What Causes Lung Cancer?

Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos exposure regularly over an extended period can cause an individual to develop lung cancer. Asbestos is a term used to describe microscopic fiber bundles made up of a group of different minerals found in rocks and soil. Before the twentieth century, asbestos was used to insulate millions of structures, produce automobile parts, ceiling tiles, roofing shingles, cement, floor tiles, textiles, and countless other products. While asbestos is no longer used in production today, hundreds of thousands of individuals exposed to it have developed lung cancer as a result. Most patients developed lung cancer around fifteen years following first exposure. Inhaled asbestos fibers stick to the airways and burrow deep into the inner tissues of the lung. The fiber bundles cause inflammation of the lung tissues and then a subsequent immune response to attempt to mediate it. As the body attempts to repair the damage done to the lung tissues by the asbestos fibers, scar tissue begins to build up. Because of the constant damage and repair being done to the cells of the lung of an individual who inhales asbestos over a long duration, these tissues are prone to experiencing DNA mutations that cause the development of cancer.

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