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Sean Marchese, MS, RN: How Asbestos Exposure Causes Lung Cancer
And that's what leads to the formation of abnormal cells and cancer cells, leading into lung cancer. There's no difference between lung cancer caused by asbestos and lung cancer caused by smoking, other toxic materials, or just genetic risk factors. The treatment options are largely the same and prognosis and survivability are the same.
What Is Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer?
Asbestos-related lung cancer is a type of cancer that starts inside the lungs after a person breathes in asbestos fibers. Its tumors usually form in the airways or tiny air sacs that help the body take in oxygen.
It usually takes decades for asbestos lung cancer to develop after exposure. The risk follows a dose response, meaning it increases with both the amount and length of time someone is exposed to asbestos fibers.
Key Facts About Asbestos Lung Cancer
- Asbestos causes about 4% of lung cancers in the United States.
- Asbestos-related lung cancer causes an estimated 6,000 deaths in the United States each year.
- Asbestos exposure on its own raises lung cancer risk about 5 times. The risk climbs to about 50 times for someone who both smoked and worked around asbestos, compared with someone who did neither.
- Symptoms can take 15 to 35 years to appear after asbestos exposure.
Tumors most often develop in the upper lobes of the lungs. This may be because of how inhaled asbestos fibers settle and how air flows through the lungs. Spotting asbestos lung cancer tumors early in these areas can help guide faster treatment decisions.
Mesothelioma vs. Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer
Mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer stem from the same exposure, but they’re not the same diagnosis. Mesothelioma is a cancer that starts in the lining around organs, called the mesothelium. Pleural mesothelioma, the most common type, begins in the lining around the lungs. Because it affects this area, mesothelioma is sometimes confused with lung cancer
Doctors use the same tests to diagnose both types of cancer. Both asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma have long latency periods. They often take decades before symptoms appear. When symptoms develop, the cancers can grow rapidly.
These cancers grow in different ways and require different treatments. Lung cancer linked to asbestos is diagnosed nearly 6 times more often than mesothelioma. Among illnesses related to asbestos exposure, lung cancer is the leading cause of death.
What Are the Types of Asbestos Lung Cancer?
The 2 main types of asbestos lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. About 80% to 85% of asbestos-related lung cancer is NSCLC, and 10% to 15% is SCLC.
SCLC differs from NSCLC in its aggressiveness and microscopic appearance. SCLC consists of smaller cancer cells that resemble oats. When compared to NSCLC’s larger cancer cells, the cells in SCLC look smaller and more alike.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer is the more common type associated with asbestos exposure. NSCLC tends to grow less aggressively than SCLC. There are 3 main classifications of NSCLC: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma.
Small Cell Lung Cancer
Small cell lung cancer is the less common type associated with asbestos exposure. SCLC grows much more quickly than NSCLC. SCLC also spreads throughout the body much faster. To treat SCLC effectively, it must be addressed early and aggressively.
If you developed lung cancer after being exposed to asbestos at work, you may qualify for compensation.
Get Help NowHow Does Asbestos Cause Lung Cancer?
Inhaled asbestos fibers can settle deep in the lungs. It may only take a single period of exposure for these sharp fibers to dig in, and they can cause damage for decades. Once asbestos fibers lodge in lung tissue, they cause irritation and inflammation. This inflammation can cause scarring, called fibrosis. Over time, this irritation, inflammation and scarring can damage cells and change their DNA, allowing cancer to develop.
A 2025 study listed asbestos and other environmental pollutants as one of the most significant risk factors for lung cancer. Asbestos is the most reported work-related lung cancer according to a recent global study in SciELO. It determined 38% of all work-related lung cancer cases had a link to asbestos exposure. The military’s heavy use of asbestos put veterans and civilian workers at higher risk. Mining, construction, heavy industry, shipbuilding, insulation work, boiler work, demolition, industrial work and firefighting are also higher-risk groups for occupational asbestos exposure. However, if you worked in any field where encountering asbestos was likely, whether through hands-on work or simply being in the vicinity of those doing that type of work, you might have been exposed.
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Dr. Jacques Fontaine: How Asbestos Exposure Increases Lung Cancer Risk
And we think that lung cancer is only related to smoking, to cigarette use. But in fact, asbestos exposure increases your risk of lung cancer fifty fold times more than with just cigarette smoking. So if you have been exposed significantly to asbestos and you’re a smoker, your chance of getting lung cancer are fifty times more than if you were just a smoker.
Asbestos exposure causes more lung cancer in the United States than mesothelioma.
So people have this preconceived notion that asbestos exposure can only put you at risk for mesothelioma.
Asbestos exposure puts you at increased risk for mesothelioma, but more often lung cancer, esophagus cancer, ovarian cancer.
