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An asbestos-related cancer is any cancer that can be caused by asbestos exposure. Lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed asbestos-related cancer in the United States.
Written by Suzanne Dixon, MPH, MS, RDN • Edited By Walter Pacheco • Medically Reviewed By Dr. Jacques Fontaine
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Dixon, S. (2024, January 16). Asbestos Cancer Facts and Statistics. Asbestos.com. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://www.asbestos.com/cancer/facts/
Dixon, Suzanne. "Asbestos Cancer Facts and Statistics." Asbestos.com, 16 Jan 2024, https://www.asbestos.com/cancer/facts/.
Dixon, Suzanne. "Asbestos Cancer Facts and Statistics." Asbestos.com. Last modified January 16, 2024. https://www.asbestos.com/cancer/facts/.
Lung cancer is the most common cancer caused by asbestos. Mesothelioma is the second-most diagnosed cancer linked to asbestos. Mesothelioma affects about 3,000 people in the U.S. each year, and it is almost exclusively caused by the naturally occurring mineral.
Other cancers linked to asbestos include ovarian cancer and laryngeal cancer. A 2021 research study suggested that asbestos fibers actively prevent their destruction by the immune system. The prolonged inflammatory response creates an environment prone to malignant transformations.
Gastrointestinal cancer and colorectal cancer have an association with asbestos, but more research is needed to establish a complete causal relationship. In some studies, an increased risk for cancer of the esophagus and kidney has been reported among those exposed to asbestos.
The four cancers determined to have a causal relationship with asbestos include lung cancer, mesothelioma cancer, ovarian cancer and laryngeal cancer. Facts and stats on each cancer include:
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Additionally, some studies show an elevated risk of gastrointestinal, colorectal, esophageal and kidney cancers among those exposed to asbestos. However, studies have been inconclusive on these cancers.
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