Small But Mighty Dangerous: Asbestos Fibers Cause Cancer
We fear big things, whether a commercial truck, a grizzly bear, or a Burmese python. But small can kill, too, and asbestos fibers are an example. They don’t crush human cells with their size. Many of these fibers are like microscopic needles, slicing and stabbing human cells, leaving them mortally wounded, resulting in inflammation and cell mutations in the affected area. After many years, these cellular changes can result in cancer.
Asbestos fibers are microscopic, according to Precision Environmental. Their size is measured in microns or one-millionth of a meter. The average human hair is about 50 to 70 microns thick. Asbestos fibers are typically one to 10 microns wide. This makes them about 20,000 times thinner than a strand of hair.
What are the Types of Asbestos?
Asbestos is six fibrous minerals (amosite, chrysotile, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite). They happen naturally in the environment. Chrysotile is classified as a serpentine mineral because it bends and curls. It was the most commercially used asbestos type.
The others are amphibole minerals. They’re considered more hazardous because their fibers are brittle and rod or needle-shaped. This makes it easier for them to stick or cut into human tissue and remain there.
Asbestos has been in thousands of products for centuries and is still used for some purposes. These fibers are light, strong, and resistant to fire, heat, electricity, and corrosion. Asbestos-containing products were largely regulated off the US market in the late 1970s.
How Big Are Asbestos Fibers?
If you laid out five or six hair strands side by side, the same space could be filled by thousands of asbestos fibers lined up next to each other. This microscopic size and weight allow asbestos fibers to float freely through the air and be swallowed or inhaled without a person realizing it.
Asbestos fibers can be suspended in the air for long periods, especially after asbestos-containing materials are installed or later disturbed, removed, worn down during normal wear and tear, or crushed or torn apart during demolition.
How Does Asbestos Fibers’ Size Affect the Danger They Pose?
After entering the body, fibers can become stuck in a person’s windpipe, voice box, lungs, lung, or chest cavity linings. Fibers can become lodged anywhere along the digestive tract if they’re swallowed. They may remain for years or even decades because the body’s immune response can’t destroy them.
Over time, asbestos fibers cause cell damage and mutations, which can cause many kinds of cancers, including lung cancer and mesotheliomas of the lining of the lungs, heart, abdominal organs, chest, and abdominal cavities. Longer, thinner amphibole asbestos fibers are more likely to cause lung cancer and mesothelioma, according to a 2022 medical journal article.
What Should I Do If I’m Diagnosed With an Asbestos-Related Disease?
After your diagnosis and deciding your treatment plan, you should contact Satterley & Kelley, PLLC. You may be entitled to compensation for your pain, suffering, and lost income due to your condition.
Our attorneys have experience representing victims who take legal action against the asbestos industry. Satterley & Kelley lawyers have helped those with mesothelioma for more than 20 years.
We will investigate your case to develop evidence to base a claim. We don’t assume cases will settle, so we don’t take shortcuts. Satterley & Kelley will carefully analyze the evidence in your case and decide upon and execute an effective strategy that can provide you with the most compensation possible.
Call Us Today For A Free Mesothelioma Lawsuit Consultation
If you or a family member are diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related condition, Satterley & Kelley lawyers can answer your questions, tell you about your rights to compensation, and discuss the necessary steps to protect them.
Call our Louisville office toll-free at 855-385-9532. You can also complete our contact form to schedule a free initial mesothelioma case consultation.