Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that is mined for use in a range of materials, including construction and building materials. However, asbestos may be linked to a number of health conditions including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. To better understand the links between asbestos and these conditions, experts developed ways to possibly determine if lung cancer is caused by asbestos.

How Do You Know if Lung Cancer Is Caused by Asbestos?

The Helsinki Criteria help medical professionals use a number of diagnostic tools to determine if lung cancer is caused by asbestos. These criteria include examining the latency period of the development of lung cancer and examining the evidence of asbestos exposure in a patient’s history.

Per the Helsinki criteria, for lung cancer to be determined to be asbestos-related, lung cancer must have developed at least ten years after a patient was first exposed to asbestos. 

When considering if lung cancer is caused by asbestos, doctors determine if patients have had a previous diagnosis of asbestosis, a lung disease characterized by scarring caused by asbestos fibers in the lungs, as described by Healthline. Reportedly, the presence of asbestosis is a good indicator that the patient was exposed to enough asbestos that their lung cancer could have developed from asbestos.

Higher than normal asbestos exposure is usually measured at exposure higher than 25 fibers of asbestos per millimeter of air, annually. Reportedly, this level is average for workers in construction and shipbuilding. 

Is All Asbestos Dangerous?

According to the American Cancer Society, there are two kinds of asbestos fibers. Unfortunately, research suggests that lung cancer is caused by asbestos of both varieties.

One kind of asbestos is chrysotile asbestos, or white asbestos. This is the most common kind of asbestos found in nature and is used most often in industrial settings. It is composed of spiral-shaped particles that wrap around each other, says the American Cancer Society. Because of their shape, chrysotile asbestos can also be referred to as curly asbestos or serpentine asbestos. 

The second form of asbestos, amphibole asbestos, has straight, needle-like fibers. Multiple kinds of asbestos fall under the amphibole category, including tremolite, actinolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (blue asbestos) and amosite (brown asbestos). 

Though both kinds of asbestos have been linked to cancer, there is some debate about whether they are equally dangerous, or if one kind of asbestos poses a greater health risk than another. 

Science Direct explains that amphibole asbestos is generally regarded by the scientific community to be more carcinogenic than chrysotile asbestos. However, some research does contrast this opinion, showing that chrysotile can do more damage to cells than its counterpart, and as a result, is more likely to cause asbestosis and cancer.

Since the early 20th century, research and observation have indicated that asbestos scars the lung, and now research indicates that the mineral’s long “spear-like” or needle-like fibers are behind the damage, as they can become lodged in the lungs, causing a range of health effects, The Wall Street Journal elaborated on this issue in investigating the possible presence of asbestos in some talc products.

How Were the Helsinki Criteria Developed?

The Helsinki Criteria were developed by the Finish Institute of Occupational Health to help diagnose possibly asbestos-related diseases, including lung cancer.

The Helsinki Criteria were first developed during a symposium on asbestos, asbestosis, and cancer held in Helsinki in 1997. As more information has come to light about the possible connection between asbestos and various conditions, new data was integrated into the Helsinki Criteria. The latest updates were finalized in February 2014, after two years of developments. 

The conference to finalize the Helsinki Criteria was organized by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the International Commission on Occupational Health.

Is Asbestos-related Lung Cancer Common?

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 107,000 people die each year from possibly asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma that resulted from their exposure to asbestos in the course of their work, says the International Labour Organization.

Though many industrialized countries have banned asbestos or stopped its production, it is still widely used around the world. Asbestos is particularly common in newly industrialized or developing countries, says the International Labour Organization, so it may still pose a risk.

What Is the Prognosis for Lung Cancer?

Unfortunately, the lung cancer survival rate is lower than the survival rate for other leading cancers, regardless of if the lung cancer was linked to asbestos or another source. Reportedly, around 18 percent of people with lung cancer survive more than five years after they are diagnosed, and over half of those diagnosed with lung cancer die less than a year after they are diagnosed.