Asbestos Lung Cancer and Its Symptoms by Stage

Asbestos lung cancer is a diagnosis no one wants to receive, but it’s the news thousands of people are given each year. Asbestos lung cancer, which can be either small cell or non-small cell, occurs when you breathe in asbestos fibres that subsequently lodge in your lung tissue. 

Lung cancer caused by asbestos differs from pleural mesothelioma, a different asbestos-related cancer. Mesothelioma develops in the lining of the lungs, whereas asbestos lung cancer affects the lungs themselves. However, both conditions are the same in that they can take decades to form but just months to spread or metastasize.

How Does Asbestos Cause Asbestos Lung Cancer

Cancer researchers have been asking this question for decades: how does asbestos cause lung cancer? The answer is quite complicated, but researchers believe asbestos might change your DNA, resulting in cancer.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, there is enough evidence to suggest that asbestos might be linked to a chemical reaction that changes our genes. This chemical reaction is called DNA methylation, which impacts our biological processes, such as potassium ion transport and neuron differentiation.

Regarding potassium ion transport, our potassium channels regulate cancer actions and might have anti-tumour effects. If these processes change, we might not be able to fight tumours as effectively, resulting in aggressive cancer growth.

Asbestos might also affect neuron differentiation. Well-differentiated cancer cells spread slowly, while undifferentiated cells spread quickly.

Asbestos Lung Cancer Symptoms By Stage

Many people experience a range of lung cancer symptoms, such as a persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, wheezing, fatigue, and mysterious weight loss. However, these symptoms, and others, can differ based on the asbestos lung cancer stage.

Stage 1

Most people don’t experience too many noticeable symptoms with stage one asbestos lung cancer. If they do, they might notice a shortness of breath, a new cough they can’t explain, and even blood-tinged sputum. 

It’s important to note that these symptoms don’t always indicate lung cancer as a diagnosis, and further testing is generally required to reach that conclusion. At this point, medical professionals might diagnose you with stage 1A or 1B, which have the same symptoms.

Stage 2

The symptoms of stage 2 asbestos lung cancer are typically more noticeable, so most people might visit their GP to discuss their concerns. You might notice shortness of breath, a persistent cough, chest pain, weight loss, a loss of appetite, and coughing up blood.

People diagnosed with stage 2 asbestos lung cancer can be classed as 2A or 2B, with only slight differences in symptoms.

Stage 3

Sadly, stage 3 asbestos lung cancer is a defining moment in many people’s cancer journey. This is an advanced stage of lung cancer in which the tumour is now growing and spreading.

At this point, the cancer cells might have also reached the lining of the lungs, nearby lymph nodes, and, sometimes, the heart or oesophagus. People with stage 3 asbestos lung cancer likely have trouble breathing and often feel winded or short of breath.

They might also make a wheezing sound when they breathe, have pain in their chest, hoarseness, a lower voice volume, and weight loss. If cancer has spread to the spine, back pain might also be present, along with headaches if it has spread to the brain.

Medical professionals often separate stage 3 asbestos lung cancer into three further stages: 3A, 3B, and 3C. Cancer is limited to one side of the body in 3A, while 3B has spread to the other side of the chest. With a 3C diagnosis, there are tumours in the sac around the heart.

Stage 4

Stage 4 asbestos lung cancer is the most advanced stage, and tumours have spread beyond the lungs, potentially affecting the spinal cord, brain, and other vital organs and functions.

Most people experience severe symptoms, such as headaches, bone pain, seizures, balance problems, muscle weakness, swollen lymph nodes, numbness, and jaundice. Chest pain might also be more severe, with increased loss of breath, trouble breathing, coughing, and hoarseness.

Treatment for Asbestos Lung Cancer

The earlier asbestos lung cancer can be diagnosed, the more treatment options people generally have at their disposal. According to a Japanese study conducted in 2009, the average prognosis for this cancer type is 16.2 months, and 25% of people diagnosed have a five-year survival rate with treatment.

Medical professionals might recommend several different treatment options based on your cancer stage. If caught early, they might recommend surgery to remove a tumour with limited spread. They might also take a small portion of the lung, one of its lobes, or the entire lung.

Chemotherapy is one of the most common treatment options, intending to shrink tumours and kill cancer cells. Sometimes, this is paired with radiation therapy, which involves targeted radiation killing cancer cells and slowing growth.

Some people are also given the option of immunotherapy, with products like Keytruda and Opdivo sometimes successfully treating advanced non-­small cell lung cancer.

Prevent Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos exposure accounts for tens of thousands of deaths annually, many of which can be prevented. If you’re about to undertake demolition or renovation tasks with asbestos present, don’t underestimate the value of bringing in trained asbestos removal experts.