Not everyone who inhales asbestos will develop lung cancer. However, high levels of long-term asbestos exposure will create a significant risk. Research indicates asbestos exposure on its own raises the risk of lung cancer about 5 times compared with someone never exposed. That risk increases with both the amount inhaled and the number of years of exposure. Asbestos is the cause behind about 4% of lung cancers in the United States.
Steven M. Markowitz, M.D. is an occupational medicine physician who directs the Barry Commoner Center for Health and the Environment at City University of New York. He says all types of asbestos cause both lung cancer and mesothelioma. But he explains, “longer, thinner fibers have a stronger association with lung cancer.”
How Does Smoking Increase Lung Cancer Risk After Asbestos Exposure?
Smoking and asbestos can both lead to lung cancer. When a person both smokes and has a history of asbestos exposure, many studies show that their likelihood of developing lung cancer can increase significantly. The risk for lung cancer increases to about 50 times for someone who both smoked and worked around asbestos.
Quitting smoking after asbestos exposure may lower that risk substantially, though it doesn’t return it to normal. In one study of insulation workers, lung cancer mortality was cut in half within 10 years of quitting and it approached the rate seen in people who never smoked by 30 years after quitting. Being a current or former smoker doesn’t disqualify you from filing an asbestos claim.
How Long Does It Take for Asbestos to Cause Cancer?
Asbestos-related lung cancer usually takes 15 to 35 years to develop after a person’s first exposure. This gap is called the latency period. While the latency can be longer or shorter, most lung cancers in asbestos-exposed workers appear at least 10 years after first exposure. Doctors generally won’t attribute lung cancer to asbestos before that 10-year mark. The mesothelioma latency period after asbestos exposure is between 20 and 60 years.
This long delay between exposure and the cancer’s development is why a diagnosis often traces back to a job someone left decades ago. It also explains why the exposure can be easy to overlook when talking to a medical professional about your history. If you worked around asbestos at any point, tell your doctor, even if it was several decades ago.
How Do Doctors Link Lung Cancer to Asbestos?
Doctors use the Helsinki Criteria to determine if asbestos likely contributed to a person’s lung cancer. These guidelines consider factors like an asbestosis diagnosis, high asbestos fiber levels in lung tissue and a person’s history of heavy asbestos exposure. For lung cancer to be linked to asbestos, the cancer must have developed at least 10 years after the first asbestos exposure. When determining if a person’s cancer diagnosis meets the Helsinki Criteria, a doctor asks very specific questions about a person’s history with asbestos exposure.
Helsinki Attribution Criteria
- The cancer is one of the types associated with asbestos exposure
- Screenings have been thorough, and pathology and biomarkers have been considered
- An asbestosis diagnosis, the lung scarring that signals heavy exposure
- An estimated cumulative exposure of about 25 fiber-years or more, a measure that combines airborne asbestos concentration with how long the person breathed it
- Asbestosis and other asbestos-related illnesses found in coworkers with similar work experience
This is a medical judgment, not a legal one. Proving the cause in a legal claim works differently and has its own evidence requirements.
What Are the Symptoms of Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer?
Asbestos-related lung cancer causes shortness of breath, a cough and chest pain. Lung cancer from asbestos, smoking or other causes has the same symptoms. These symptoms resemble other respiratory conditions ranging from pneumonia to mesothelioma. This often delays diagnosis.
Asbestos Lung Cancer Symptoms
- Chest pain
- Chronic respiratory infections
- Coughing up blood
- Fatigue
- Hoarseness or wheezing
- Loss of appetite
- Persistent coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling of the face or neck
- Weight loss
Symptoms usually only appear in lung cancer’s later stages, when it’s harder to treat. In a 2025 study in Science Direct, 38% of people with a higher risk of lung cancer declined a chest CT screening because they had no symptoms.
If you have had past asbestos exposure, regular cancer screenings can help your doctor catch cancer early. An early diagnosis can improve your treatment options and overall outlook.
How Is Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer Diagnosed?
Doctors diagnose asbestos-related lung cancer via several critical steps. They begin with a comprehensive medical and occupational history. This discussion with your doctor is very important. Knowing how long and how much exposure there was can help with diagnosis and treatment.
Steps in Diagnosing Asbestos Lung Cancer
- Review of medical and asbestos exposure history.
- Imaging tests such as chest X-rays, CT scans and PET scans.
- Bronchoscopy or needle biopsy procedures to obtain tissue samples.
- Pathological analysis (cytology) to confirm cancer type and stage.
This detailed analysis is important because it helps health care providers create personalized treatment plans. Accurate diagnosis through these steps is also key to effectively managing asbestos-related lung cancer.
What Are the Treatment Options for Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer?
