The most well-known cause of lung cancer is smoking. While it is certainly the most widespread cause—smoking is linked with 90 percent of all lung cancer diagnoses and deaths—it is not the only cause.

Exposure to asbestos is another cause of lung cancer, and it causes about four percent of U.S. lung cancer cases. Out of the tens of thousands of Americans who die each year from lung cancer, this is actually a rather high number, taking more than 6,000 American lives per year.

If you or someone you love has suffered from asbestos small cell lung cancer, you may be able to pursue litigation.

Background of Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that used to be popular for commercial purposes such as electrical or building insulation, as well as countless others. However, the material is now known to be hazardous, and regulations regarding the use of asbestos have been in place for decades. Asbestos exposure can cause several serious health problems, including asbestos small cell lung cancer.

How does this happen? The microscopic fibers of asbestos can accumulate in a person’s lungs via the air, attacking the lining of the lungs, and then quickly spreads to distant organs. Asbestos exposure can cause a number of different respiratory cancers.

It can take up to 35 years for asbestos lung cancer to develop, though in some cases it may take around 10 years. Because of this latency period, asbestos lung cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage of development, when it has reached its later and more dangerous stage of development. Even though the use of asbestos has been heavily regulated in the last few decades, this delay in cancer development means that those exposed to asbestos decades ago are only now being diagnosed with life-threatening cancer.

Symptoms of asbestos related lung cancer include persistent coughing, chest discomfort or pain, coughing up blood, swelling of the face or neck, shortness of breath, hoarseness or wheezing, fatigue and loss of appetite, and chronic respiratory infections.

Asbestos Small Cell Lung Cancer

Asbestos lung cancer generally develops after long-term and frequent exposure to asbestos, but it can still occur with less frequent exposure.

Asbestos small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is rarer still than non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but it is considerably more aggressive. For patients with asbestos small cell lung cancer, which makes up only about 20 percent of all cases, the disease is more difficult to treat.

Filing an Asbestos Small Cell Lung Cancer Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has suffered from asbestos small cell lung cancer, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. While filing a lawsuit cannot undo the pain and suffering caused by asbestos small cell lung cancer, or bring a loved one back to life, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.