Lung diseases like Mesothelioma, Asbestosis,
Byssinosis (brown lung disease), Coal Worker’s Pneumconiosis
(black lung disease) and Industrial Bronchitis are some of
the leading work-related illnesses in the USA, UK, and other
parts of the developed world. Sometimes an occupational lung
disease can take upto 50 years to develop. Recently cases
have come to light of entire families contracting lung cancer
and mesothelioma from long term exposure to asbestos.These
diseases are the result of inhalation of hazardous substances.
Any worker exposed to harmful substances should take out a
hazardous material insurance to safeguard himself and his
family.
The lungs can be affected by substances present in the air
of some workplace environments. Although the lungs can withstand
short-term exposure to hazardous substances, exposure over
a sustained period is dangerous. Only particles smaller than
0.005 mm in diameter - small enough to reach the narrowest
air passages and alveoli in the lungs, will cause damage.
However, because they cannot be expelled from
the system, they build up over a lengthe of time. Eventually,
they cause thickening and scarring of lung tissue, and may
turn into life-threatening conditions.
Asbestos is one of the greatest hazards in these
work-related deaths in the developed world. Asbestos fibers
are needle shaped, so they are drawn deep into the lungs,
when inhaled, and can pierce the lung tissue. They are divided
into three main types, all of which are dangerous, white,
blue and brown. The white fibers are the ones found in the
asbestos commonly used for commercial purposes, but the blue
and brown fibers, although less common are more dangerous.
The statistics are frightening. Every year,
as many as 65,000 American workers develop pulmonary disorders
related to their workplace environment. Around 25,000 die
every year from such diseases. Up to 3500 workers in the UK
die of Mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases.
These diseases fall under the umbrella classification
of ‘Occupational Lung Diseases’, and include Silicosis and
Occupational Asthma, in addition to Mesothelioma, Asbestosis,
Diffuse Pleural Thickening, Coal Worker’s Pneumcontiosis (black
lung disease), Byssinosis (brown lung disease) and Industrial
Bronchitis.
Asbestosis: Asbestosis is a
condition caused by inhalation of asbestos particles in the
air which may take as long as 30 years to develop. Long term
exposure to asbestos results in asbestos fibers accumulating
around the ends of the bronchioles in the lungs. The lungs
deal with these foreign bodies by trying to contain them within
scar tissue. However, in the process the lung tissue itself
thickens and loses elasticity.
Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma
is a rare form of cancer. In its most common form fluid accumulates
between the lining of the lungs and chest cavity. It is primarily
caused by work-related asbestos exposure and has a latency
period of up to 75 years. It is estimated that 10,000 new
cases are diagnosed each year in the industrialized countries.
Although most often seen as a tumor that grows from the pleura,
in about 20% of cases of mesothelioma the tumor arises from
the peritoneum.
A cancer of the pleura, the sac that envelopes the lungs,
(or of the peritoneum), Mesothelioma is responsible for about
10% of the fatalities that occur due to working in an asbestos
infested environment. Many studies have established a relationship
between malignant pleural mesothelioma and long term exposure
to asbestos. This link is further substantiated by the fact
that almost 70-80% of those afflicted with Mesothelioma have
a history of exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma occurs most often from working with blue or brown
asbestos fibers.
The mesothelial cells around the heart, lungs or abdominal
organs are affected. The most common type of mesothelioma
is the one which affects the pleura, the thin membrane between
the lungs and the chest cavity. This type of the disease is
known as Pleural Mesothelioma, and victims experience symptoms
which include: shortness of breath, breathing difficulties,
persistent coughing, chest pains, weight loss, and difficulty
with swallowing.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma is another form of this disease but
is not as common as Pleural Mesothelioma. This type of the
disease affects the peritoneum membrane of the abdomen. These
tumors can also be found in the stomach and abdominal organs.
Sufferers of Peritoneal Mesothelioma can experience symptoms
which include: stomach pains and abdominal swelling, nausea,
loss if appetite, vomiting, bowel obstruction, and blood clotting
abnormalities.
