Those who have worked in certain industries in their lifetime may experience a high asbestos lung cancer risk.

This disease can show up many years after an employee has worked with and around asbestos products. The asbestos lung cancer risk may not pose a threat of immediate harm, but one that may lie dormant for many years.

Asbestos is a mineral that is mined from the ground. For most of the twentieth century, it was mined heavily in the United States and implemented for various uses because of its insulation and fire retardant properties. It was used widely in both commercial and private construction, in shipyards and rail yards, and in the military.

According to the American Cancer Society, “Since the industrial revolution, asbestos has been used to insulate factories, schools, homes, and ships, and to make automobile brake and clutch parts, roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, cement, textiles, and hundreds of other products.”

When asbestos is left undisturbed it is not dangerous. But when it is disturbed or broken up, tiny asbestos fibers are released into the air. Those working with the substance or around the substance can breathe in these fibers.

Unfortunately, asbestos fibers, once they are inhaled, cannot be exhaled. They stay in the lungs forever and lodge themselves in both the lining of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system and abdominal cavity.

When the asbestos fibers are stuck in the lungs or the lining of the lungs, they cause the tissue around the fibers to become inflamed. Over time, this inflammation can lead to different types of cancer including asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Asbestos lung cancer risk is particularly high for those who worked around ships or the railroads and those who have worked with particular products in the military. Some of these individuals worked in clouds of dangerous asbestos dust on a daily basis. It is also high for those who have worked in construction where there was an asbestos lung cancer risk and proper abatement and safety precautions were not taken.

Since the 1970s, asbestos lung cancer risk has dropped dramatically because of newer asbestos regulations. But still, many are exposed to the dangerous material.

The American Cancer Society says that most cases of lung cancer due to asbestos exposure occur at least 15 years after a person was exposed to asbestos first. Smoking increases the potential for someone to develop asbestos lung cancer.

Not only is asbestos lung cancer risk of concern for those who have worked with asbestos, but another form of cancer is equally concerning. Mesothelioma affects the thin lining of the lungs and abdomen and is nearly always caused by asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma takes even longer to detect. Some patients do not know they have mesothelioma until more than 30 years after they have been exposed to asbestos.

If you or someone you love has experienced asbestos lung cancer risk factors as a result of workplace exposure, you may benefit from speaking with an experienced attorney. You may be entitled to legal compensation.