Asbestos exposure is a serious problem that can lead to issues with your health. There is no clear understanding of how much asbestos exposure is too much, which means that you need to focus on taking care of your health once you know that you were exposed and to keep up on your medical appointments to identify signs of illness.
Asbestos is known to cause at least five different diseases. Exposure may or may not lead to one or more of these.
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Ovarian cancer
One illness that asbestos exposure can cause is ovarian cancer. This can happen if asbestos reaches the ovaries through ingestion or other means. While it’s not clear how the ovaries are exposed, researchers believe that the asbestos fibers may travel through the lymphatic system.
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Testicular cancer
Like ovarian cancer, testicular cancer could also occur if exposed to asbestos.
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Laryngeal cancer
The larynx, or your voice box, can be negatively affected by asbestos exposure. It’s possible for the fibers to get stuck in the voice box as they are inhaled. This can lead to cancer after years of inflammation and scarring. Fortunately, tumors that haven’t spread to the lymph nodes have positive cure rates.
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Benign pleural diseases
Not all asbestos-related illnesses are malignant. Benign pleural diseases may worsen over time but don’t involve cancer that can spread. Instead, the lungs or other areas may develop swelling, inflammation, scarring and other issues.
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Malignant mesothelioma
Many people know about the link between asbestos and mesothelioma, a malignant cancer. Mesothelioma doesn’t happen in all people who were exposed to asbestos, but it can. It typically develops several decades after exposure, which can make it hard to diagnose and treat.
These are five possible illnesses that could be caused by asbestos exposure. If you develop one of these, remember that you may be able to hold your past employer or other party liable for the exposure you had to dangerous asbestos. With the right information, you could make a claim for compensation and get the financial support you need as you seek treatment for your health condition.