The third and the rarest type of mesothelioma is Pericardial
Mesothelioma, which affects the tissue and cavity surrounding
the heart. Patients of this type of the disease may show symptoms
such as shortness of breath, chest pains, persistent coughing
and palpitations.
However, about a quarter of all mesothelioma
are benign, and are not caused by asbestos. Benign mesothelioma
has been linked to hypoglycemia (low blood glucose), a disorder
of excessive insulin action.
Despite the use of protective clothing and other
preventative measures, the incidence of mesothelioma has been
on the rise. Apart from workplace air in certain situations
becoming polluted by asbestos particles, even living in the
vicinity of asbestos can spell danger to health. A recent
study conducted in California found that people who live near
rocks containing asbestos may have
a greater risk of contracting mesothelioma.
Researchers from Harvard and the University
of California at Davis examined almost 3,000 cases of mesothelioma
diagnosed in the state between 1988 and 1997.
They compared them with 3,000 cases of pancreatic
cancer matched for age, sex and other characteristics. The
survey found that the mesothelioma victims were more likely
to live near ultramafic rock, a type of rock that is likely
to contain asbestos. The same association was not shown with
pancreatic cancer. The researchers say that cancer risk appears
to drop by 6.3 % for every 10 Km
(6 miles) of distance away from rocks where asbestos occurs
naturally.
Diffuse Pleural Thickening: This
is also caused by exposure to asbestos. In fact, pleural thickening
may develop after even a brief period of exposure to asbestos.
Byssinosis: Known commonly
as the brown lung disease, Byssinosis is caused
by inhaling dust and fibers from hemp, flax and cotton processing.
Coal Worker’s Pneumconiosis :
Also known as black lung disease, this condition is caused
by mineral dust thrown into the closed environment of a coal
mine by the industrial processes used to generate coal.
However, there are other forms of pneumconiosis
caused by dusts containing beryllium (used in high-tech industries),
kaolin (china clay processing), slate, shale or haematite
(iron ore mining).
Silicosis: Silicosis is caused
by inhalation of particles of crystalline quartz, also known
as free silica. Crystalline silica is considered to be a human
carcinogen and is capable of causing this potentially-fatal
fibrotic lung disease. It can take up to 20 years for silicosis
to develop.
Crystalline silica is also a component in volcanic
ash, which is normally present as the polymorphs quartz, cristobalite
or tridymite. Accordingly, researchers have been studying
the effects of volcanic ash on the lungs. Recent work on the
Soufriere Hills volcanic ash (in Montserrat, West Indies)
has shown that ash derived from dome-collapse eruptions contained
substantial quantities of respirable cristobalite .
Cristobalite is considered to have a greater
potential to cause lung disease than the more common silica
polymorph, quartz.
The analysis of the surface reactivity of volcanic ash is
a new field of volcanic health hazard research being pioneered
using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy at
the Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy.
Another research team examined possible mechanisms
of crystalline silica poisoning through the generation of
free and surface radicals from volcanic ash particles. Their
findings show that respirable volcanic ash is capable of generating
hydroxyl radicals which, in the lung, are capable of causing
DNA damage and inflammation which, in turn, can lead to lung
disease. The ash may be potentially harmful due to the presence
of Fe2. Iron, present on the surface of particles, is capable
of catalysing reactions and producing free radicals.
Occupational Asthma: Occupational Asthma
condition occurs when someone with asthma is exposed to substances
in the workplace that can trigger an asthma attack. Up to
5% of people who have asthma have to face this problem in
the workplace.
Industrial Bronchitis: Industrial
bronchitis is an inflammation of the air passages that afflicts
coal miners and workers in workplace situations that would
make them vulnerable to black and brown lung diseases. Industrial
bronchitis may also develop from exposure to certain chemicals.
Symptoms
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Mesothelioma & Occupational Lung Diseases
Diagnosis
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Mesothelioma & Occupational Lung Diseases
Treatment
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