Bile Duct Liver Cancer May Be Caused by Asbestos
If you have bile duct cancer and a history of asbestos exposure, the two may be connected. This type of cancer may be caused by asbestos fibers that work their way through the body and into the liver. This starts a long chain of events that can result in cancer tumors. Satterley and Kelley, PLLC helps people with asbestos-related diseases obtain fair compensation for the harm they suffer.
What is the Liver?
The liver is an essential organ and gland, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It’s about the size of a football, depending on your height and weight, and is the largest organ in the body.
It performs hundreds of functions necessary to sustain life. They include the following:
- Removes harmful substances from blood
- Removes old red blood cells
- Creates bile, a fluid that helps us digest food
- Metabolizes proteins, carbohydrates, and fats so they can be used
- Regulates how much blood is in the body
The liver has two parts: the right and left lobes. Blood flows through the liver, which filters it, removing toxins and waste that leave the body in urine and feces. In the lobes are thousands of lobules, which are small lobes. They connect with many bile ducts, tubes transporting bile from the liver to the small intestine.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is the label for six naturally occurring minerals, according to the National Cancer Institute. They are fibers that may be separated into thin, strong threads used in thousands of products for centuries. Asbestos is resistant to heat, fire, chemicals, and electricity. Asbestos fibers are so tiny you may not see them and so light they can float through the air for a long time.
Why is Asbestos Dangerous?
You may encounter asbestos at work, in your community, or in your home. When asbestos-containing products are installed, removed, or disturbed, fibers are released into the air, where they can be inhaled or swallowed.
If that happens, the fibers can make their way into an organ or the lining of an organ, where they may become stuck. The immune system tries to destroy it, but the fiber will remain, and the cells that attack it will be destroyed. This leads to scarring, inflammation, and possibly, over decades, genetic mutations in nearby cells that result in cancer tumors, reports the National Cancer Institute.
Asbestos causes or increases the risk of cancers in the following organs or tissues:
Asbestos can also cause asbestosis, which is severe breathing difficulty caused by lung scarring due to asbestos.
What’s the Connection Between Bile Ducts, Cancer, and Asbestos?
Bile duct cancer (or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC)) is a rare cancer affecting the cholangiocytes (cells lining the bile duct). It’s the second most common liver cancer. It accounts for about 15% of all liver cancers, and those with it face a poor prognosis, reports Research Outreach.
ICC has several risk factors, but they’re unrelated to about half of ICC cases in the developed world. Asbestos fibers in bile ducts may be a factor in these cases.
Researchers found asbestos fibers in liver tissue in the 1970s. Researchers suggest fibers may get into the bloodstream and be delivered to all the organs, including the liver. It filters blood, so fibers may travel through and get stuck in the liver.
Medical research reported in 2013 found that data covering about 155 Italian ICC patients revealed that those exposed to asbestos at work had an increased risk of ICC. Fifty-four study participants were previously exposed to asbestos, and all but two were exposed from the 1960s to the 1980s, a time when there was heavy asbestos use before the country banned it in 1992.
Research published in 2018 looked at the same issue but in patients in Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Information about 15 million people covering 1960 to 1980 was reviewed. It was found that asbestos exposure caused an increased risk of ICC. It happened more often in men aged 60 and older. There can be a 30 to 40 year delay in cancer development, so they may have been exposed in their 20s and 30s.
Call Us Today for A Free Consultation
If you have bile duct cancer or another asbestos-related disease, you may be entitled to compensation. To talk about your situation and how Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help, call our Louisville office toll-free at 855-385-9532 or complete our contact form to schedule a free initial consultation.