Treatment for asbestos-related lung cancer includes surgery, chemo, radiation and immunotherapy. Surgery aims to remove tumors. Chemo kills cancer cells, and radiation prevents recurrence. Immunotherapy can boost the body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells.
Keytruda, Opdivo, Libtayo, Imfinzi and Tecentriq are commonly used. These are all both immunotherapies and targeted therapies. They’re monoclonal antibodies, which are lab-made proteins. They target immune checkpoint proteins. Cancer cells use these natural “off switches” to hide from the immune system.
Treating Asbestos Lung Cancer
- Chemo: Common if the cancer has spread. Cisplatin-based chemo shrinks tumors and kills cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy and targeted therapy: Standard, first-line options for NSCLC include Keytruda, Opdivo, Libtayo, Imfinzi and Tecentriq.
- Radiation therapy: High-energy rays kill cancer cells or slow growth. It can help prevent cancer from coming back.
- Surgery: If caught early, doctors can remove the tumor and a small piece, called a lobe of the lung, or they can remove the whole lung in a pneumonectomy.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines provide widely recognized protocols for lung cancer treatment. These include therapies effective for asbestos-related cases. Sean Marchese, RN, tells us, “The most common surgery for asbestos lung cancer is a lobectomy. That means the surgeon removes a lung lobe with the most cancer.”
Clinical trials might offer new treatment options. How well a person does depends on their cancer stage, health, and how they respond to treatment. Personalized care and regular check-ups can help them live longer.
The right legal representation is everything. We’ll connect you to a top asbestos lung cancer lawyer who will help you secure financial compensation.
Find an AttorneyWhat Is the Average Survival Rate for Asbestos Lung Cancer?
The average survival rate for asbestos lung cancer depends on the stage at diagnosis and the effectiveness of treatment received. Early-stage detection has considerably higher survival rates compared to advanced stages.
According to CDC data, early-stage lung cancer has a 5-year survival rate of approximately 61%. Advanced lung cancer survival rates significantly decrease to around 9%. Early detection through regular medical screenings significantly improves survival chances.
A 2024 Korean study found 66% of people with asbestos-related lung cancer lived 5 years or more. Fewer than 50% of all lung cancer patients survive more than 1 year after their diagnosis. An asbestos lung cancer prognosis depends on cancer type, subtype, overall health and how far the cancer has spread.
Hildy Grossman
Lung Cancer Survivor Jazzes It up to Raise Awareness
Hildy Grossman is a lung cancer survivor who loves performing on stage. She sings for the joy of the song and the thrill she feels as a cabaret entertainer. Today she sings to save lives. Hildy’s turned her lifelong passion for musical theater into a beacon of hope. She’s created a nonprofit to support much-needed lung cancer research. It’s a volunteer-powered fundraising arm built around performing arts.
Hildy Grossman
Asbestos Lung Cancer Legal Options
People with asbestos lung cancer can file an asbestos lung cancer lawsuit to help cover the cost of treatment and lost wages. Those who lose a loved one may file a wrongful death lawsuit. In 2024, there were 1,644 asbestos lung cancer lawsuits filed in the U.S. That’s a 4% increase from 2023, the biggest jump for any asbestos-related disease.
Our Patient Advocates can match you and your family with an asbestos attorney who has a record of success with cases like yours and is someone you and your family will feel comfortable working with. An experienced lawyer can help you seek compensation to cover medical expenses, travel costs and lost wages. Our VA-accredited claims agents will also help you file claims for VA benefits if your exposure happened during military service.
Most lawsuits end in a settlement. Your asbestos lung cancer lawyer will work to negotiate a favorable asbestos lung cancer settlement for you and your loved ones. Both smokers and nonsmokers can qualify if asbestos exposure is the root cause of your cancer. If your case does go to trial, your lawyer will manage litigation for you so you can focus on your health. A claim needs evidence connecting your cancer to a specific source of asbestos. This usually means gathering your work history, the names of products you worked with and your medical records. Talk to your Patient Advocate about what evidence you need and how a lawyer assembles it.
Common Questions About Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer
- What types of lung cancers does asbestos cause?
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Asbestos exposure can cause any type of lung cancer. Most cases are non-small cell lung cancer, which makes up about 80% to 85% of asbestos-related lung cancers.
- Does everyone exposed to asbestos get lung cancer?
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Not every person exposed to asbestos will develop lung cancer and the risk rises with the amount and length of exposure. Heavy and long asbestos exposure presents the highest risk. People with a smoking history are also more susceptible to asbestos-related lung cancer.
- Can you file an asbestos lung cancer claim if you smoked?
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Yes. A smoking history doesn’t disqualify you from filing an asbestos cancer claim. Asbestos and smoking can increase your lung cancer risk, and a court may find that both are probable cancer causes. What matters is showing that asbestos exposure contributed, not that it was the only cause.
