Being diagnosed with lung cancer, mesothelioma or asbestosis is overwhelming news.

Unfortunately, every year thousands of people suffer from diseases related to direct or secondary asbestos exposure, leaving many patients and their loved ones to ask what exactly caused their cancer.

What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos refers to a group of six types of naturally occurring minerals. These minerals are made up of fine, durable fibers and are resistant to heat, fire and many chemicals. Once called the “miracle mineral” for such properties, asbestos was used in a slew of everyday products, from building materials to fireproof protective gear.

Many companies have mined and used asbestos for commercial purposes since the late 1800s. It is now highly regulated and a number of countries, including the U.S., classify it as a human carcinogen because exposure can cause asbestos lung cancer as well as other cancers and lung-related illnesses.

How Asbestos Causes Lung Cancer

When someone disturbs an asbestos-containing product, they release the microscopic fibers into the air. If inhaled, these thin fibers can become trapped in the lungs. Over long periods of time, they can accumulate and cause inflammation, scarring and other critical health problems. In some cases, the fibers can even trigger the development of lung cancer from asbestos.

Medical researchers first made a probable causal relationship between exposure to asbestos and lung cancer in 1935. Seven years later, a member of the National Cancer Institute confirmed asbestos as a cause of lung cancer.

Study after study continued to show the cause-effect relationship of asbestos and lung cancer. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognized these findings, and in 1986 proclaimed lung cancer as the greatest risk for Americans who worked with the toxic material.

Like mesothelioma, another asbestos-related cancer, lung cancer associated with asbestos is typically diagnosed at a late stage. The disease has a long latency period of development, meaning the onset of symptoms usually comes years after exposure.

Companies and manufacturers dealing with asbestos have known for almost a century that the inhalation of these toxic fibers is associated with asbestos lung cancer and several other debilitating and often fatal diseases.

Most people who develop lung cancer from asbestos were exposed to toxic asbestos while on the job. In order to pay for the cost of treatment and other damages, patients and families may choose to file asbestos cancer lawsuits against the manufacturers who allegedly contributed to the illnesses.