbestos-related. Oncologists can attribute lung cancer to asbestos exposure by obtaining specific information about the years, length and locations of the patient's asbestos exposure.
Laboratory tests are usually only performed on patients who need proof of asbestos exposure to file an asbestos lawsuit. In some cases, an employment history will provide sufficient proof of exposure, but other patients – particularly those who smoked – may need medical evidence that asbestos exposure contributed to their illness. To learn more about compensation options for asbestos-related diseases, please fill out the form on this page.
Under-Diagnosis of Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer
According to recent estimates, as many as 3 to 12 percent of all lung cancer diagnoses are caused by asbestos exposure. However, these numbers may be too low to reflect the actual incidence of asbestos-related lung cancer on a global scale.
One study estimated that although as many as 2,000 cases of asbestos-related lung cancers may actually occur each year in Italy, only 281 occupationally-related lung cancers were reported over a five-year span. Other industrialized countries such as France, the United Kingdom and New Zealand are also thought to under-diagnose asbestos-related lung cancers. Because there is no single diagnostic test or biomarker to reliably diagnose a case of lung cancer as asbestos-related, many lung cancer cases are attributed solely to other causes such as smoking.
Ways to Diagnose Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer
Because asbestos-caused lung cancer possesses the same clinical features as lung cancers caused by smoking or radon exposure, diagnostic testing is the same regardless of the cause of the cancer. The diagnosis of lung cancer usually begins with imaging scans – such as CT, MRI or PET scans – and involves tissue sampling such as sputum cytology or a biopsy like fine needle aspiration.
Once lung cancer has been diagnosed and if the patient has a history of asbestos exposure, doctors use the Helsinki Criteria to help determine the role asbestos may have played in the development of the cancer. The Helsinki Criteria were established in 1997 to provide diagnostic criteria for asbestos-related diseases such as lung cancer. According to the Helsinki Criteria, "reliable work histories provide the most practical and useful measure of occupational asbestos exposure." If a patient is a candidate for an asbestos-related disease based on their symptoms, latency period and occupational data, then histopathological testing can be obtained to confirm an asbestos-related lung cancer diagnosis.
The only clinical feature that can provide an indisputable diagnosis of asbestos-related lung cancer is asbestosis, a disease exclusively caused by prolonged asbestos exposure. If a lung cancer patient has been diagnosed with asbestosis, their lung cancer can also be diagnosed as asbestos-related. However, a diagnosis of asbestosis is not required to diagnose a patient with asbestos-related lung cancer. In one study of 120 asbestos-related lung cancers, only 35 patients also had asbestosis.
When lung tissue analysis is required to diagnose asbestos-related lung cancer, a biopsied section of lung tissue is typically dissolved in a chemical solution, processed with chloroform and ethanol, filtered and then viewed on a microscope. For lung cancer to be attributed to asbestos exposure, tissue samples must reveal 0.1 million amphibole fibers per gram of dry lung tissue or one asbestos body per milliliter of bronchoalveolar fluid. If necessary, a specific type of asbestos fiber can be diagnosed as the cause of lung cancer by identifying the type of fiber that appeared most frequently in the sample.
If you would like to learn more about testing for asbestos-caused lung cancer, visit our Doctor Match program. This free program pairs patients with doctors who specialize in treating asbestos-related diseases. Call (800) 549-0544 to learn more about the cost-free program today.
-
05/18/2012 -
The Queen of Disco Donna Summer died on Thursday in her Naples, Florida, home after a quiet battle with lung cancer.
She was 63.
The five-time G ..
-
05/17/2012 -
Thoracic surgeon Robert Cameron, M.D., used his second annual Symposium for Lung-Sparing Therapies for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma last week in Los ..
-
05/17/2012 -
Researchers in Singapore have uncovered new technology for studying cancer stem cells that could spark quicker development of a more effective therapy ..
© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Friday, April 27th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
